Lyr Req: Songs by Harry Clifton (1832-1872)

Subject: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 05:42 AM

Harry Clifton (1824-1872) was a prolific songwriter for the English music hall; I've found reference to him being the author of over 500 songs! An article by Roy Hudd mentions him briefly Music Hall Songwriters, and notes that he 'borrowed' most of his tunes from folk songs.

Well it would seem that in turn a few of his songs have been picked up by traditional singers, and I've been surprised to find out that there are so many. Does anybody know if there are more out there?

Pretty Polly Perkins of Paddington Green is in the DT, as is THE GOOD SHIP KANGAROO which Elizabeth Cronin sang.
Also in Elizabeth Cronin's songbook was "Paddle your own Canoe" by Clifton.

"The Watercress Girl" by Clifton was quite widely sung by traditional singers such as Johnny Doughty, and he is also credited with a version of "Lanigan's Ball". GUEST bigJ, in a thread on 'The Good Ship Kangaroo' The Good Ship Kangaroo, mentions a book by Michael Kilgarriff Sing us one of the old songs where Clifton is credited as the author of such songs as 'The Calico Printer's Clerk', 'Dark Girl Dressed in Blue', 'I'll go and Enlist for a Soldier' and 'Ten Minutes Too Late' none of which I'm familiar with. Apparently he also wrote 'The Weeping Willer' which Vesta Victoria made famous.

He seems worth a bit of research. I'll see if I can transcribe the words for 'The Watercress Girl'.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 11:22 AM

Theres only one comment I can make about Michael Kilgarriff's book, that it's long on price, and short on content.
Giok

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WATERCRESS GIRL (Harry Clifton)
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 05:09 PM

The Watercress Girl
(Lyrics by Harry Clifton)

One day I took a ramble
Down by a running stream
Where the water lilies gambol,
It was a lovely scene.

And there I saw a maiden,
A maiden from the dell.
She was gathering watercresses,
'Twas Martha the watercress girl.

Her hair hung down in tresses,
Down by the mill that's close to the stream.
She was gathering watercresses
Was Martha the watercress girl.

I asked her if she was lonely,
She answered with a smile;
Kind sir, I am not lonely,
For here I daily toil.

I have to rise up early,
My cresses for to sell.
My Christian name is Martha,
They call me the watercress girl.

The day is not far distant
When Martha will be mine,
And on our wedding morning
It will be nice and fine.

I'll have to rise up early,
And dress up like an earl,
To go and marry Martha,
The sweet little watercress girl.

Her hair hung down in tresses,
Down by the mill that's close to the stream.
She was gathering watercresses
Was Martha the watercress girl.


From the singing of Johnny Doughty of Brighton, Sussex.
Recorded by Mike Yates (and Camille Saunders, August 1976?)
Issued on Veteran Tapes cassette 'The Horkey Load: Vol. 2' VT109, 1988.

Another recording of the song by Tommy Morrissey of Padstow, Cornwall is available, also on cassette from Veteran, on 'Pass Around the Grog' VT122, 1992.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 05:13 AM

Steve Gardham of Hull Uk has done reasearch on H Clifton and songs in the tradition Steve writes the Songs under the Microscope feature in the EFDSS mag English Dance & Song . As for Goik's suggestion that Kilgarriff's mighty tome is 'short on content', I'm amazed. Kilgarriff lists thousands of popular songs with composers and writers, has a section which lists hundreds of popular performers and their repertoires, and presents a list of the most popular songs in chronological order. It is an invaluable starting point for researching things like Harry Clifton's contribution to traditional song.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 01:57 PM

Geoff, thanks for that information. I've got some copies of EDS which I'll look at again, but if you've got any specific items to add please do share them here.
Incidentally, what is it with Hull and folk music? Is it something in the water?

I'll post some lyrics later which I've found for 'Paddle your own canoe' which, as I noted was in one of Elizabeth Cronin's song-lists.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: MartinRyan
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 02:32 PM

I occasionally hear "Ten minutes too late" at singing sessions - didn't realise it shared an author with "On Board the Kangaroo"!

Regards

Subject: Lyr Add: PADDLE YOUR OWN CANOE (Harry Clifton)
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 02:43 PM

From the sheet music at The Levy Collection at Johns Hopkins University:

PADDLE YOUR OWN CANOE
Words by Harry Clifton

1. I've travell’d about a bit in my time,
And of troubles I've seen a few,
But found it better in ev’ry clime
To paddle my own canoe.
My wants are small; I care not at all
If my debts are paid when due.
I drive away strife in the ocean of life
While I paddle my own canoe.

CHORUS: Then love your neighbour as yourself,
As the world you go travelling through,
And never sit down with a tear or a frown,
But paddle your own canoe.

2. I have no wife to bother my life,
No lover to prove untrue,
But the whole day long with a laugh and a song,
I paddle my own canoe.
I rise with the lark and from daylight till dark,
I do what I have to do.
I'm careless of wealth if I've only the health,
To paddle my own canoe.

3. It's all very well to depend on a friend,
That is, if you've prov’d him true,
But you'll find it better by far in the end
To paddle your own canoe.
To borrow is dearer by far than to buy—
A maxim tho’ old still true.
You never will sigh if you only will try
To paddle your own canoe.

4. If a hurricane rise in the midday skies
And the sun is lost to view,
Move steadily by with a steadfast eye,
And paddle your own canoe.
The daisies that grow in the bright green fields
Are blooming so sweet for you,
So never sit down with a tear or a frown,
But paddle your own canoe.


As I've been noting these lyrics I'm teased by the nagging feeling that I've heard somebody sing them somewhere this summer. I think it may have been the trio of Grant Baynham, Marilyn Middleton-Pollock, and Steve Mellor as 'It's The Girl' at Chester Folk Festival.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 12:27 PM

I didn't mean that Steve Gardham had written about H Clifton in EDS but was rather giving that information because EDS carries Steve's postal address which I didn't feel entitled to give out without his permission. I will try again to reach Steve on the phone and let him know about this . I think Steve did once tell me that H Clifton wrote The Rocky Road to Dublin which Kilgarriff also credits him with , although I have seen it credited as traditional elsewhere.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 04:51 PM

Geoff- thanks again. That explains why a trawl through EDS didn't produce anything (but lots of other interesting nuggets to intrigue me!) The lyrics for 'Rocky Road to Dublin' are already in the DTHere

If Clifton wrote the words as Kilgarriff claims then I think that it is rather sweet that they are now 'traditional'. The slip-jig tune is very well known, I suspect that Clifton may have fitted the words to it - they have a lovely pace with the words and syllables tripping out at breakneck speed in time to the music.

I've got Steve's address from EDS so please don't publish it here; I shall write to him myself.

By the way I notice that these are your first postings to the Mudcat Forum. Welcome aboard!

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Steve(Dungbeetle)Gardham
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 09:05 AM

Hi! No need to write, storyteller. I'm here now.I have masses of folk-song texts from books, all major broadside collections, a sizable collection of original 19th century sheet music, all indexed and cross-referenced. I too am surprised at disparaging comments on Kilgarriff. It doesn't pretend to be comprehensive but as a first port of call on the origins of a popular song I find it pretty indespensible even with the resources I've got. I first became interested in Harry Clifton when I found out he had written a fairly scarce song I collected in my own area back in the 60s, 'My rattling old black mare'then I discovered he'd also written or been associated with popularising, quite a few songs that were currently being sung in the folk clubs. I then started collecting original sheet music by him, and of course versions of his songs often appeared on the later broadsides c1860 onwards. On the sheet music for 'Rocky Road to Dublin' the lyrics are credited to D.K. Gavan,The Galway Poet. Many of Harry's tunes were adaptations of popular melodies of the times, but he was the bees Knees in the early 1860s so anything he performed soon became thought of as his. He did write a helluva lot of songs though. If there is sufficient demand I'm willing to post a list of his better known stuff on the Forum.Hope this is helpful. I'll try to stay in touch,Steve.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 06:11 PM

Thank you Steve for your contribution, and for all your work in 'Songs under the microscope'. My interest was in how Clifton's songs had passed into the repertory of traditional singers, who of course didn't only sing "folk songs" even though this was all the earlier collectors wanted from them. I'm intrigued by the way that some popular songs are taken up, while others drop out of fashion very quickly. Clifton seems to have had a certain 'knack' and I would be very interested to know of other songs he wrote, or popularised, which have been sung by traditional singers.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Steve G
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 04:46 AM

Storyteller, Some quick facts about Clifton off the top of my head: Yes, Clifton had a knack for writing popular material that would last. He died in his forties in 1872 but his work went through a revival in the 1880s. He travelled around England, Ireland and Scotland at the height of his popularity and had his imitators in America. Wherever he was appearing he tried to write songs that mentioned the local places, e.g. Hull's song was Faithless Maria or The Land of Green Ginger. He was famous for his motto songs however which appealed to the middle classes because they were messages of virtue to the common man, e.g. Work Boys Work and be Contented is a typical title.

I have 113 titles credited to him. I have the original sheet music for 20 of them but I'd like to get more. One I'd particularly like to have is My Rattling Mare and I. Almost all of the others I have copies of on broadsides.

As you might expect, his material has been collected more often in the tradition in America, such pieces as Paddle Your Own Canoe, Pulling Hard against the Stream, and Shabby Genteel are frequently found in American collections. In Br folk clubs one can still hear The Calico Printer's Clerk (Stefan Sobel et al) Polly Perkins and its Geordie parody, The Weepin' Willer.

Br tradition has Water Cresses, Mary Ann or The Roving Gardener, I am one of the Olden Time (sung by Mukram Wakes) My Rattling Mare and I (in my own collection and others) On Board the Kangaroo, probably others. And in Ireland Lannigan's Ball and Rocky Roads to Dublin (both written by D.K. Gavan), and The Waterford Boys. Hope this is useful. Steve.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Storyteller
Date: 13 Sep 02 - 08:32 AM

Steve, thank you for these very helpful leads. It appears that the Kathleen Barker Collection at the University has some memorabilia of Harry Clifton Kathleen Barker Collection. If I come up with anything more of interest I'll post it here.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 16 Mar 05 - 10:56 AM

I'vejust seen (three years late - sorry!) John Giok's comment that Kilgarriff is 'long on price and short on content'. Kilgariff's 'Sing Us One of the Old Songs' is a long-needed reference book and a monumental achievement that anyone could be proud of having produced. I take it JG wanted pictures? Or perhaps he thinks that,like the telephone directory it has a terrific cast but a lousy plot.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Lucius
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 09:31 AM

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I'm wondering if anyone has the lyrics to "Ten Minutes too Late".

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Mark Turner
Date: 14 Dec 07 - 06:40 PM

I am the Great Grandson of HARRY CLIFTON.I would be very interested in the results of this website. I have little knowledge of my ancester and would welcome any information. I will now check this site at regular intervals.   
"I Live in Trafalgar Square".
To those that know please reply.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,k ball
Date: 19 Jan 08 - 04:16 AM

i to am also related to harry clifton and would like to get in touch

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 23 Jan 08 - 06:46 AM

No.112 of the Axon Broadside Ballad Collection (the Death of Harry Clifton) includes the titles of several of Harry's compositions.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,mark turner
Date: 25 Jan 08 - 03:28 PM

it would be interesting to talk to you k ball, in which way are you related, and how would you like to get in touch?

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: R.P.
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 05:44 PM

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: R.P.
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 06:02 PM

Hello.
I have been researching Harry Clifton for the past 10 years, as he is my paternal great grandfather.
I have family papers his birth registration, marriage certificate, death certificate, will, and a number of his song sheets.
I would like to hear from:- Mark TURNER & K. BALL, to find out where we connect.
Best wishes.
Robert.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: R.P.
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 06:29 PM

Hello again!
in my last message it should have read:- Maternal great grandfather.
Best wishes.
Robert.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Steve Gardham
Date: 20 Apr 08 - 06:11 PM

To add to my previous list I recently found out that Harry wrote that well-worn song 'Send back my Barney' which eventually morphed into 'My Bonny'. You can listen to something near the original as sung by The Watersons. Sheet music came up on Ebay about 6 months ago but I was outbid. The winner very kindly sent me a photocopy.
I now sing it in schools I visit using the original words but the well-known 'My Bonny' tune.

Sometime when I'm not so busy I'd like to help set up a Harry Clifton website with copies of all his works. 'Where there's a will there's a way' is still going strong west of Sheffield where it's called 'The Spider Song' sung by Gordon Hoyland and others.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Brakn
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 05:51 AM

Just a few bits of interest.....
Henry (Harry) Robert Clifton was born at Hoddesdon and was Christened on the 20th of May 1832 at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Parents were Henry and Harriet Clifton.

His father ,I think, died in 1837. In 1841 he was living in the High Street, Broxbourne with his mother.

I can't find him on any other censuses until 1871 when he was boarding at Union Street, St Andrew, Plymouth with his common law wife Fanny (Edwards).

Harry Clifton died in 1872 and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 06:10 AM

Related threads for Ten Minutes Too Late:

Lyr Req: Ten Minutes Too Late
Lyr Req: Exactly 10 minutes too late

Nice to hear from you, R.P. - what a great thread.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST
Date: 28 May 08 - 01:37 PM

As a resident of Hoddesdon interested in local history and music hall entertainment, I was intrigued to read recently that Harry Clifton was born in my home town. Interestingly this seems to have gone unnoticed by local historians, at least there is no mention of him in local history books. I wondered if his birth certificate mentions where in Hoddesdon he was born as it would be nice to pass this on to my local history society and I would like to write a small piece for their newsletter.

Phil

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: R.P.
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 09:44 PM

Hello Phil.
If you contact me at:- [e-mail]
I will be able to help you.
Best wishes.
R.P.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 05:10 PM

This is a long shot but does anyone know the names of Harry cliftons children.
many thanks M

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 03:14 PM

Guestx2,
Surely if you PM the above 3 relatives at least one of them should be able to answer your question.

BTW there are 2 of HC's sheet music pieces on Ebay currently. One very scarce one 'Robinson Crusoe' is already going beyond my pocket at £16 plus postage, but the other 'Paddle Your Own Canoe' is quite common. I have 3 versions of it all with different lithographs to the one on Ebay. This in itself would make an interesting study. In all my copies his face is much fatter. I would love to see a website of his work something like the one dedicated to Arthur Lloyd.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Artful Codger
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 02:38 AM

Scans of several Clifton songs are available online at the John Hopkins Lester S. Levy site (including "Paddle Your Own Canoe").

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Brakn
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 06:48 AM

Re Harry cliftons children.

I don't think he had any.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 09:27 AM

There are at least two of his great-grandsons on this thread - he must have had children.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 05:57 PM

The Lester Levy site also has several Clifton songs pirated by Tony Pastor who was his American imitator. Pastor appears to have altered the songs slightly and then claimed them as his own.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Brakn
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 01:37 PM

On the 1871 census Harry's listed as being married to Fanny (Edwards) though I don't think this ever happened. (I can't find it.)

If they had children together I suppose they could've been left in boarding school or with relations while the couple toured.

After Harry died, Fanny emigrated to the U.S. in 1889 and died 1908 at her home in Yonkers. Her obit in the New York Times says that she left three sisters and two brothers. It doesn't mention any children.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: MartinRyan
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 01:57 PM

Brakn

I think there are several online references to his "common law wife".

Regards

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 01 May 09 - 07:15 AM

According to R.P.'s post, above, he has his marriage certificate - and his will.

Don't forget that Harry travelled the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland. Records relating to BMD's/censuses etc are likely to be scattered.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 01 May 09 - 08:14 PM

This is complete conjecture based on his songs, but I have always thought Harry fell out with his wife some time in the 60s. He had a song called 'My Old Wife' which I have the sheet music to which extols her virtues. I also have the sheet music to 'My Rattling Old Black Mare' which is a parody on 'MOW' in which he changes the words in the first chorus to 'It's not my wife upon my life, but a rattling old black mare' now extoling the virtues of his horse! Fanny Edwards who he sometimes duetted with must have come into the picture after this. Harry died aged 40 in 72 so his children would have grown up by the time FE emigrated.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 May 09 - 11:40 AM

Lyrics to the following Harry Clifton song are in the DT:

LANIGAN'S BALL


Lyrics to the following songs have been posted in Mudcat threads:

DARK GIRL DRESSED IN BLUE
FAITHLESS MARIA
ON BOARD OF THE KANGAROO
PADDLE YOUR OWN CANOE
POLLY PERKINS OF ABINGTON GREEN
PULLING HARD AGAINST THE STREAM (although there, it's attributed to "Mr. Boot"; I don't know whether the lyrics agree with what Clifton wrote.)
TEN MINUTES TOO LATE
THE WATERFORD BOYS


The Lester S Levy Collection of Sheet Music has the following titles:

A MOTTO FOR EVERY MAN
DARBY MCGUIRE
ISABELLA AND HER GINGHAM UMBRELLA
JEMIMA BROWN, OR, THE QUEEN OF A SEWING MACHINE
MY MOTHER IN LAW, OR, ADVICE TO PERSONS ABOUT TO MARRY
NEVER LOOK BEHIND
PADDLE YOUR OWN CANOE
POLLY PERKINS OF ABINGTON GREEN
THE DARK GIRL DRESS'D IN BLUE
THE FAMILY MAN
THE WATERFORD BOYS
UP WITH THE LARK IN THE MORNING, MERRY & WISE
WAIT FOR THE TURN OF THE TIDE
WHERE THE GRASS GROWS GREEN


The National Library of Australia has:

ON BOARD OF THE KANGAROO


Duke University has:

POLLY PERKINS OF PEMBERTON (sic) GREEN


The California Sheet Music Project has:

SHABBY GENTEEL


The Library of Congress American Memory Collection has:

PRETTY LITTLE FLORA (song sheet – lyrics only)
FAITHLESS MARIA (song sheet – lyrics only)


The Bodleian Library has the following as broadsides:

A BIT OF MY MIND
AS LONG AS THE WORLD GOES ROUND
BROKEN DOWN
JEMIMA BROWN
POLLY PERKINS
SHABBY GENTEEL
THERE'S A SMILE WAITING FOR ME AT HOME
WHERE THE GRASS GROWS GREEN
WHERE THERES A WILL THERE'S A WAY


You can see many more titles at WorldCat.org.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 20 May 09 - 12:03 PM

Not forgetting the wonderful CALICO PRINTER'S CLERK also on the DT.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Carole Wallis
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 05:28 PM

Hi Mark, I am also a great granddaughter of Harry Clifton. I am stuck the same as you on finding out very much. Please contact me at [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: GUEST,Carole Wallis
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 05:30 PM

Hi Robert, I am a great granddaughter of Harry Clifton. Please contact me at [e-mail] so we can compare info.
Regards

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 06:51 PM

The Cover of 'The Hardware Line' is for sale on EBay at the moment. Unfotunately it's just the cover and they want a fiver for it. If it doesn't go through the roof like the last one I might bid on it.

I was looking at my copy of 'Send back my Barney' today and realised it is actually set in Ireland and therefore, like Lannigan's Ball and Rocky Road, formed a big part of his Irish tours.

Ladies,
If you do manage to find a biographical source, I too would be very interested. That such a great star at the top of the tree in the 60s went without a proper bio is amazing. It would be worth checking the theatrical papers for 1872 for entries.

Billy Weeks is the man best placed to get the info. I'll email him.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Artful Codger
Date: 03 May 10 - 01:13 PM

Steve, in an earlier post, you said you sing "Send Back My Barney" but to the "My Bonny" tune, implying that the original tune is different. Do you have a copy of the original music, and if so, can you transcribe the original tune?

Also, since you've been collecting the sheet music, have you located tunes for any of the songs in your list where only lyrics have been posted? Does your list include Clifton's songs for which Tony Pastor spuriously claimed credit?

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Artful Codger
Date: 03 May 10 - 03:40 PM

The National Library of Australia has fifteen entries for Clifton songs, though there is only an online scan of "On Board of the Kangaroo". They are:

As welcome as the flowers in May, or, The jolly miller
The adventures of Robinson Crusoe
It's not the miles we travel, but the pace that kills
Jones' Musical Party
Jemima Brown
On board of the Kangaroo
Paddle your own canoe [2 entries]
Pulling hard against the stream
Purely a matter of taste
Put the break on when you're going down the hill
True blue and seventy-two
Up a tree
Very suspicious [2 entries]

The majority of these songs have not been mentioned in the various threads on Clifton. I'm sure we'd appreciate transcriptions of the lyrics and dots. I'd be happy to transcribe melodies to ABC if someone provided me with scans.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 May 10 - 03:46 PM

Artful,
Off the top of my head the main source of my statement on Tony Pastor is all on the Lester Levy website so I suggest looking there.

Re the original sheet music, yes I do have it and will post the notes with words but I'm no music expert and can't give you an ABC. If that's not good enough, I could scan my copy and email it to you. I don't know which ones have only lyrics posted but I can let you have a list of all the tunes I have, certainly all of the well-known ones and those that have survived in oral tradition.

The Watersons recorded a more original version of Barney but again I can't read music sufficiently well to say their tune is the same as Ckifton's original.

Will have a look at my Levy copies and try to identify the offending Pastor stuff.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 May 10 - 04:08 PM

I have the music to the following
Bear it like a Man
Calico Printer's Clerk
Dark Girl dressed in Blue
Folly and Fashion
Granny Snow
I am one of the Olden Time
Isabella the Barber's Daughter
It's not the miles we travel
Jolly Old Country Squire
Jones's Musical party
Lannigan's Ball
Mary Ann the Roving gardener
A Motto for Every Man
My Mother in Law
My Old Wife
My rattling mare And I
Paddle your own canoe
Polly Perkins
The railway belle
Rocky Road to Dublin
Send back my Barney to me
Up with the lark in the morning
Very Suspicious
The Way to be Happy
Where there's a will there's a way
Work, Boys, Work and be contented
The Young man on the Railway

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 May 10 - 04:28 PM

Send Back My Barney to me Written and composed by Harry Clifton, Arr. M Hobson
Bb A GGGG F# D Bb C
He is gone and I'm now sad and lonely
D^ Eb^ D^ C Bb Bb C D^ F#
He has left me to cross the wide sea
Bb A GGGG F# D Bb C
But I know that he thinks of me only
C C D C Bb C Bb A G
And will soon be returning to me
Bb Bb A Bb F^ D^ Bb A C
His eyes they were filled with devotion
Bb C D^ C Bb Bb C D^ F#
As my husband he said he'd soon be
Bb A GGGG F D Bb C
Then blow gently ye winds of the ocean
Bb-C D^ C Bb C Bb A G
A-and send back my Barney to me.

I think it has some affinity with the lovely Waterson tune.
Like this there are no repeats as in 'My Bonny'.

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 May 10 - 04:51 PM

Just looking through copies of the Lester Levy website for the Pastor songs which I haven't found yet, I came across more Clifton sheets with music
Darby McGuire
The Family Man
Isabella and her Gingham umbrella
Jemima Brown, or the Queen of the Sewing machine
Never Look behind
Pulling Hard Against the Stream
Wait for the Turn of the Tide
The Waterford Boys
Where the Grass Grows Green

Wow! There's some amazing stuff in there!

Re the Pastor songs, I don't think I took off copies because I already had the Clifton originals.

Subject: Send Back My Barney to Me
From: Artful Codger
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:54 PM

See the thread Lyr Add: Barney for a transcription of Clifton's song "Send Back My Barney to Me", which was the precursor or the song "Barney" sung by the Watersons, and possibly of "My Bonny Lies over the Ocean".

Subject: RE: Help: Harry Clifton Songwriter
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 May 10 - 08:32 PM

I have always enjoyed Music Hall songs sung in Folk Clubs , but only found out fairly recently how many of those 'Old Songs' were based on Traditional songs .