Lyr Req/Add: The Man behind the Plow

Subject: For 'Man behing the Plough'
From:
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 09:15 PM

Does anyone know the lyrics for "Man Behind the Plough"? I can't find them anywhere. I was especially interested in the version sung by Ian Bell on CBC radio during the Vinyl Cafe. Thanks, Cat Schau

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: For 'Man behing the Plough'
From: Naemanson
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 11:59 AM

Can you give us anything more to go by. Do you remember any of the words?

Maybe if you hum the tune we can get it. *bg*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: For 'Man behing the Plough'
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 11:46 PM

Dave, "The Field Behind The Plough" would be my guess as well. Great song.

Rich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: For 'Man behing the Plough'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 11:54 PM

There is a Canadian song called "The Man Behind The Plough", which I don't think is related to the song Dave quoted (do you have a tune for that, by the way?); unfortunately I can't find a text anywhere, so that's not a lot of help...

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: For 'Man behing the Plough'
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 31 Oct 00 - 03:29 PM

Sorry Malcolm I dont have the chords; the song is on a Stan Rogers CD called Northwest Passage. Perhaps someone else could provide them for you. Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: DTAdd: THE MAN BEHIND THE PLOUGH
From: GUEST,Paddy Tutty
Date: 31 Oct 00 - 10:30 PM

I have recorded The Man Behind the Plough on my CD "Prairie Druid" It is indeed a different song from The Field Behind the Plough. My source was Ian Bell. These are the lyrics:

THE MAN BEHIND THE PLOUGH

I'm not so much at singing
Like those high-faluting chaps
My voice it may be husky
And a little loud perhaps!
But I have be out ploughing
With a lazy team, you see.
They kept me pretty busy
With their "get-up, whoa, haw-gee".
But if you pay attention
There is something I would say
About the great mistake you make,
And make it everyday
In dealing out your praises,
And I mean to tell you now
Too often you forget the one
Who walks behind the plough.

Chorus:
You talk about you learnéd men,
Your wit and wisdom rare,
Your poets and your painters:
They get praises everywhere!
They're well enough to make a show
But will you tell me how
The world will ever do without
The man behind the plough?

It's very nice to go to school
And learn to read and write.
It's nicer still to dress up fine
And sport about at night!
Your music and your poetry
May all be hard to beat,
But tell me what you're going to do
For something you can eat.

You say my boots are muddy
And my clothing it is coarse:
I make a good companion
For the oxen and the horse.
My face is red, my hands are hard--
It's true, I must allow,
But don't be too quick to spurn
The man behind the plough.

I like your great inventions
And I'm glad you're getting smart.
I like to hear your music
For it kind of stirs my heart.
But it'll never touch the stomach
Of any hungry man,
And I would like to just suggest
The kind of thing that can...

So son, don't be too anxious
For to leave the good old farm,
Your father's strength is failing--
Soon he'll need your youthful arm.
If you're honest in you purpose
At your feet the world must bow
For the greatest of the great men is
The man behind the plough.

Recorded versions can be found on "Prairie Druid" and on Ian Bell's recordings.

Paddy
Prairie Druid Music
http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/wuidland/

---

Line breaks added. --JoeClone

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Man behind the Plow
From: GUEST,Thomas Henry Brigham
Date: 01 Apr 13 - 10:21 PM

Hi Dan and others,

    I found the words to THE MAN BEHIND THE PLOUGH very interesting.
About 25 or 30 years ago, I met a man who must have been in high 80's or older.   He had been a farmer in his younger years, and he would receit this as poetry. Unfortunately I did not make any attempt to record his poetry and he is dead now. He lived to be 100.

    What if noticed different was the 3rd line of the Chorus: He always said the Doctor and the Lawyer, They get praises everywhere!

    All this gentleman would receit was the Chorus. I had no idea that it had been set to music.   I wonder if anyone has ever seen it in an old elementary school reader from perhaps the early part of the 1900's, in Ontario, Canada.

I have also found it interesting that there are other works with similar names. ie. the man behind the gun.

Thomas H. Brigham
[e-mail]

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAN WHO FOLLOWS THE PLOW
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Apr 13 - 06:30 PM

From The Improvement Era, Vol. 14, No. 6 (Salt Lake City: Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association, April, 1911), page 505:


THE MAN WHO FOLLOWS THE PLOW

1. I'm not so much at singin' as you high, kaflutin' chaps.
My voice it may be husky, and a little rough, perhaps;
But I have been a-plowin' with a lazy team, you see,
And it keeps me pretty busy with my "Get-up, whoa-haw, gee!"
But, if you'll pay attention, I have a word to say,
About the great mistakes you make, and do it every day,
In dealing out your praises, and I want to tell you now,
Too often you forget the man who walks behind the plow.

CHORUS: You may talk about your learned men, with their wit and wisdom rare,
Your painters and your poets, they get praises everywhere;
It's well enough to make a show, but will you tell me how
This world could ever do without the man who follows the plow?

2. 'Tis well enough to go to school, to learn to read and write:
It's easier still to dress up fine. and sport around all night.
Your music, paintin' and poetry may all be hard to beat,
But tell me, what you're going to do for something good to eat?
You say my boots are muddy, and my clothing it is coarse;
That I'd make a good companion for the oxen or the horse.
My face is red, my hands are hard, of course, I will allow,
But do not be so quick to spurn the man who follows the plow.

3. I like your great inventions, I'm glad you're getting smart;
I like to hear your music, for it kinder stirs my heart;
But it will never stir the stomach of any hungry man;
So let me call your attention to the sort of a thing that can.
Now, boys, don't be so anxious to leave the good old farm;
Your father's strength is failing, soon he'll need your youthful arm.
If you're honest in your purpose, at your feet the world will bow,
For the greatest of the great men, Abraham Lincoln, was a man who steered the plow.

—SELECTED BY HAROLD C. KIMBALL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: The Man behind the Plow
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 19 - 08:52 AM

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m5/f2/csm3591.pdf

Here is a link to a different version of the song with different words ( which I actually like better). It is sheet music so a tune is available. Also a recording of the song is available here:
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028008/f7/csm3591.mp3