Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 27 Mar 21 - 09:36 AM

The singer referred to by Leadfingers in 2009 and by Richard in today's post was indeed Charlie Hardy - a Tynesider but not, IIRC, one of the Jarrow marchers himself. He moved down to London and lived in Barnet and Mike and Jenny Sparks used to bring him to the Herga Club.

Mike, with David Constable, recorded Charlie singing several of his songs in 1995 when Charlie was 87, and The Song of the Jarrow Marches (sic, though Mike's own webpage calls it The Song of the Jarrow Marchers) was the first track on Flowers of Tyneside - you can hear a snatch of it here

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 21 - 09:17 AM

sounds like Charlie Hardy of South Shields

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 27 Mar 21 - 07:18 AM

An old chap who used to come to the Herga, back in the 70s, sang a song that he had written about the March. I MAY have a recording. I'll have a look.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 26 Mar 21 - 01:10 PM

Graham Pirt (Cockersdale) wrote one also. Lyrics can be found at

https://singunited.co.uk/power-to-the-people-songs-part-7/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 26 Mar 21 - 12:49 PM

Among dramatisations based on the Jarrow March is a play, Whistling at the Milestones (1977) by Alex Glasgow,[151] and an opera, Burning Road (1996), by Will Todd and Ben Dunwell.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 04 May 09 - 10:40 AM

There was one of the original marchers who I met twenty odd years ago - Lived in the Harrow area- and he had written a few damn good songs about the march - Cant for the life of me remember his name now though !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: petekelly7
Date: 04 May 09 - 09:48 AM

for some reason I believe that one tune played regularly on the march was 'now is the hour'

I think this was info passed from old relatives so no idea how accurate this may be.......... apologies in advance if this is a blind alley

pete

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: NormanD
Date: 04 May 09 - 06:08 AM

I once read an account (sorry, I can't recall where though I'll think on it) saying that the harmonica group played "The Minstrel Boy", presumably along with other songs.

norman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 03 May 09 - 06:15 PM

Harvey Andrews mentions the marches in his 'Unaccompanied' song:

The thirties are a memory for Dad again
He tells me it can never be that bad again
But from Jarrow and from Clyde they'll come
With silent hearts and muffled drum
We want the cake and not the crumb
We're mad again

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 03 May 09 - 06:41 AM

back in the 1970s BBC Nationwide covered the Jarrow March reinactment, and ithink gave a historical account of the original march. The item was introduced by a verse or chorus of a superb song which started something like... Gannin' doon, Johnny, gannin' doon...
I don't rememebr any more than that except for the tune.

Can anyone track it down?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 01:49 PM

Roger- have you listened to early cds from the Whisky priests? they are out of Durham and sing about the basics of life. The guys have a mining background. a good extension of the tradition.

Conrad

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 11:39 AM

Photos show some of the marchers playing harmonicas, it would be interesting to know what they played and sang, apart from the obvious Blaydon races and Geordie Hinny. I bet some parodies or original songs grew up along the way.
You can tell I get all my ideas about the North East from "When the boat comes in";"Close the coalhouse door" and "The likely Lads", sorry!
RtS

Subject: Jarrow March Songs Any?
From: Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
Date: 07 Apr 00 - 11:19 AM

Alan Price wrote a song about the Jarrow Marches - are there any others? Conrad