ADD: Aux anciens parapets (Miles Wootton)

Subject: Aux anciens parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: GUEST,Tom J
Date: 07 Jun 02 - 05:22 AM

"Aux anciens parapets" is apparently a poem by Miles Wooton.

Martin Carthy recited it over his version of the "Harry Lime Theme"

If anyone knows it, I'd be grateful

Tom J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aux anciens parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: Amos
Date: 07 Jun 02 - 11:20 AM

*"Aux anciens parapets" is a poem by Miles Wooton, a savage bit of satire on American fatcattery, spoken over a tour de force rendering of the Harry Lime theme from The Third Man, a tune for the zither, by Anton Caras. An air of sauntering menace.

The title is taken from Rimbaud's "Le bateau ivre": "Je regrette l'Europe aux anciens parapets!"

Miles is apparently somewhat out of circulation but there is a contact at the Harbour Sessions club who knows him, named John Collyer -- see www.uksoundcraft.com and follow the thread to the Harbour Sessions, or email [e-mail]

As far as I could find none of Miles' lyrics are out on the web.

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aux anciens parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: GUEST,Tom J
Date: 07 Jun 02 - 06:40 PM

Thanks Amos

I'd hunted around a bit before posting, so knew much of what your searches revealed.

I'll certainly follow up your 'Harbour Sessions' link.

Meanwhile, anyone?

Tom

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aux anciens parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: RolyH
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 05:39 PM

For chewing gum, cola, brunch burgers and rye
America
(Homer stars?), Sinatra, and Mom's apple pie
America
For the death of the buffalo, the birth of the blues,
For high ball and hot dogs and bootleggers' booze.
Honest John, Minuteman, Trident and Cruise.
America
Dumbo, Rambo, Bonzo, Sue Ellen, JR
America
For Elvis and Bing and the Cadillac car
America
For space age technology, for Stone Age finesse,
For getting us all in one hell of a mess,
With your God save America, God damn the rest.
America
Nixon, Kissinger, bombs in Vietnam
America
That sly red-necked huckster they call Uncle Sam.
America
For the sake of the thousands of children who died,
Be it Generals, your Senators, your Presidents who lied,
For their Mickey Mouse morals, Neanderthal pride
America
Showbiz and all of the razzmatazz
America
Uncle Toms cabin, chain gangs, Alcatraz
America
Peanuts, popcorn, B movies and glamour parades,
Las Vegas, and crap and amusement arcades
Ku Klux Klan, Billy Graham and moral crusades
America
We stand against you.

Nothing personal America, just posting the words.

I added a few line breaks and corrected a few spelling errors. Hope you don't mind. --JoeClone, 16-Jun-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aux anciens parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: GUEST,TomJ
Date: 16 Jun 02 - 06:41 PM

Well thank you RolyH

Had assumed that no one here knew.

Many thanks indeed and much appreciated

Tom

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aux anciens parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: rich-joy
Date: 17 Jun 02 - 02:17 AM

I haven't heard this one, but :

Can anyone comment on the refreshed thread "Brass Band Music" where Wolfgang added the lyrics of this angry song by Leon Rossellson and sung by Martin Carthy??? Cheers! R-J

Subject: Aux Anciens Parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: rikwolters
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 11:58 PM

Ha! When was there a time when this was more apt?

(Not commenting 'at the American people', but at America!)

-R-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aux anciens parapets (Martin Carthy)
From: GUEST,Kevin Boyd
Date: 22 Nov 23 - 08:11 AM

I’m not sure why I’m revisiting this thread 20 years after it was last updated, but I was thinking about this recently and remembered that the lyrics that usually appear mis-quote the second line (hilariously, in my view) as “Honor tarts, Sinatra…”, etc.
The version given here (‘Homer stars’) is equally wrong, but at least the OP was unsure enough to place a question mark next to this.
Anyway, I believe the correct lyric should be, “Omertà, Sinatra…”, etc. Omertà being the Italian mafia’s code of silence. That’s all I came here to say.

Subject: ADD: Aux anciens parapets (Miles Wootton)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Nov 23 - 04:44 PM

Hi, Kevin - Reinhard Zierke has a better transcription at his Mainly Norfolk Website.

Martin Carthy performs Aux anciens parapets

For chewing gum, cola, brunch burgers and rye
America
Omertà, Sinatra, Mom’s apple pie
America
For the death of the buffalo, the birth of the blues,
For high balls and hot dogs and bootlegger’s booze
Honest John, Minuteman, Trident and Cruise
America

Dumbo, Rambo, Bonzo, Sue Ellen, J.R.
America
For Elvis and Bing and the Cadillac car
America
For space age technology, for stone age finesse,
For getting us all in one hell of a mess,
With your God save America, God damn the rest
America

Nixon, Kissinger, bombs in Vietnam
America
That sly red-necked huckster they call Uncle Sam
America
For the sake of the thousands of children who died,
For your generals, your senators, your presidents who lied,
For their Mickey Mouse morals, Neanderthal pride
America

Showbiz and all of the razzamatazz
America
Uncle Toms cabin, chain gang, Alcatraz
America
Peanuts, popcorn, B movies and glamour parades,
Las Vegas, and crap and amusement arcades
Ku Klux Klan, Billy Graham and moral crusades
America
We stand against you

Subject: RE: ADD: Aux anciens parapets (Miles Wootton)
From: Reinhard
Date: 24 Nov 23 - 01:38 AM

Joe, I too only corrected 'Omertà' two days ago. Thanks, Kevin, for this!