Lyr Req: Bellman (from The Watersons)

Subject: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From:
Date: 04 Jun 97 - 03:40 AM

A request for lyrics:

The Watersons once recorded a song titled BELLMAN.

It is a song celebrating a dog with this name. Any help?

Thanks Wolfgang

Subject: Lyr Add: BELLMAN
From: Barry Finn
Date: 04 Jun 97 - 04:51 PM

BELLMAN

Won't you lift up your glasses to Bellman
And bid that old hound adieu,
For it's many's the time in the height of his prime
He has thrilled us by running (to view?)

CHORUS: So let's bid farewell to our Bellman.
His voice you all used to know,
And it's hounds of his kind they are very hard to find,
And he's gone where the good doggies go.

On the very worst morning in winter,
Through the pale and the Lilywood side,
And the hounds would just follow after,
For his nose never told him no lies.

Now a gallant ol' hound were our Bellman.
Why, he'd chase any fox and could climb,
And the only wrong deed he done us
Was when he laid his ol' pelt down and died.

Now his offspring did follow their father.
Why, there's (Boller and Bashful?) so grand;
And just like their noble old father,
Why, they'd chase any fox from the land.

Now some people use guns to kill foxes,
And they say that it's far more humane,
But the fox that got nipped by our Bellman,
Oh, he laid down and did not rise again.

That's via the dust and the cobwebs, it's been awhile since I've sung it, (not because it's been worn out) I should be fairly right on with the words, hope so.
Barry

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 05 Jun 97 - 05:41 AM

That's the song. Thanks a lot Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: SeanM
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 04:05 AM

If anyone can help me... I know this song, but for reasons too legnthy to state, am trying to find out the approximate age and authorship of this song, and specifically if it's public now...

Thanks...

M

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: wildlone
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 04:57 AM

I think the song refers to the hounds of John Peels pack.
I will try a search and see what comes up.
BTW I don't know if there are any hound men out there but if there is the one thing that seems to annoy them is to call hounds "dogs".

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: wildlone
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 05:31 AM

I typed "horn of the hunter2 into the new supersearch and found a lot of information on John Peel/hunting songs.
Good one Max.

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: wildlone
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 05:32 AM

That should be "horn of the hunter"

Subject: Lyr Add: BELLMAN
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 12:40 PM

This is a bit redundant, but I got the words off the Waterson's page. (Irony: look at who transcribed them. :-) Rather than go through Barry's post, I just cut and pasted the lyrics from there.
------------------------------------------------

Will you raise up your glasses to Bellman
And bid that old hound dog adieu,
For it's many's the time in the height of his prime
He has thrilled us by running to view.

Chorus
So let's bid farewell to our Bellman,
His voice you all used to know,
And it's hounds of his kind they are very hard to find
And he's gone where the good doggies go.

On the very worst morning in winter
Through the hail and the rain you would try
And the other dogs would have just followed after
For his nose never told him no lie.

Now a gallant old hound were our Bellman,
Why, he'd chase any fox and could climb,
And the only wrong deed that he'd done us
Was when he laid his old pelt down and died.

Now his offspring did follow their father,
Why, there's Bowler and there's Bashful and so grand
And they're like their noble old father
Why they'll chase any fox from the land.

Now some people use guns to kill foxes
And they says that it's far more humane.
But the fox that got nipped by our Bellman
Why he'd laid down and he'd not rise again.
^^
------------------------------------------------
Transcribed from the singing of The Watersons by Wolfgang Hell

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: SeanM
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 03:26 PM

Thanks... the Watersons page had the info I needed.

Thanks again!

M

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 04:26 PM

I'm glad I was of help, even if I was suffering from an attack of the stupids at the time I posted. (Jeri, there was no irony - read the dates!!! Duh.)

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: Wolfgang
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 04:50 AM

No problem, Jeri. Fond memories for me. That was one of my first requests ever at Mudcat. And with Barry's lyrics on my lap I could finally do something that was plainly impossible for me before: Transcribe what the Watersons are singing. And then with a little more help from a native speaker the lyrics finally found their way to Garry's great Watersons page.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: Mr Happy
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 04:27 AM

Sounds fairly contemporary though,

'Now some people use guns to kill foxes
and they says that it's far more humane.'

anyone have a date/composer?

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: gnomad
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 07:29 AM

Recorded in 1975 on "For Pence and Spicy Ale" [now issued on Topic CD, TSCD462] and credited there as Trad, arr Watersons, Pub Mole Music Ltd.

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: nutty
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 08:17 AM

I could be wrong but I seem to remember being told that this song came from the Holme Valley Tradition.

Subject: RE: Lyrics requ.: BELLMAN
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 20 Apr 07 - 11:47 AM

The Watersons' immediate source was Paul Graney of Manchester; whether the song was from his own repertoire or among the many things he recorded from others, I wouldn't know. For more on Graney, see:

The Paul Graney Memorial Folk Trust

The Common Genius Project

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellman (from The Watersons)
From: Mr Happy
Date: 09 Dec 07 - 05:59 PM

Having requested the words in another thread which got closed, thanks above for same.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellman (from The Watersons)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 01:29 PM

Anyone suggest a tune for this?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bellman (from The Watersons)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 02:04 PM

Guest:

The Watersons - Bellman (youtube)

Mick