Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England
From: GUEST,Ric Jerrom
Date: 22 Jun 21 - 05:51 AM

I first heard this sung by Jack Elliott in 1966, in Sheffield - “Stumblin’ Jack Elliott”, he said, “from Bartley - don’t confuse me with that other one”.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England
From: GUEST,Wheatman
Date: 09 Jun 14 - 04:38 AM

The guest was me, it seems my system has dropped me off the list. I seem to remember Bob Davenport singing " along the Felling Shore" verse but time and memory prevail. (It could have been Ed who was singing regularly in the clubs in Durham in the late 60's when I started singing) The thing is , very few at the time explained where the songs or parts of them came from, the songs were just presented with little intro, or perhaps at 16 I wasn't taking much notice. It's all part of the folk process. I heard a traditional singer at Rothbury a couple of years ago singing an unconnected song but included the mother on law verse. Was that the original source or had the singer decided to enlarge his song with the verse because he liked it? One will never know because I did not ask him, but as I said that's the folk process. Gan Canny Brian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 09 Jun 14 - 03:12 AM

The Elliott Family only ever sang the first five verses but others (Bob Davenport recorded it as so) were including the last two verses when I started in the folk clubs in 1966. As to who wrote those two verses I have only heard it suggested that it was Ed Pickford (he was one of the first that I heard sing it)but I am quite willing to be proved wrong. BTW I always knew the last verse as "alang the Felling Shore"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jun 14 - 04:25 PM

ok who wrote that verse?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jun 14 - 05:39 AM

Come all ye bold miners - A.L. Lloyd has two versions and The Elliotts of Birtley - Pete Wood has the Elliot version. Neither have this verse

I knar a Gatesheed lassie her age it thorty fower
Shes nivver had a man in her life an her heart is very sore
On night as she was gannin te bed she thought she heard a soond
She looked beneath the bed an a burgler there she foond
Whey she didn't scream nor faint ( Titty etc
She didn't cry nor shoot ( Titty etc
She made sure itwasa man and the she cried hurray
An she went an locked the door (Titty etc
Tra la etc

Gan Canny Brian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 Jun 14 - 03:05 PM

The Single Bolinder is an excellent 'new' Canal song from David Blagrove , based on Little Chance .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Little Chance - song from NE England
From: GUEST,Phil Latheron
Date: 07 Jun 14 - 08:47 AM

Bob Fox and Benny Graham CD:-
"How are you off for coals"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A (Music Hall?) song from NE England
From: John J
Date: 07 Mar 01 - 11:39 AM

Thanks loads both Bill and Ian. I've got an awful lot of song learning to do! I'm very gratfull for your rapid reponses, although learning two versions of a song ain't going to be easy! Thanks again. John (not at home this time, but at work)

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE CHANCE ^^
From: bill\sables
Date: 07 Mar 01 - 08:35 AM

Hi John J. The title is Little Chance
Collected from the singing of John Elliot of Birtley Co. Durham in 1963. It was never a "Music Hall" song but was and still is a song popular in the mining pubs

Ye gan ower the Busty fields to gan doon the pit
Ye get your lamp out, ye gan in bye and there ye sit at the kist
The debity says your place is howled ye'll hev te gan strite on
Ah says te him what's the matter me own he says she canna gan on
Ah got sixteen out i the jud Titty fal la titty fal lay
Aye by god she was good Titty fal la titty fal lay
I come out te get a shaft the timmer it gave a crack
And a stone fell on me back Titty fal la titty fal lay
Tra la la la la laa Ower ther Walls Oot

Ye sure te knaa me brother Bill he's se full o wit
He;s got the job of puttin doon at the Busty pit
When he gans yhame at neet he's like a droonded rat
insteed of gannin upstairs te bed he lies doon on the mat
But he can put a hundred or more Titty...............
They pay him by the score titty.................
He fills his tubs se quick withoot any delay
But he can niver find his pick Titty..............
Tra La........

Jack and Bill two marras wore in a publik hoose
Ye talk aboot the cavels lad it wadent frighten a moose
Jack says ti Bill ay by gox she's hard
The tops is like bell metal but the bottoms is not se bad
Ye bugger I only got fower the day Titty.............
I only got fower the day Titty.........
If I'd getten another fower I was wishin the shift was ower
When the putter come off the way Titty..
Tra La...

Why me name is Jackie Robinson me name I dee advance
I drive a little gallowa they call him little chance
Two greasy feet likewise a kickley back
And gannin ower the gannin boards he meks the chummins knack
We wor cummin aroond the torn Titty..........
Chancey wadent had on Titty..........
We cum roond the torn se quick we cum off the way at the switch
Ye bugger we smashed the debity's kist Titty.........
Tra La .......

Now me and me wife and me muther in law went doon te the silvery sea
Me muther in law got into a boat a sailor she wad be
She hadent gone a few yards when I hord hor shoot
Me muther in law fell inte the watter and there she's splashin aboot
She shoots help i cannit swim Titty........
I says noos the time te larn Titty.......
Me wife she says ye hoond ye not gann'a watch hor droond
I says no all shut me eyes Titty............
Tra La ...

One day when I was walkin doon by the Jarra shore
I met wi Jontys dowter she was stannin at the door
She says te me will ye hev a cup of tea
And eftor the way I spent that neet I swore I'd Dee it again
I put me hand upon hoe calfs Titty.......
She says divent Dee things be halves Titty.......
Now I keep hor company and she's very fond of me
And I'm a bugger for tea Titty.........
Tra la la la la laa ower the walls oot

Cheers Bill^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A (Music Hall?) song from NE England
From: IanC
Date: 07 Mar 01 - 08:13 AM

Hi John

I know it as "Ower the wall is oot" but it's a collection of floating verses and probably has a lot of titles. Here's one version in DT (if the link's OK).

THE SINGLE BOLINDER

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: A (Music Hall?) song from NE England
From: John J at home
Date: 07 Mar 01 - 07:48 AM

Can anybody help please: a song I heard some years ago sung by a geordie, part of one of the verses goes something like this:

Well me and the wife and the mother in-law went down to the silvery sea, The mother in-law got into a boat, a sailor she would be,

The chorus contains:

Titi fala titi falay

It's a bit vague, I know. I've tried looking in the database and can't find it. It may well be there, but without a title I'm stuck. Thanks loads in anticipation. John