Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over

Subject: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 04 Aug 02 - 07:56 PM

I've just got back from a flying visit to Sidmouth and for some reason, I can't imagine why, it keeps going through my head. So, anyone know the lyrics to this song that is sung to the tune of "What a friend we have in Jesus"?

Used to go something like:-

When this morris dance is over,

No more morrising for me,

When I get these bl@@dy bells off,

Oh, how happy I shall be"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Mr Red
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:30 AM

@@
^
~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 08:45 AM

...must...have...this...song...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 10:45 AM

When the morris dance is over -- somebody should have a long talk with Morris. *G*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Noreen
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 11:38 AM

...and mend the dents in the bonnet...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Micca
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 12:02 PM

Gray D I think you may find it is a parody of a WW1 parody click here to see

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:13 PM

Thanks, Micca, but I knew about that one.

And strangely enough, Stephen and Noreen, another of the lines was:

"No more cries of 'Which one's Morris?'"

. . . but what are the rest?

C'mon catters, you can't all be at festivals. Help me out here.

(Though, speaking of festivals, we did manage to catch the first Saturday at Sidmouth - "Witchmen Morris" are now, most definitely, my team, oh yes. And Saturday night - Arena stage invasion! - at the band's request! - marvellous)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Abuwood
Date: 08 Aug 02 - 02:41 AM

Reefreshh - still hoping for these words..........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 08 Aug 02 - 07:13 PM

... me too!

C'mon peeps, you know what its like when a tune gets stuck in your head 'n' you can't shift it.

Someone out there, probably a Brit from south east England, knows these words.

Please post 'em.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Snuffy
Date: 08 Aug 02 - 07:49 PM

Ali, you're not the only morris-dancing shellbacking 'Catter waiting expectantly for these words. Enjoy yourself at Squilver (I'll be at Saltburn) - see you in Hull.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 09 Aug 02 - 07:23 PM

Right then! Bl@@dy days its been now.

You have the tune, you have the base of the first verse.

'Catters, start composing. Lets have some lyric suggestions.

Who's going to start?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Aug 02 - 08:59 PM

No more sticks in funny places
No more bladders banged on bum
All I wanted was a tankard
filled with ale and real by gum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: vindelis
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 12:07 PM

I went there as a musician
Dancing was my big mistake
I didn't know that they would need me
Or that my right arm would break
No more Adderbury or Bampton
No more Headingly you see
I'll go home and hang my bells up
It's to the physio for me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 12:52 PM

Vindelis - try Headington - Headingley is the spot in Leeds where they play cricket!
Geoff the Duck using wrong cookie!
Quack!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 07:37 PM

Its coming along nicely.

Any more?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: vindelis
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 07:17 AM

Whoops! (Shame Michael Vaughan didn't get his 200).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Schantieman
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 11:46 AM

P'raps I'll be a folky singer
No more knocking over beer
And I'll take my singer's finger
And I'll stick it in my ear.
No more waving of the hanky,
No more capering on the grass;
You can tell the bl**ding Squire
He can stick it up ......

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 01:10 PM

There will be no more confusion
Double booking at the pub.
With the ladies' sewing circle,
Or the local cricket club.
No more fighting for the car park,
With the pub's own treasure hunt
You can tell the landlord's dughter
................

can't think of a last line, but it should mention the maypole!

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Micca
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 02:07 PM

a contribution...

When they dance in freezing car parks
I'll be inside warm and dry
In the pub with all the ladies
Chatting barmaids on the sly
No more questions" which ones Morris?"
No more "please do "Shepherds hay"
I will sit inside a boozing
Watching hankies wave away

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 07:42 PM

Getting better. Keep going and we'll write our own version; though I'm not chairing the committee that decides on the definitive Mudcat version.

Micca, you're the closest to the original yet. That's just about spot on. You sure you don't know the original?No wonder you have your own thread >;-> (closest I can get to a wicked grin)

Nigel - BEHAVE!

I've e-mailed a morris person to find out if any of them know, by the way. I'll let you all know if anything is unearthed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 09:13 PM

When I put away my hankie,
I'll look normal like the rest,
Never mind my bells and braces
And what Yankees call a 'vest'
No more dancing in the garden,
With our band and 'Obby 'oss
And if you will beg my parden,
I think your gain is our loss!

(the last line might be the wrong way around)

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: SlowAlan
Date: 12 Aug 02 - 07:35 AM

And when me morris days are over
I'll have me own seat at the bar
I'll entertain the landlord's daughter
With tales of how I used to star

Like when I had a wee drop taken
And dropped me snotters in the trough
I fished them out and went back dancing
I guessed the wind would dry them off

And while the lads are making capers
With such gay tales I'll entertain
The wives and girlfriends of the dancers
While their men do sweat and strain

Yes the girls will surely gather round me
Once me bells are last unbuckled
And when I stop the Morris Dancing
There's bound to be some room for cuckolds

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 17-Aug-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 12 Aug 02 - 06:07 PM

Bit of work needed on the scansion at the end there methinks, SlowAlan, but I love the "dropped me snotters" quatrain. Nice one!

Keep 'em coming, peeps, and, erm, who's going to be brave enough to do some of these verses at Sidmouth next year?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gareth
Date: 13 Aug 02 - 02:53 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Micca
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 12:33 PM

in the shower I was singing this...
When this Morris dance is over
Oh How happy I will be
When I get my "civvy" clothes on
No more Morrising for me
No more broken little fingers
No more bollickings from the squire
I'll hang up my snow white snotters
Take my bells off and retire

I will stand upon the sidelines
Criticize the lack of fire
Scoffing at the sides backstepping
Saying" In my day we jumped Higher"
I will argue with the foreman
And I know it will be Bliss
Tell the Squire to Foxtrot Oscar
And in General take the P**s

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Gray D
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 07:24 PM

Dead thread, then.

It seems that this great classic must never more be sung.

I should tell you that I've even managed to get a thread of sorts going on the Morris Dance Discussion List (MDDL) and, though my contact also remembers the song, neither he nor the rest of them have come up with anything in the way of lyrics.

Bit of a bu&&er, that.

Thanks to those who've had a go. I will say that Micca's efforts got closest to my faded memory of the song, 'cos I know how important it is for U.S. readers to have a winner, ;-{)>

. . . but no marks away from the rest of you. "Dropped me snotters in the trough/ guessed the wind would dry 'em off" in particular will live with me for some time.

I do seem to have hit a bit of a nerve though. Several people have picked up the almost mystical perfection of the tune and the idea combined.

I leave it to you to create your own, definitive version.

Let us know when the CD comes out.

Gray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When this morris dance is over
From: Micca
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 05:42 PM

I conducted some research into the original at Towersey FF this last w/e and all said they didnt know it but wished they did,( I regretted not taking the wordw with me!!)s the gathered fragments of the thread, from which a "song" may be selected according to individual taste,
When This Morris Dance is over
(contributions are marked at end with "Name of origin" to expose the Guilty)
When this Morris dance is over

When this Morris dance is over
Oh How happy I will be
When I get my "civvy" clothes on
No more Morrising for me
No more broken little fingers
No more bollickings from the squire
I'll hang up my snow white snotters
Take my bells off and retire

I will stand upon the sidelines
Criticize the lack of fire
Scoffing at the sides backstepping
Saying" In my day we jumped Higher"
I will argue with the foreman
And I know it will be Bliss
Tell the Squire to Foxtrot Oscar
And in General take the P**s

When they dance in freezing car parks
I'll be inside warm and dry
In the pub with all the ladies
Chatting barmaids on the sly
No more questions" which ones Morris?"
No more "please do "Shepherds hay"
I will sit inside a boozing
Watching hankies wave away (Micca)

I went there as a musician
Dancing was my big mistake
I didn't know that they would need me
Or that my right arm would break
No more Adderbury or Bampton
No more Headington you see
I'll go home and hang my bells up
It's to the physio for me. ( vindelis)


P'raps I'll be a folky singer
No more knocking over beer
And I'll take my singer's finger
And I'll stick it in my ear.
No more waving of the hanky,
No more capering on the grass;
You can tell the bl**ding Squire
He can stick it up ......(schantieman)



When I put away my hankie,
I'll look normal like the rest,
Never mind my bells and braces
And what Yankees call a 'vest'
No more dancing in the garden,
With our band and 'Obby 'oss
And if you will beg my parden,
I think your gain is our loss! (Nigel Parsons)

No more sticks in funny places
No more bladders banged on bum
All I wanted was a tankard
filled with ale and real by gum(Mr Red)

And when me morris days are over
I'll have me own seat at the bar
I'll entertain the landlord's daughter
With tales of how I used to star
Like when I had a wee drop taken
And dropped me snotters in the trough
I fished them out and went back dancing
I guessed the wind would dry them off

And while the lads are making capers
With such gay tales I'll entertain
The wives and girlfriends of the dancers
While their men do sweat and strain
Yes the girls will surely gather round me
Once me bells are last unbuckled
And when I stop the Morris Dancing
There's bound to be some room for cuckolds ( slow alan)