'Singing Together' - BBC Song Booklets

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 04:34 PM

Mmario, I have very few pamphlets here at the moment and the odds are I don't have that one. The good news is that Dave has finished scanning my set. See this folkinfo post for the lastest I know.

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: GUEST,Jackie
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 04:32 PM

There's a blast from the past ! What a great idea that was. Do they have an equivalent now ?

I am from Glasgow, and when the kids from our local primary school were told to go home and ask their mums and dads what songs they would like to be taught at school their answer was Matt McGinn songs.

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Jeanie
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 02:49 PM

Thanks, Malcolm, that's wonderful !
It's great to see those Old Roger lyrics again - all the little boys in the kindergarten used to fight over wanting to be the old chap giving the lady a kick - some of them were quite vicious, as I remember. I always preferred to play the part of the apple tree.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 02:25 PM

There's a text for Poor Roger in an earlier discussion:  Poor Roger. That particular one is an example from Ireland, but it was common throughout Britain and the North of America in various forms and under numerous names (number 797 in the Roud Folk Song Index).

The second one turns up as Jenny Jones, Jilly Joe, Janet Jo, and so on. Again, it was quite widespread over the same sort of areas (Roud 1047). There's another children's song, Jenny Jenkins, which retains the basic form while dropping the plot, so there is no death or funeral. I don't know if it derives from the other, but it wouldn't be surprising. Several examples are in this thread:  Jenny Jenkins.

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Jeanie
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 01:59 PM

It looks as though he has, MMario. I've just put a reference to this thread on the "Hunting the Hare" one.

I went to a very old-fashioned private "dame school", run by Misses Norman and Pluck, who had a maidservant called Grace who wore Victorian-style maid's clothes. I am not *that* old - this was in the 1960's - but the place was in a lovely time warp ! As well as "The Keeper" and "Three times round went our gallant ship" and so on, we also sang (and acted out) a song which I have never since been able to find:

Old Roger is dead and laid in his grave
Hey, ho, hobbledy ho
We buried him under the apple tree shade
Hey, ho, hobbledy ho

Then there was a bit about an old woman coming and picking apples from the tree and Old Roger getting up from the grave and scaring the old lady.   Does anyone else know this one ?

Another one we used to do was "We've come to see Jenny Jo" - the gist of it was that you had to wear clothes of different colours depending on the state Jenny Jo was in, and it ended with her dying and everyone wearing black. Wonderful Victorian sentimentality. Anyone know that one ?

- jeanie

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: MMario
Date: 29 Aug 03 - 12:21 PM

Hey Jon! got the lyrics for Hunting the Hare?

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Kernow John
Date: 06 Jun 01 - 05:20 PM

The school I work at was throwing all their copies of 'Singing Together' out a couple of years back.
I managed to salvage a whole box full. If I list the sets available would anyone in UK like to make a donation to the 'cat in exchange for a set? I'll pay postage and packing to get them to you. I don't need to know how much you donate just that you have.
KJ

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Ringer
Date: 06 Jun 01 - 09:31 AM

I date my love of English folksong from Monday Mornings at 11.00am and Singing Together with William Appleby (about 1954 to 59). We always used to hear the sign-off tune from Workers' Playtime beforehand. And Rhythm and Melody on Wednesday, Time & Tune on Friday, same time. And Music and Movement on Tuesdays & Thursdays, but I'm less enamoured of the memory of that!

Happy days.

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 11:54 AM

I don't know whether it was the singing together programme, I certainly remember at my junior school in the mid-1970s that we had singing sessions along to some radio programme. A lot of the songs on Jon's list might have been sung, but the only one I definitely recall singing is Ol' Zip Coon (hard to think now that this was deemed appropriate for 1970s British schoolrooms!).

Brian

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 10:31 AM

Roger, '58 Is too early for me - I'm the same as JulieF, except the teacher didn't bring a radio from home.

The earliest pamphlet I have is Spring '67 and the latest, summer '86 but there are some gaps. I would guess I got my collection in about 1988. I got them from Hayden Smith who used to sing in the North Wales folk clubs and teach guitar around the local the schools. I think he used to grab any song books that were being thrown out of the schools he taught in.

Jon

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 10:10 AM

...and the winner is....(opens golden envelope). John Freeman of Norfolk! Big hand, folks, for Jon for saving/acquiring so many of these (surely you're too young to have owned them, Jon?)and reviving many memories of sitting cross-legged on the floor listening to the sounds coming out of the big speaker!
RtS

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: JulieF
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 10:10 AM

I remember the singing together programmes about 1968-early 70s. I went to a very small village school where three years were taught together. The teacher used to wheel in the radio from her house for the programme. Each year there was a new set of songs which were mainly folk songs from around the world with the odd one thrown in ( eg Football crazy.

All the best

Julie

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Lyndi-loo
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 10:02 AM

Wow that's impressive. All I can remember singing in school was
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Soldier soldier won't you marry meStrawberry Fair
Hob y Deri Dando
Ffarwel i Blwy Llangower
Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 09:53 AM

Oh Well, In for a penny... as they say, I've been meaning to work out what I have got in Sining Together pamphlets for years. I seem to have lost a few of mine but the list of songs I can find is:

A New Song On The Taxes (Ireland)
Aiken Drum (Old Scottish Nursery Rhyme)
All Bethlehem's A Blazing (Spain)
All Through The Night (Welsh Folk Song)
Alnwick Football Song (England)
An Austrain Landler (Austria)
Andulko The Goose Girl
Appezollers' Song
At Last Unto The Mountains (Swiss Round)
Avenging And Bright (Irish Tradiational Tune Words by Thomas Moore)
Banana Boat Song (West Indies)
Be Still My Heart
Billy Bones' Hornpipe (Germany)
Black Sir Harry (Welsh Folk Song)
Blaydon Races (England)
Blow Away The Morning Dew (England)
Blow The Man Down (Halliards Shanty)
Boney Was A Warrior (Halliard Shanty)
Bonnie Dundee (Scotland)
Botany Bay (Australian song)
Bound For South Australia
Bound For The Rio grand (Windlass and Capstan Shanty)
Brave Topolini (Italy)
Brian O'Lin (Scotland)
Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella (Old French Carol)
Casey Jones
Cavalry Of The Steppes (Russia)
Charley Is M' Darlin (Scottish Folk Song)
Chiapamecas
Christmas Day In The Morning
Christmas Is Coming (Round)
Chu-lu-lu (Samoan/Polonysian)
Cielito Lindo (Mexico)
Cockles And Mussels (Ireland)
Coconut Tree (Philippines)
Come And Sing Together (Hungarian Carol Words by Max Krone)
Come Oe'r The Stream, Charley
Cosher Bailey (Wales)
Cuckoo
Dance To Your Daddie (Scottish Folk Song)
Darby Kelly (Irish Song)
Deck The Hall (Welsh Carol)
Donky Riding (English Traditional Sea Song)
Drill, Ye Tarriers (America)
Drum March for Guy Fawkes Day
Earth's Joy (Mexico)
Elsie Marley (Old Chester Rhyme)
Eriskay Love Lilt (Scotland)
Evening Music (Germany)
Excelsis! Gloria!
Far In The Forest (Finland)
Farewell My Own True Love (America)
Farewell To Fiunary (Trad Scottish Tune Words Rev Norman Macleod)
Farewell To Tarwathie (Scotland)
Flight Of The Earls (Irish Folk Song)
Flower Of Killarney (Irish Folk Tune)
Flowers In The Valley (English Folk Song)
Football Crazy (Irish Song)
Four In A Boat (Appalachian Mountain Song)
Fourpence A Day (England)
Fum! Fum! Fum! (Spanish Carol)
Gabriel's Message (Old Basque Noel)
Glenlogie (Aberdeenshire ballad)
Go Tell It On The Mountian (America)
Greek Shepherd Song (Greece)
Green Grow The Leaves (Northumberland Folk Song)
Greensleeves (English song arranged by Vaughan Williams)
Gypsey Dance (Spain)
Gypsy Davy (America)
Happiness
Hear The Glad Tidings (Polish Carol)
Here Come The Navvies (Ireland)
Here Comes The Navvies (Ireland)
Heron From Brecon (Wales)
Hey Ho The Morning Dew (Ireland)
Hieland Laddie (Scottish song)
High Germany (English Folk Song)
Ho-la-hi (German folk song)
Hope The Hermit (Seventeenth-Century English Song)
Hungarian Carol
Hunting The Hare (Wales)
Huron Indian Carol (Canada)
I Have Four Sisters (England)
I Loved A Lass (Scotland)
I Wander (Denmark)
I Wonder As I Wander (America)
I'm Not Strong (Round)
Ifca's Castle (Czechoslovakia)
In A Gondola (Italy)
In My father's Garden (France)
In Nightly Stillness (Polish Carol)
In Summer The Sun Shines Brightest (Sweden)
Island In The Sun (West Indies)
Jamaica Farewell (West Indies)
Janko, Janko, Better Beware (Slovak folk song)
Jennie Jenkins
Jesus Is Crying
Jim-along-Josie (American folk song)
John Barleycorn (Somerset Folk Song)
John Brown's Body (Marching Song Form The American Civil War)
Johnny Todd (English Folk Song)
Joseph and the Angel
Joy Of Springtime (Wales)
Joy To The World (by Handel)
Kalinka (Russia)
Kelvin Grove (Scottish folk song)
King Arthur (England)
King Arthur;s Servants (North Country Folk Song)
Kitty Of Coleraine (Ireland)
Kookaburra (Australian Round)
L'il Liza Jane
La Cucaracha (Mexico)
La Pique
Land Of The Silver Birch (Canadian Folk Song)
Leave Her Johhny (Capstan Shanty)
Lewis Bridal Song (Scotland)
Li'l Liza Jane (American song)
Lilliburlero (Seventeenth-century song)
Linden Lea (Words by W Barnes, music by Vaughan Williams)
Linstead Market (Jamaica)
Lisa Lan (Wales)
Little Bull (Traditional American Song)
Little Red Bird (Isle Of Man)
Llangollen Market (Wales)
Llantwit Major (Welsh Oxen Song)
Lonely And Far Away
Lucerne To Weggis (Swiss Folk Song)
Lullaby (Ireland)
Lullaby Carol ( Polish Carol)
Lullaby For Baby Jesus (Brazilian Carol Words Translated by Ruth Heller)
MacPherson's Farewell (Scotland)
Mango Walk (West Indies)
Maranoa Lullaby (Australian Aborigine Tune Words By M Lyell)
March Of The Magi (France)
Marco Polo (Words And Music By Hugh Jones)
Marianina (Italy)
Mary Ann (West Indies)
Mary Had A Baby (St Helena Island Spiritual)
Mary Had A Boy Child (West Indies)
Men Of Harlech (Welsh traditionals song)
Migildi Magildi
Morris Men (Welsh Song)
Mountain Dancer (Czechslovakia)
Mountain Duel
Mowing The Barley (English folk song)
My Bonny Cuckoo (Old Irish Air)
My Boy Billy (English folk song)
My Grandfathers Clock (America)
My Own Pretty Boy (Irish Song)
My White Horse (Chilie)
Naples (Italy)
Nature Carol (Philippines)
Newcastle Fair (Ireland)
No Room Was There For Mary (Spain)
Noel (By Hillaire Belloc)
Now The Winter Is Past (Iceland)
O Rare Turpin (England)
O Sleep My Pretty Baby (Mexico)
O Waly Waly
O, Once I Went A Walking (Germany)
Oh Marlborough's Gone To War Sir (Peurto Rican Melody)
Oh Ru-Ru-Ru (Mexican Carol)
Oh, 'twas In The Broad Atlantic (England)
Old Farmer Buck (English folk song)
Old Mister Noah
Old Zip Coon (America)
On This Day (Welsh Folk Song)
Once A Farmer And His Wife (Wales)
One Man Went To Mow (English Traditional Song)
Ould John Braddlum (English Folk Song)
Out In The Meadow (Israel)
Pat Of Mullingar
Patrick On The Railroad
Pay My Money Down (America)
Pedro Go Go Pescador (Portugal)
Peppinetta (Italy)
Per Spelman (Norway)
Perched Up High
Phil The Fluther's Ball (Words And Music by Percy French)
Pierlala (Belgium)
Polly Oliver
Poverty Carol (Wales)
Pretty Pena (Mexican Folk Song)
Queen Mary (Scotts song)
Red Sombrero (by Peter Hutchings)
Rejoice And Be Merry (Dorset Carol)
Riddles (America)
Rise Up, Shepherd (Negro Spiritual)
Robin Hood (English Trad Tune New Words By Gordon Hitchcock)
Rocky, Rocky Road (West Indies)
Running Song
Sacramento (Sea shanty)
Sambalele
Sandy (Round)
Santy Ano (America)
Scarborough Fair (England)
Scotland The Brave (Scotland)
See Amid The Winter Snow (Music by John Goss)
She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain (American song)
Simple Gifts
Sing Carols To Mary (France)
Sing Sing (Round)
Sir Eglamore
Skye Boat Song (Scottish Song)
Softly Sings (Round)
Some Folks Do
Song Of A Country Girl (Wales)
Song Of Lieutenant Kije (Russia)
Song Of The Western Men (England)
Sour Grapes (England)
Spring Song (Swedish Folk Tune Translated By Ruth Ostland)
Stenka Razin (Russian Popular Song Translated by Jacob Robbins)
Strike The Bell (England)
Sugar Candy (Scotland)
Swansea Town (Wales)
The Ash Grove (Wales)
The Bagpipers' Carol (Italy)
The Bannana Boat Song (West Indies)
The Beautiful City Of Sligo
The Bells Of Aberdovey (Welsh Song)
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
The Boys Of Kilkenny (Ireland)
The Candlelight Fisherman (England)
The Carnal And The Crane
The Cherry Tree Carol
The Child's Carol (Melody from Piae Cantiones 1582)
The Coast of High Barbaree
The Crocodile
The Cuckoo Carol (Czechoslovakia)
The Dashing White Sergeant (Scottish Song)
The Derby Ram (England)
The Donkey's Burial (Spain)
The Drover's Dream (Australia)
The Drummer And The Cook (Music Hall Song And Sea Shanty)
The Erie Canal (America)
The Farmyard (London folk song)
The Fireman's Song (England)
The Fisherman (Portugal)
The Fox (England)
The Garden Where The Praties Grow (Ireland)
The German Band (Denmark)
The Ghost Of Tom (Round)
The Gipsy (Wales)
The Girl I Left Behind Me (Ireland)
The Greenland Whale Fishery (America)
The Gypsy Davy (American Version of an English Folk Song)
The Gypsy Rover (Ireland)
The Handsome Butcher
The Happy Fiesta (Mexico)
The Heavenly Child (Austrian Carol)
The Holly And The Ivy (by John gardner)
The Holly And The Ivy (English Carol)
The Holly Tree (Y Gelynnen) (Welsh Folk Song English words by Carlene Mair)
The Hopak (Russia)
The Huron Indian Carol (Canada)
The Jolly Carter (Folk song)
The Keel Row (Northumbrian folk song)
The Keeper (English Folk Song)
The Keys Of Canterbury (Somerset folk song)
The Lady Bird (German folk song)
The Leaving Of Liverpool (England)
The Leprehaun (Ireland)
The Lincolnshire Poacher
The Linden Tree Carol (Old German Tune Words Translated by G R Woodward)
The Little Red Wagon (American Singing Dance)
The Lullaby Carol (Italy)
The Mallow Fling (Ireland)
The Marigold
The Meadowlands (Chezhoslovakian Folk Song)
The Meeting Of The Waters (Irish Song Words By Thomas Moore)
The Mermaid (England)
The Mingulay Boat Song (Scotland)
The Mountain farm (Wales)
The Mountain Skier (Austria)
The Mountains I Love (Switzerland)
The Nature Carol (Filipino Plantation Song)
The Noble Duke Of York (English Traditional Song)
The Old Man Of The Woods (Welsh Folk Tune)
The Old Man Who Lived In The Woods (America)
The Pearly Adriatic (Yugoslavia)
The Pedlar (Ukranian Folk Song Words by Max Krone)
The Piper O' Dundee (Scotland)
The Praties They Grow Small (Irish Folk Song)
The Quaker's Wife (Somerset Folk Song)
The Quakers Wife (Scotland)
The Rain Song (Words By John Parry Music by Douglas Coombes)
The Riddle Song
The Road To The Isles
The Rommel Drum (Belgium)
The Search For Lodging
The Shanty Boys In The Pine (American Lumberjack Song)
The Shepherd And His Dog (Welsh Folk Tune Words by Barbara Kluge)
The Shuttle Rins (Scotland)
The Silver Wheat (Wales)
The Song Of The Parrot (Guyana)
The Spinner (Catalan Folk Song Translated by Margaret Fullerton)
The Star Of The County Down (Ireland)
The Stranger In Cork
The Streets Of Loredo (America)
The Tartan (Scotland)
The Three Pirates (English Folk Song)
The Tinga-ting Bird (Italy)
The Tinker's Wedding (Scotland)
The Top Of The Morning (Scottish Sheep Shering Song)
The Tortilla Vendor (Chilie)
The Tree In The Wood
The Tuneful Guitar (Italian Folk Song)
The Twelve Days Of Christmas (English Traditional)
The Two Shepherds (German Carol)
The Upward Trail (Round)
The Wark O' The Weavers
The Water Of The Tyne (England)
The Wee Cooper O' Fife (Scotland)
The Wild Colonial Boy (Ireland)
The Wild White Rose (Wales)
The Wreck Of The Sloop John B (West Indies)
The Yellow Rose Of Texas (America)
The Yellow Sheepskin (Wales)
The Yodler's Carol (Austria)
There's nae luck about the house (Scottish song attributed to Jean Adam)
This Old Man (English Folk Song)
Tiritomba
Tortilla Vendor (Chilie)
Tramping Song (Irish Song)
Troika (Russia)
Tum Balalyka
Twankydillo (Traditional song)
Two Shepherds (Germany)
Tyrolean Cradle Song
Tzena, Tzena (Israel)
Up And Down (Round)
Up Good Christen Folk (England)
Village Revels (Czechoslovakia)
Viva La Musica
Vreneli (Switzerland)
Water Come A Me Eye
Wattzing Matilda (Australia)
Westering Home (Scotland)
Where Is John
Whippoorwill
Who'll You Give Me To Sail Away (Irish Folk Song)
Will You Go Lassie
Windy Old Weather (England)
Wraggle Taggle Gipsies (England)
Yellow Bird (Haiti)
Zither Carol (Czech Folk Tune Words by Malcolm Sargent)
Zum Gali Gali

Jon

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Snuffy
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 09:04 AM

Bostin' stuff, Rog. I haven't sung The Keeper since ... last night in the pub. But then I live in Warwickshire, anyway. And I sang 'Early One Morning' in the pub at about 8am on May Day - we'd been dancing at 5.30

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 08:40 AM

The memories are so strong, I can just about remember a good 50% of the songs on your list. My time with singing together is really 1960's
Can anyone remember such pearls as "the pigeons in the market Square" or "11 playing cricket, tip it and run"
But we also did "the keeper" and many more main stream folk stuff
Great memories - thanks Roger
love Patrish

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Llanfair
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 06:54 AM

D'you know, Roger, I'm pretty sure I've got that one somewhere!!!!
I have a vivid memory of getting ready to go to Brownies(!!!)and there was snow on the ground outside, which is unusual for Manchester. I was singing "The Keeper" at the top of my voice. I don't think I've sung it since, but I can remember most of it!!
Thanks for the reminder,
Cheers, Bron.

Subject: RE: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 05:24 AM

RtS,

About half the songs you list were current in NZ schools (well the ones I went to) in the 50s. Doubt any of our primary schools would include any in their "sing-a-long" repertoire nowdays. Oh, for the good old days...

Sam

Subject: 'Singing Together' 1958 UK
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 05 Jun 01 - 03:44 AM

While sorting out her attic my sister-in-law came across a lot of family music. Most of it has gone to local choirs etc but one item Herself rescued was one of her childhood pieces. It is the Spring Term 1958 BBC Schools Singing Together and Rhythm & Melody.
It contains:
Bonny blue-eyed sailor (Dunhill/Fyleman)
Water of Tyne (Northumbrian folk song)
Wraggle Taggle Gipsies (English folk song)
Early one morning (English trad.)
Ye Banks and braes (Burns/trad)
Planting Trees (Plannu Coed, Welsh folk song Eng. Words by Imogen Holst)
Wandering Miller (Schubert trans. Miller)
The Keeper (Warwickshire folk song arr.Sharp)
Drummer and the cook (capstan shanty)
Kathleen Tyrell (Irish folk song trans Fiske)
Haul away Joe (foresheet shanty)
Shepherdess (French folk song arr. Whitred)
Shady Grove (Square dance from Kentucky)
Waley Waley (Folk song from Somerset arr Sharp)
Migildi Magildi (Welsh folk song ,Eng words by Dobbs)
Lieutenant Kije (Prokofiev)
Song of Lieutenant Kije (Russian folk tune, words by Whitred)

I realise most of these will be familiar to folkies but I can post the words to any that might be of interest. I could also photocopy the music of any of them and post or fax to any one interested, I can't do the music on my work PC.

RtS (I wonder if today's primary (elementary) schools do such a range of folkie music?)