Lyr Add: Strike the Bell (Ron Shuttleworth)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 14 Sep 00 - 09:30 AM

Almost certainly brass meaning small change. I don't know of an english dialect or slang that uses grass to mean money. It is definitely brass on Johnny Collins version

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 06:41 PM

G'day all,

Interesting to see this later Ring The Bell song.

Of course, the well known Australian song Click go the Shears is a straight parody of H.C. Work's Ring The Bell Watchman, written to celebrate the end of the American Civil War (maybe as an apology to Sherman for Marching Thru' Georgia ;-) ... also by Work.

I suspect that the Sea song version is roughly contemporary with Click go the Shears, i.e. from around the 1870s, when the original was still relevant and well known.

BTW: I gather that H.C. Work's Ring The Bell Watchman is not recognised by the average American - even folkie type, these days.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: radriano
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 11:10 AM

Hello everybody:

I learned this song from Johnny Collins' album, "Free & Easy" on Traditional Sound Recording Records, TSR 041, 1982.

I transcribed this a long time ago and it's entirely possible that I got some things wrong. My poor old turntable is on the fritz so I can't listen to the record at the moment. I thought I had heard the term "grass" used as a slang phrase for money but maybe "brass" is the correct word. Perhaps one of our English Mudcatters could tell us what is right.

"Creeping up so sly" is definately the correct phrase because sly then rhymes with dry. You know, I'll just have to listen to the recording again. I do apologize for posting the song with errors - I should have at least compared my lyrics with the ones in the database.

Radriano

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 03:45 AM

Great song! people love it, and I'm glad to be able to attribute it properly.

I believe it is "creeping up so SLY"...Thirsty? I can't remember, but I think we sang JOLLY. ...copper STOPPED me now..., ...YOU CAN hear the rafters ring. We sang "set his bag alight...ttr

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 12:52 AM

Within this context, I think "grass" is a typographical error....

Richard's version says "breath would set his bag alight" which makes sense, but sounds very modern. The version in the Digital Tradition says "If a Copper stopped me car me breath would say fag a light." That sounds a little more timeless, but doesn't make sense to me. Which is correct?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: GUEST,Lucius
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 12:24 AM

Just one question on the line:

She's drinking double vodkas and it's costing him all his grass

I've always sung it "all his brass", am I wrong? What is grass (within this context)?

Lucius

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 13 Sep 00 - 12:11 AM

Fascinating stuff, radriano. You have a knack for bringing unusual, not often heard songs to the chantey sings and workshops. Great songs, too, I might add.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 05:49 PM

I found two versions in the database. #2 (click)is just about the same as what Richard posted above. #1 is here (click) the more traditional sea shanty version. In a note in the Digital Tradition, Dick Greenhaus says he thinks that Ring the Bell, Watchman, but Henry Clay Work, is the basis for the others. You'll find that song and many others by Work on this page (although I have to say I wish he'd left off the percussion tracks on the MIDI).
Say, Dick, if we have three versions of a song, should it have a DT number? I'll attach a note when I send Richard's corrected lyrics.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: MMario
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 05:10 PM

I have seen this song family credited (words and music) to American Civil War, but other places have seen it as traditional scottish (Strike the bell watchman)and the shanty version seems to be younger then the land based versions.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From:
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 05:04 PM

Isn't it based on the sea shanty?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: radriano
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 04:01 PM

Hi, Joe:

It's from an old LP I have. I can't think of the album title at the moment but I'll look it up when I get home tonight and post the info tomorrow.

Regards,
Radriano

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:55 PM

Hi, Richard, what's your source for this?
Thanks.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: MMario
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:43 PM

Dick - he did say that; in his first paragraph - He was reposting with the lyrics attributed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Strike the Bell
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 03:40 PM

Hi- Check out DigiTrad. It's there.

Subject: Lyr Add: STRIKE THE BELL (Ron Shuttleworth)^^^
From: radriano
Date: 12 Sep 00 - 02:06 PM

I brushed this old gem off for the drinking songs workshop I participated in at the Festival of the Sea 2000 in San Francisco this year. It is in the database as Strike the Bell, Landlord but the author of the words is not credited. The melody is the same as the sea song, Strike the Bell.


Strike The Bell
Words written by Ron Shuttleworth of Coventry, England

In our local boozer, hear the rafters ring
Everybody's gathered there just to have a sing
The atmosphere is warming up, the choruses are prime
Then the landlord rings his little bell and calls out time

Chorus:
Strike the bell, landlord, serve another round
Such a thirsty crowd as this is seldom to be found
To break such jovial company would surely be a sin
So strike the bell and shut the door and lock us all in

Tom, over there, is chatting up a bird with class
She's drinking double vodkas and it's costing him all his grass
She's very understanding when she gets a little tight
Just another two or three and he'll be set up for the night

Jim, in the corner, has been drinking very hard
But everything he's had tonight he's left out in the yard
He's got nothing left to show for all he's had to pay
It's only fair to let him have some more before he goes away

I have to admit, I've had a drop or two myself
My visions kind of fuzzy and my legs aren't working well
If a copper stops me now, by breath would set his bag alight
So keep me off the road and let me stay all night

Here comes our local copper, creepin' up so slow
His beak is hot and dusty and he's looking very dry
Underneath that uniform he's just like me and you
So stick a tankard in his hand and lock him in too

Landlord, if you'll be our friend and if you'll let us stay
We'll keep your till a-ringin' til the dawning of the day
The more we drink, the more we sing - singing makes us dry
We'll drink the moon to bed and sing the sun into the sky

Radriano
^^^