Lyr ADD: Normandy Orchards (Keith Marsden)

Subject: Lyric request-Training to die
From: John Pomeroy
Date: 13 Aug 97 - 06:08 AM

I heard this song once only. It appears to be about soldiers in training before being sent to Normandy in the second World War. Part of the chorus goes something like "They say you can still hear the village hall dance band" -------- "The orchards of Normandy were waiting" --- "The mad dance of war". That is is all I can remember and probably with errors. It was a very moving song . Can any one help?

Subject: RE: Lyric request-Training to die
From: John Pomeroy
Date: 03 Sep 97 - 04:20 PM

Looks like I,m out of luck with this one. I heard it sung in the Middle Bar of the Anchor Inn at the Sidmouth Folk Festival this year. If anyone was there ---

Subject: Normandy Orchards
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 04:30 PM

Can anyone help me with the words to this one please?

Thanks - and yes, I've done searches....

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 04:38 PM

Here Liz......CLICK ME, BABY!

Subject: Lyr Add: NORMANDY ORCHARDS (Keith Marsden)
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 04:45 PM

NORMANDY ORCHARDS
Keith Marsden

They're building a camp on the cornfields at Allingham,
Bulldozers churning and changing the land.
Long barbed-wire fences and acres of tarmac,
Nissen huts ranged where the crops used to stand.
Wide-eyed young village girls, giggling and staring at,
Tanks and transporters that darken the sky.
There's convoys of lorries with fresh faces peering out,
So many young men come learning to die.

CHORUS:
They say you can still hear the village hall band,
Grey, ghostly couples still glide round the floor.
But Normandy orchards were waiting to welcome,
New partners for death in the mad dance of war.

Mother has started a Comforts Committee,
But Reverend John's more concerned about sin.
Hughes at the White Swan is rubbing his hands a lot,
Watching the troops and the profits roll in.
Eager young squaddies with overdone courtesy,
Tipping their caps to the girls going by.
But too soon from school to be licentious soldiery,
So many young men come learning to die.

CHORUS

And mother would have a blue fit if she knew about,
Lieutenant Johnson and walks in the wood.
She's laid down the law and she's always gone on about,
Men being beasts so a girl must be good.
But even she'd laugh at our clumsy propriety,
Me far too fearful and him far too shy.
She might even pity his lonely bewilderment,
One of the young men come learning to die.

Chorus

And peace came to Allingham many long years ago,
Time, passing by, healed the scars on the land.
Tanks on the village green just a fond memory now,
Corn grows again where the huts used to stand.
Yet when I walk in the woods on a summer's night,
At the trees' edge when the wind starts to sigh.
I still hear their voices all rising in harmony,
Lost, wasted young men, come learning to die.

Chorus


From Picking Sooty Blackberries, The Songs of Keith Marsden.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: GUEST,An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 05:15 PM

Very moving.

I was surprised that the D-Day anniversary came and went without any comment on Mudcat, and that there doesn't seem to have been any BS about "Band of Brothers" which I thought was the most honest portrayal of war I've ever seen. Among other things, it laid the myth that WW II was a perfectly "clean" war fought in accordance with the Queensberry rules.

Subject: Tune Add: NORMANDY ORCHARDS
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 05:21 PM

Might as well do the tune too. I sing this one. I got chills just typing the words in. I was typing while Sorcha was blue clickying. It does appear Tom Lewis's version is a slight bit different, even without my typos, which are about to magically disappear.

MIDI file: NORMNDY.MID

Timebase: 120

Name: Normandy Orchards
Text: Keith Marsden
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Key: G
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0240 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0180 0 66 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 72 100 0120 0 72 000 0000 1 71 100 0180 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 69 100 0360 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 72 100 0120 0 72 000 0000 1 74 100 0120 0 74 000 0000 1 74 100 0120 0 74 000 0000 1 62 100 0180 0 62 000 0000 1 62 100 0060 0 62 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0060 0 66 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 62 100 0240 0 62 000 0000 1 60 100 0060 0 60 000 0000 1 62 100 0180 0 62 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 66 100 0180 0 66 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0180 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0360 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 69 100 0180 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 72 100 0060 0 72 000 0000 1 71 100 0180 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0240 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0060 0 71 000 0000 1 72 100 0180 0 72 000 0000 1 71 100 0060 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0180 0 66 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 64 100 0180 0 64 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0240 0 66 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0180 0 66 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 72 100 0120 0 72 000 0000 1 71 100 0180 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 62 100 0060 0 62 000 0000 1 62 100 0180 0 62 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 62 100 0180 0 62 000 0000 1 62 100 0060 0 62 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0060 0 66 000 0000 1 64 100 0240 0 64 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 71 100 0180 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0060 0 71 000 0000 1 72 100 0180 0 72 000 0000 1 74 100 0120 0 74 000 0000 1 69 100 0360 0 69 000 0000 1 66 100 0240 0 66 000 0000 1 66 100 0060 0 66 000 0000 1 66 100 0060 0 66 000 0000 1 66 100 0060 0 66 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0240 0 71 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0180 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0060 0 67 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 64 100 0120 0 64 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 72 100 0120 0 72 000 0000 1 71 100 0120 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0120 0 69 000 0000 1 62 100 0120 0 62 000 0000 1 67 100 0120 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0120 0 66 000 0000 1 64 100 0240 0 64 000 0000 1 69 100 0090 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0030 0 67 000 0000 1 66 100 0120 0 66 000 0000 1 71 100 0180 0 71 000 0000 1 69 100 0060 0 69 000 0000 1 67 100 0240 0 67 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the latest version of MIDItext and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Normandy Orchards
M:3/4
Q:1/4=100
K:G
Z4D2|G2G3G|G2F3G|A2B2c2|B3AG2|E2D2D2|E2D2D2|
E2G3A|A6|B2c2d2|d2D3D|E2G3F|E2D4|CD3E2|D2F3G|
A2B3A|G6|AA3B2|cB3A2|GG3G2|GA4B|c3BA2|G2F3G|
A2E3G|F4D2|G2G3G|GF3G2|A2B2c2|B3AG2|E2DD3|
E2D3D|E2G3F|E4D2|B3AB2|D2G3A|Bc3d2|A6|F4FF|
FG3A2|G2G3A|B4D2|G2G3G|G2A2B2|E2A2B2|c2B2A2|
D2G2F2|E4A3/2G/2|F2B3A|G4||

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 05:28 PM

There was a programme about how something like 21 amphibious craft out of 23 were lost because they came across the bay at the wrong angle, got stuck in the current and were swamped.

I didn't post, because all too often, Guests get offensive and the 'stop glamorising death' people get upset. Doesn't mean I didn't remember them.

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 05:28 PM

Cockersdale sang this in my lunchtime singaround last Sunday at Chippenham, before going on to perform "Picking Sooty Blackberries". They also sang "Cholera in the Camp". From what I remember reading,in many campaigns sickness and disease claimed more victims than the actual fighting.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 05:37 PM

Most of the Middle Eastern casualties in WWI were death of disease. It was the killing fields of Europe that had the most killed in action or died of wounds. WWII wasn't much better, but the 'mincing machine' was a lot more thorough, and there were more death from wounds. In WWII a soldier would be kept at the front with a wound that in WWI would have been a 'Blighty One'.

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 05:44 PM

Arrgghhh - super stuff indeed! Yet no response to my tune request for the Red poppies at Monte Cassino??? Is it because stuff near old England is more important than other ones? Surely not!

Sorry - No hijack intended Liz, just trying my bestest to get a tune:-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 05:55 PM

No matter to me, I got what I wanted... could it just be that no-one has seen the request because it's a new one on me.....?

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 06:24 PM

Dave, considering the lyrics were provided by two Americans, the nearness to old England probably doesn't figure. With me, it was more the nearness of the book with the lyrics and tune and the fact I knew the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: breezy
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 06:59 PM

I'm surprised you dont have a copy of 'Picking Sooty Blackberries' the book with all of Keith's songs ,plus , it should be in everyones collection available from Fellside and very reasonably priced, worth giving as a present.Why not? or the cassette

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 07:03 PM

Dave, I looked for your tune....didn't find it. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Dec 06 - 11:01 PM

NORMANDY ORCHARDS by Keith Marsden, in The Digital Tradition Database.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: Carol
Date: 25 Dec 06 - 05:51 AM

Buy the book Picking Sooty Blackberries with all of Keith Marsden's
songs - it's worth the money

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: r.padgett
Date: 25 Dec 06 - 07:23 AM

A very moving song by Keith. Also the pit disaster Morley Main "And they say it wasnt such a big disaster" I used to have to go out of the room when this was sung!

A genius of a social commentator in song it is usual to have at least abrace of his songs in UK singarounds at festivals etc

Cockersdale still feature many of his songs

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 25 Dec 06 - 07:43 AM

It is indeed one of the most moving songs and certainly one of Keith's best.

In the spirit that it not be misrepresented, then, I'll proffer some corrections to the DigiTrad text where it differs from that published in Picking Sooty Blackberries (and yes, the book's still available!):-
The name of the village is Allingham NOT Arlingham (first and last verses).
In the first verse, Nissen huts are RANGED, not raised.
In verse 3, it's HIM far too shy, not he.

Those are from memory. I'll doublecheck the text and post again if I find any others.

Merry Christmas!
MM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards (Keith Marsden)
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 31 May 21 - 08:17 PM

I am at a loss as how to prevent these seemingly fruitless requests.

The simplest way for anyone to obtain information on any of Keith tremendous collection of terrific songs is either through Fellside or more recently from Graham Pirt's website.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Normandy Orchards (Keith Marsden)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 May 21 - 08:26 PM

It's OK, Malcolm. The last post on this thread was in 2006. This request was answered in 2002, and I just posted a quick reminder to myself today during the Mudcat Singaround to combine and clean up the threads to avoid confusion. If there are any corrections to the posted lyrics, please post them here, but I think the lyrics we have posted are correct.
The Keith Marsden songbook is called Picking Sooty Blackberries This thread has instructions on how to order the songbook from Graham Pirt.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Normandy Orchards (Keith Marsden)
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 31 May 21 - 09:31 PM

Cheers Joe
I have responded to your private mailing.
Just for the record I did the foreword for Picking Sooty Blackberries.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Normandy Orchards (Keith Marsden)
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 09 Aug 21 - 11:00 PM

I KNOW Normandy France.

It is quite obvious, this "poet" has taken a liberal license in creating his verse.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

The only truth is in his use of orchards - apple to be precise.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Normandy Orchards (Keith Marsden)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 04:00 AM

Yes but do you know Allingham in Kent, Garg?