Lyr Req: The Banner Man

Subject: Banner Man
From:
Date: 16 Nov 97 - 12:20 AM

I have been trying for several years to find the words or a recording of a song called the Banner Man. I heard it a couple of times done by an Irish group performing in Kingston, Ontario, but I understand it might have been recorded by the Wonderful Grand Bamd in Newfoundland. Does anyone have any ideas about this song?

Jack Hickman

Subject: RE: Banner Man
From: alison
Date: 16 Nov 97 - 05:19 AM

Hi

If it's the same song it was sung by Alan Price, and was about the Yarrow Marches.

The chorus was something like....

Glory, glory, glory, listen to the band, It's (?? the same old story) Ain't it something grand to be ???????????? Like the banner man..

It's all a bit hazy, but maybe it'll help someone else remember.

slainte

Alison

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BANNER MAN (Cook/Flowers/Greenaway)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 08:47 AM

Lyrics copied from http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/t/thebannerman.shtml and corrected by me, based on this recording at YouTube.


THE BANNER MAN
(Roger Cook / Herbie Flowers / Roger Greenaway)
Recorded by Blue Mink - 1971

1. So we waved our hands as we marched along
And the people smiled as we sang our song
And the world was saved as they listened to the band.
And the banner man held the banner high.
He was ten feet tall and he touched the sky.
I wish that I could be a banner man.

2. And the drums went "boom" as the cornets played
And the tuba oom-pahed all the way
And the kids and the dogs were laughing as they ran
And the banner man held the banner high
With an alleluia in his eye.
I wish that I could be a banner man.

CHORUS: Glory, glory, glory!
Listen to the band.
Sing that same old story.
Ain't it something grand
To be good as you can
Like the banner man!

3. So we reached the square at the top of the hill
And the music stopped and we stood quite still
And a few were saved and the people said "Amen."
Then we all got up and we formed a queue
And the drums went "bang" and the cornets blew
And we marched right down into the town again. CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Banner Man
From: bruceCMR
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 11:29 AM

... and that very song was featured on Radio 2's "Sounds of the 70s" on Sunday. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b012zvkz

Roger Cook was Johnnie Walker's guest.



The Alan Price song is a different one - "Jarrow Song" from the album
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Between_Today_and_Yesterday

Subject: Lyr Add: THE JARROW SONG (Alan Price)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 12:47 PM

You can hear the studio recording of this song at YouTube. (YouTube also has a couple of concert videos.)

I found these lyrics (mostly) at http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/t/thejarrowsong.shtml, but I made some corrections based on other web sites and the recording.

This song is new to me; I suppose it wasn't played much in the US. The style is completely different from the protest songs that were being recorded in the US at the time. It sounds partly music-hall, partly Beatles, and party Queen.


THE JARROW SONG
Alan Price

My name is Geordie McIntyre,
And the bairns don't even have a fire,
So the wife says, "Geordie, go to London town,
And if they don't give us half a chance,
Don't even give us a second glance,
Then Geordie, with my blessings, burn them down!"

Come on, follow the Geordie boys.
They'll fill your heart with joy.
They're marching for their freedom now.
Come on, follow the Jarrow lads.
They'll make your heart feel glad.
They're singing, "Now, yes, now is the hour."

My name is little Billy White,
And I know what's wrong and I know what's right,
And the wife says, "Geordie, go to London town,
And if they don't give us a couple of bob,
Won't even give you a decent job,
Then Geordie, with my blessings, burn them down!"

Come on, follow the Geordie boys.
They'll fill your heart with joy.
They're marching for their freedom now.
Come on, follow the Jarrow lads.
The joy'll make your heart feel glad.
They're singing, "Now, yes, now is the hour."

Well, I can hear them and I can feel them,
And it's as just as if they were here today.
I can see them; I can feel them,
And I'm thinking nothing's changed much today.
Now all that is must fade away and die.
The day will come and hit you in the eye.
Now's the time to realize that time goes on.
Nothing changes, changes, changes.

Now I can feel them; I can see them
And it's as just as if they were here today.
I can feel them and I need them,
And I'm thinking nothing's changed much today.
Now all that is must fade away and die.
The day will come and hit you in the eye.
Now's the time to realize that time goes on.
And nothing changes, changes, changes.

My name is little Alan Price.
I tried to be nice all of my life,
But I'm afraid that up to date it doesn't work,
Because when you lay some money down,
The people try to put you down.
Now where do I stand—either side or not?

Come on, follow this Geordie boy.
He'll try and fill your heart with joy.
We're marching for our freedom now.
Come on, follow this Jarrow lad.
He'll try and make your heart feel glad.
We're saying, "Now, yes. now is the hour."