Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay

Subject: ADD: Lifeboat Horses (Andrew McKay)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jun 20 - 03:28 PM

This song was buried in another thread, and needs exposure. Great song.

Thread #113151   Message #2404563
Posted By: Crane Driver
03-Aug-08 - 06:42 PM
Thread Name: Songs about Horses
Subject: Lyr Add: LIFEBOAT HORSES (Andrew McKay)

Here's my Lifeboat Horses song, called ... er, 'Lifeboat Horses'

It's a traditional story from Mumbles, the fishing village at the west of Swansea bay, from the days when lifeboats were launched from horse-drawn waggons. I really want this to be a true story

LIFEBOAT HORSES
© Andrew McKay, 2004

In the village of Mumbles, at the end of the bay,
They keep two fine horses, a brown and a grey,
When the signals ring out they are harnessed away,
To go down to the sea for the lifeboat.
And the lifeboat crew's coxswain he mentions with pride,
How the brown and the grey, they would work side by side,
By day or by night, at high or low tide,
To go down to the sea for the lifeboat.
To go down to the sea for the lifeboat
To go down to the sea for the lifeboat
By day or by night, at high or low tide,
To go down to the sea for the lifeboat

And also in Mumbles there lives a proud man,
With mutton-chop whiskers and gloves on his hands,
Who makes a fine living from the dead of the land,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat.
And he's got two horses, they're regal and black,
They stand in the traces, with plumes on their backs,
He takes many folks forward, brings none of them back,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat,
He takes many folks forward, brings none of them back,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat

But the black horses sickened, they lay on the floor,
The horse-doctor came round, with his potions galore,
He said "No more hearse driving for a fortnight or more,
In your sombre black hat and your frock-coat"
"But the squire's just died, oh it couldn't be worse,
I haven't a horse for to handle the hearse!"
Then he scratched at his head, and he muttered a curse,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat,
Then he scratched at his head, and he muttered a curse,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat

Then he said "These two horses, the grey and the brown,
They were bought and maintained for the good of the town,
They do nothing all day but just wander around,
And go down to the sea for the lifeboat!"
Well, the brown and the grey didn't quite look the part,
In the nodding black plumes of the old dead-man's cart,
But they started off strongly, and the proud man took heart,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat,
But they started off strongly, and the proud man took heart,
In his sombre black hat and his frock-coat

'Twas a stormy old day but they pulled with a will,
On squire's last trip to the top of the hill,
Till the signal rang out from the coastguard so shrill,
"Come down to the sea for the lifeboat!"
Well, the horses they faltered, and then they stood still,
And then they turned round and walked back down the hill,
Though the proud man he hollered and hauled with a will,
They went down to the sea for the lifeboat
They went down to the sea for the lifeboat,
They went down to the sea for the lifeboat,
Though the proud man he hollered and hauled with a will,
They went down to the sea for the lifeboat

They pulled that old hearse right out into the bay,
The mourners stood watching in shock and dismay,
As the squire's remains drifted out and away,
Going right out to sea like a lifeboat.
And from that day to this, the brown and the grey,
Have had nothing to do but to eat grass all day,
Till the signal rings out from the coastguard to say,
"Come down to the sea for the lifeboat!"
"Come down to the sea for the lifeboat!"
"Come down to the sea for the lifeboat!"
Till the signal rings out from the coastguard to say,
"Come down to the sea for the lifeboat!"

Horses aren't as stupid as some people think.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: Splott Man
Date: 20 Jun 20 - 04:46 AM

Andrew has written many a fine and witty song based legends and stories from his part of Wales.
You can find out more about him and Carole Etherton here Crane Drivin' Music

and they're on Face book
here.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: Crane Driver
Date: 28 Jun 20 - 09:31 AM

Thank you Joe. We've produced a book of the songs we have written based mostly on local legends and stories from the Swansea and Gower regions of South Wales (52 at the time of publication) called "Copper, Cockles and Inklemakers". Copper was the source of Swansea's prosperity, cockles a local delicacy collected from the shores of Gower, and Inklemakers? that's a local dialect word meaning 'busy people', which we all are. The book is A4, spiral bound, professionally printed, with each song spread over two pages, with melody, words and background notes. Available from our website, for which Ned (Splott Man) has conveniently provided a link above. "Lifeboat Horses" is in there, as are "Dead Reckoning", "Navigator Lady", "Closing of the Day" and many more. We're always happy for other people to take up and sing our songs - that's what they're for.

Andrew "Crane Driver" McKay and "Sussex" Carole Etherton

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: voyager
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 07:36 PM

Met up with Crane Driver and Sussex in the early FSGW days (2003 perhaps). I've kept a copy of 'Pennbucky to Llangenny' recording all these years. Every song is a winner.

Good to see you on the FSGW 2020 program.

voyager

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 08:12 PM

"Dead Reckoning" and "Navigator Lady" are fine songs, songs one doesn't forget.

Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: sciencegeek
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 07:44 AM

how would one obtain a copy of the book? inquiring minds want to know :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: GUEST,Tom Patterson
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 07:49 AM

Yes, a fine songwriter. A favourite of mine is one of his more recent songs,"Last Watch", which has a haunting melody. It is one of several on Youtube

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 09:11 AM

Andrew & Carole's website
Songs on Youtube
Andrew-McKay-Carole-Etherton on facebook

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Songs by Andrew McKay
From: pavane
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 09:24 AM

I believe they are represented on the Mudcat CDs too. I remember seeing them at the UK launch.