Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive

Subject: As we keep the old music alive
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Jul 02 - 08:09 PM

Here's a new song I wrote today, after a weekend at Moreton Midsummer, a village celebration a few miles from where I live which has welcomed a sizeable and growing folk presence over the years, without turning from being being a village celebration into becoming a folk festival.

I think it's self explanatory, though you never can tell. The old Public Entertainment Licence issue makes its appearance in the second verse. Anyway, I thought I'd share it with the catfolks.

As we keep the old music alive

Well there's her and there's him and there's me and there's you,
and we do what we can and we do what we do,
and somehow it seems there are always a few,
trying to keep the old music alive.
And it's once we were young but the years they have rolled
in this world where the secret of life's bought and sold
and we play the old tunes where the stories are told,
as we keep the old music alive.
But away with all your cares now,
the world will pass us by,
as we sing on down the years now,
and the music will not die.

There's a session tonight in the Bell or the Crown,
and one way or another the word get's around,
but there's no music licence, so we keep the noise down,
while we're keeping the music alive.
And we sing and we play and we have the odd drink,
till the barman says "Boys, it's getting late don't you think?" -
but he pulls close the curtains, and he tips us a wink,
and we keep the old music alive.
But away with all your cares now,
the world will pass us by,
as we sing on down the years now,
and the music will not die.

And every now and again there's a fete or a fair,
with a whole congregation of friends gathered there,
and we all take our part and we all take our share,
as we keep the old music alive.
And the street stands and stares as the dancers parade,
and the years slip away and we are not afraid
and the glory of England is bravely displayed
as we keep the old music alive.
But away with all your cares now,
the world will pass us by,
as we sing on down the years now,
and the music will not die.

14th July 2002

By "the glory of England", of course, I mean Morris dancing. As it happens, there's a team called England's Glory, though they weren't one of the many sides who were at Moreton today.

Anyway, I'll stick a sound file of the song up, when I can. (I can't manage the dots; the chords are here with the song on this website of mine, though chords aren't much use without a tune.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 15 Jul 02 - 04:23 AM

I like the words and the sentiments, I'll look forward to hearing the song file when it's up. This looks like a song I'll be wanting to learn when I know the tune. Well done, McGrath!

Joan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Jul 02 - 04:31 AM

you sentimental old fogey you

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Jul 02 - 04:37 AM

McGrath: "and the glory of England is bravely displayed".Until I read your explanation I assumed this referred to the fact that thousands of people always light matches and wave them in the air whenever you break into song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Jul 02 - 01:34 PM

England's Glory - a Ladies Morris side, a variety of Dahlia, and a pub. And a brand of matches.. There's glory for you, as Humpty Dumpty put it, in Alice. A knockdown argument, though I'm not sure quite what for.

I've stuck that song file up there now, Real Audio. There's a link to it here - if you want it, click on "streaming", next to the words. And here's a direct link - Keep the Old Music Alive

I've adjusted the words a bit, espcially the first half of the first verse, which now goes:

Well somehow it seems there are always a few,
and we do what we can and we do what we do,
Well there's her and there's him and there's me and there's you,
trying to keep the old music alive.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Jul 02 - 06:40 PM

And the phrase Glory of England also crops up in this monologue by Marriott Edgar, "The Channel Swimmer". A pattern starts to emerge. True Glory, in this context needs to have a humorous aspect.

THE CHANNEL SWIMMER
by Marriott Edgar >

Would you hear a Wild tale of adventure
Of a hero who tackled the sea,
A super-man swimming the ocean,
Then hark to the tale of Joe Lee.

Our Channel, our own Straits of Dover
Had heen swum by an alien lot:
Our British-born swimmers had tried it,
But that was as far as they'd got.

So great was the outcry in England,
Darts Players neglected their beer,
And the Chanc'lor proclaimed from the Woolsack
As Joe Lee were the chap for this 'ere.

For in swimming baths all round the country
Joe were noted for daring and strength;
Quite often he'd dived in the deep end,
And thought nothing of swimming a length.

So they wrote him, C/o Workhouse Master,
Joe were spending the summer with him,
And promised him two Christmas puddings
If over the Channel he'd swim.

Joe jumped into t' breach like an 'ero,
He said, "All their fears I'll relieve,
And it isn't their puddings I'm after,
As I told them last Christmas Eve.

"Though many have tackled the Channel
From Grisnez to Dover that is,
For the honour and glory of England
I'll swim from Dover to Gris-niz."

As soon as his words were made public
The newspapers gathered around
And offered to give him a pension
If he lost both his legs and got drowned.

He borrowed a tug from the Navy
To swim in the shelter alee,
The Wireless folk lent him a wavelength,
And the Water Board lent him the sea.

His wife strapped a mascot around him,
The tears to his eyes gently stole;
'Twere some guiness corks she had collected
And stitched to an old camisole.

He entered the water at daybreak,
A man with a camera stood near,
He said "Hurry up and get in, lad,
You're spoiling my view of the pier."

At last he were in, he were swimming
With a beautiful overarm stroke,
When the men on the tug saw with horror
That the rope he were tied to had broke.

Then down came a fog, thick as treacle,
The tug looked so distant and dim
A voice shouted "Help, I am drowning,"
Joe listened and found it were him.

The tug circled round till they found him,
They hauled him aboard like a sack,
Tied a new tow-rope around him,
Smacked him and then threw him back.

'Twere at sunset, or just a bit later,
That he realized all wasn't right,
For the tow-rope were trailing behind him
And the noose round his waist getting tight.

One hasty glance over his shoulder,
He saw in a flash what were wrong.
The Captain had shut off his engine,
Joe were towing the Tugboat along.

On and on through the darkness he paddled
Till he knew he were very near in
By the way he kept bumping the bottom
And hitting the stones with his chin.

Was it Grisniz he'd reached?... No, it wasn't,
The treacherous tide in its track
Had carried him half-way to Blackpool
And he had to walk all the way back.

(I'm sure it reallt should have been Margate.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: Essex Girl
Date: 16 Jul 02 - 09:25 AM

Good song Mcgrath I'll look forward to hearing you sing it.Shame I had to miss the Sunday afternoon session, I've heard that it was very good. Linda

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Jul 02 - 10:52 AM

Well I hadn't made it up then, so you didn't miss that song anyway; but you missed some good ones. I think they might have to do some repairs on the structure of the building, what with Dave's singing going off the Richter Scale.

That song is crying out for parody, so I thought I'd get in first:

There's a session tonight at The Crown or The Bell,
And the fiddler is drunk, and he's sounding like hell,
And the man with the sqeezebox isn't feeling too well,
As we keep the old music alive.
And the barman says "Boys, why can't you get a life? "You can bugger off home to your family and wife,
Just you give me that bodhran, and give me a knife, To help keep the old music alive."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: As we keep the old music alive
From: Snuffy
Date: 16 Apr 07 - 06:59 AM

This is out there flourishing in the big wide world. I was at a singaround in the Forest of Dean yesterday afternoon, where it was sung by Bill from Newport.

He told us he found it on Mudcat and it was written by Kevin McGrath - so it's not achieved "trad" status yet!