ADD: Rolling Down to Bethlehem (Flawn Williams)

Subject: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Dec 01 - 05:58 PM

Anyone have a clue who wrote this fine Xmas parody of "Rolling Down to Old Maui"? I have lots of fun singing it this time of year but I'm not sure where it came from. It doesn't appear to be in the DT or the threads. I'll post what I sing if anyone is interested.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Anglo
Date: 24 Dec 01 - 07:07 PM

It was written by Flawn Williams, when he's not working for National Public Radio in the summer he can usually be found at Augusta (folk school in Elkins WV for the noncognoscenti). I believe he's been running Vocal Week there for the last couple of years.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From:
Date: 24 Dec 01 - 10:49 PM

Charley, please do. I should check with a fellow in BC. He re-wrote Rolling Down to Old Maui from the whale's point of view.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: GUEST,Bud
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 10:12 AM

Yes please do. And George, could you post the whale-point-of-view song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From:
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 02:31 PM

Like I said, I have to e-mail the author first. Brian Robertson.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From:
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 02:36 PM

In the mean time, have a look at:

Cruising Down To Old Maui

Subject: Lyr Add: ROLLING DOWN TO BETHLEHEM (Flawn Williams
From:
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 04:15 PM

Found it!

Rolling Down To Bethlehem
Melody: Rolling Down To Old Maui
Words by: Flawn Williams

It's a thoughtful life, full of mental strife we Wise Men undergo. But we don't give a care, now the Christ Child's come, how fast our camels go. Now we're Westward bound over desert ground with our gifts to bring to Him. He's fast asleep with the pigs and the sheep in the town of Bethlehem.   Chorus: Rolling down to Bethlehem, me boys, Rolling down to Bethlehem, We're Wise Men bound to the Holy Ground Rolling down to Bethlehem.   Once more we pounce on our camel mounts and ride toward the stars With sacks of gold and bags of myrrh and frankincense in a jar. There'll be angels there with golden hair and shepherds on the hill But they'd better make way when we come today to bestow our wise goodwill.   His father Joseph and Mary his mum had come their tax to pay, But in Bethlehem there were so many men the hotels turned them away. They were forced to go to the stable low to deliver the Baby then. But we won't fuss - for Kings like us there's always room at the inn!   So thanks, good peasants, we now must go and continue our journey West. We've enjoyed our short time here with you, so we'll grant your small request. We are Wise Men true, so may God bless you, and your village poor and small And we'll take away when we leave today that crippled boy named Amahl.

Subject: Lyr Add: ROLLING DOWN TO BETHLEHEM (Williams/Ipcar
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 09:12 AM

Thanks for all the help. I was a little suspect of the name Flawn Williams, wondering if it was a nomme de plume. My own version has strayed a little from what's above, more internal rhyming and I never did like the term "crippled" in the last line. I had fun singing it to the gathering at the Press Room in November and for the Toongabbie Folk Club in Oz a couple of weeks ago amidst their more traditional carols; they did ask me to sing one more song:

ROLLING DOWN TO BETHLEHEM-II

(Original words by Flawn Williams Slightly modified by Charlie Ipcar, 2001 Tune: Rolling Down to Old Maui)
It's a stressful life, full of mental strife we Wise Men undergo;
But we don't give a care, now the Christ Child's there, how fast our camels go;
We's Westward bound over desert ground with gifts to bear for Him;
He's fast asleep with the pigs and sheep in the Town of Bethlehem.

Chorus:

Rolling down to Bethlehem, me boys,
Rolling down to Bethlehem;
We's Wise Men bound, to the Holy Ground,
Rolling down to Bethlehem.

Once more we pounce on our camel mounts and tear off towards the star,
With chests of gold and sacks of myrrh and frankincense in a jar;
There'll be angels there with golden hair and shepherds on the hill,
But they better make way when we come today to bestow our wise goodwill. (CHO)

His father Joe and Mary his mum, their taxes came to pay,
But in Bethlehem there were so many men the hotels turned them away;
They was forced to go to a stable low to bear their Babe within,
But we won't fuss – for Kings like us – there's always room at the inn! (CHO)

Now, good peasants, adieu to you, we'll renew our journey West;
We've enjoyed our stay with you this day, so we'll grant your small request;
We's Wise Men true, so may God bless you, and your village poor and small,
And we'll haul away when we leave today that obnoxious boy Amahl. (CHO)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Anglo
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 10:49 AM

No, Charley, he's a quite real person. And up to a year or two ago he was a regular producer for All Things Considered, and you would have heard his name on the credits.

Subject: Lyr Add: MAUI WHALES (Brian Robertson)
From:
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 07:43 PM

I got an answer from Brian today, so....

Maui Whales
© Brian Robertson
Posted with his permission, from his CD Saltchuck Serenade.
To contact Brian, e-mail to him at [e-mail]

'Tis a damn fine life, free of trouble and strife We great whales undergo And we don't give a damn when a gale is rough How hard the winds may blow Oh, we're homeward bound, 'tis a damn fine sound," All blowin' loud and free Now we're bound from the Arctic grounds Rolling down to old Maui   Chorus Rolling down to old Maui, me whales, Rolling down to old Maui We're homeward bound from the Arctic grounds Rolling down to old Maui.   We lift our tails to the northerly gales The ice and wind and rain And them coral fronds in the tropical ponds We soon shall see again. Oh, six swellish months have passed away In the rich Kamchatka Sea But now we're bound from the Arctic grounds Rolling down to old Maui.   Once more we swim with a favouring wind Head for our island home Our bellies sprung, our feedin's done And we've got six months to roam Oh, my sweetheart looms, I'm carried away In soulful singing sound A living whale will come from us Thank Pod! We're homeward bound.   How soft the breeze in them tropical seas Now the ice is far astern And the sperms and seis in them tropical waves Is a-waitin' our return Even now their big black eyes look out. Hoping some fine day to see Our flashing tails, driving 'neath the gales Rolling down to old Maui.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Amos
Date: 07 Jan 02 - 08:10 PM

I love it!!! Thank Pod!!!

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 08:09 AM

Thanks, George.

Thanks, George.;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: MMario
Date: 08 Jan 02 - 08:47 AM

wonderful bunch of lyrics in this thread.

Subject: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 07:59 PM

The season is upon us and it's time to brush off those outrageous parodies as we carol through the streets. Here's a holiday parody of the old forebitter "Rolling Down to Old Maui."

Anyone have a clue who Flawn Williams is?

ROLLING DOWN TO BETHLEHEM

(Original words by Flawn Williams ©
Slightly modified by Charlie Ipcar, 2001
Tune: "Rolling Down to Old Maui"


It's a stressful life, full of mental strife we Wise Men undergo;
But we don't give a care, now the Christ Child's there, how fast our camels go;
We's Westward bound over desert ground with gifts to bear for Him;
He's fast asleep with the pigs and sheep in the Town of Bethlehem.

Chorus:

Rolling down to Bethlehem, me boys,
Rolling down to Bethlehem;
We's Wise Men bound, to the Holy Ground,
Rolling down to Bethlehem.

Once more we pounce on our camel mounts and tear off towards the star,
With chests of gold and sacks of myrrh and frankincense in a jar;
There'll be angels there with golden hair and shepherds on the hill,
But they better make way when we come today to bestow our wise goodwill. (CHO)

His father Joe and Mary his mum, their taxes came to pay,
But in Bethlehem there were so many men the hotels turned them away;
They was forced to go to a stable low to bear their Babe within,
But we won't fuss – for Kings like us – there's always room at the inn! (CHO)

Now, good peasants, adieu to you, we'll renew our journey West;
We've enjoyed our stay with you this day, so we'll grant your small request;
We's Wise Men true, so may God bless you, and your village poor and small,
And we'll haul away when we leave today that obnoxious boy Amahl. (CHO)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 10:40 PM

:::SNORT!!!:::

Too funny. Might gotta borrow it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 11:07 PM

Making copies of this one. Hope they keelhaul Amahl under a camel with a weak bladder. Always hated that imitation of an opera.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From:
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 11:17 PM

You posted last year, and got informaion on Mr. Williams in this thread:

/thread.cfm?threadid=42413

Your memory is going, my friend.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 06:01 AM

Gonna try this one, laright....

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 07:58 AM

George-

The memory is going, but so is Mudcat's when I tried to check last evening. So I thought I'd risk being redundant again for the greater good of the holiday season!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 08:05 AM

Refreshed notes from last year.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 05:16 AM

Trying to learn this one.
Two cultural points:
1. "cows and sheep"?
2. Am I missing something in the Amahl reference?

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: MMario
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 08:26 AM

I like the pigs and sheep reference - pigs WERE present - as scavengers - and His birth was among the lowest of the low...

Amahl and the Night visitors?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 09:06 AM

Ryan-

Nothing against cows, in fact I was raised among a small Jersey herd. And, yes, the reference is to "Amahl and the Night" visitors which makes some sensitive people cringe. I prefer "obnoxious" to the original "crippled" but make your own choice.

Happy holidays,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: MartinRyan
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 04:16 PM

Thanks but.....

Forgive my ignorance - I'm no wiser for the "Amahl and the night visitors" reference.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: MartinRyan
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 04:19 PM

OK, OK! Google sorted out Amahl for me. Opera, of any shape or sort, has always been my musical blindspot!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: MMario
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 04:23 PM

brief description

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 05 Dec 02 - 04:45 PM

Mudcat is so educational! Thanks, MMario. Now I know where that horrible opera came from.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 11:37 AM

Sang it in the Goilín singers club in Dublin last Friday - omitting the last verse. I softened the audience up by claiming I'd found evidence that the Three Wise Men were.... sailors!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Rolling Down to Bethlehem
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 05:49 PM

Fun, ain't it!

Charley Noble