Songs about the 'end of an era'

Subject: RE: Songs about the 'end of an era'
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 30 Aug 22 - 01:46 PM

Archie Fisher wrote The Final Trawl “inspired by a pair of rusting decommissioned trawlers off Scrabster Harbour” and recorded it in the 1970s for an album on Tommy Makem and Lian Clancy's Blackbird label that was never released. Several decades later the recording masters were rediscovered, and he included this and some other songs as bonus tracks of his 2008 album Windward Away. It was also included in 2009 on the Greentrax anthology People and Songs of the Sea. Archie Fisher also sang it in 1988 on his album with Garnet Rogers, Off the Map, where he noted:

The death of a boat is the first casualty in the decline of a fishing community. This song is dedicated to all of the hardy fisherfolk at sea and ashore.

Now it's three long years since we made her pay
    Sing haul away, my laddie-o
And the owners say that she's had her day
    And sing haul away, my laddie-o

Subject: RE: Songs about the 'end of an era'
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 30 Aug 22 - 01:41 PM

Kay Sutcliffe, the wife of a miner from the Kent coal-fields, wrote the poem Coal Not Dole during the mid-80s dispute between the Conservative government of Maggie Thatcher and the miners' unions.

Coope Boyes and Simpson sang this to the tune of "See, Amid the Winter's Snow", an English Christmas carol, written by Edward Caswall and first published in 1858. In 1871 Sir John Goss composed a hymn tune for it, "Humility".

It stands so proud, the wheel so still, A ghostlike figure on the hill.
It seems so strange, there is no sound, Now there are no men underground.
What will become of this pit yard? Where men once trampled faces hard?
Tired and weary, their shift done, Never having seen the sun.

Shelley Posen based his song No More Fish, No Fishermen on the Coope Boyes and Simpson version of the song.

Subject: RE: Songs about the 'end of an era'
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 30 Aug 22 - 01:17 PM

Would The Weaver and the Factory Maid be along the right lines? even if there's doubts about its provenance.

Subject: RE: Songs about the 'end of an era'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 22 - 12:37 PM

Dave Webber seems to like songs of this genre:

Old Fid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJkVHo7pfko

Old Figurehead Carver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsQDidlCht0

Last Trip Home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I_BV0fD0N0

I'll bet he's done more.

Subject: RE: Songs about the 'end of an era'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 22 - 12:30 PM

How about Steve Goodman's The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over?

Goodman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ_3wJuLIdk

Highwaymen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeF32GNl6gw

Subject: Songs about the "end of an era"'
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 30 Aug 22 - 11:54 AM

I would like to request help identifying songs about the end of an era -- a common trade, activity, etc. that ends due to industrial change, resource depletion, etc. For example Peggin' Awl, Archie Fisher's Final Trawl, and Shelly Posen's No More Fish, No Fishermen. Perhaps about farming, hand weaving? Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Bruce