Chicken on a Raft

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 05:00 AM

As banjomad pointed out, Cryril Tawney states that it is fried egg on fried bread. The queston was also asked at one of our chantey sings in S.F., so I wrote Cyril Tawney and asked him what it means. He pointed out that it would have been logistically difficult to make mass amounts of toast, so they made the fried egg on fried bread.
Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Gurney
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 03:22 AM

Guest Nick, the song is not as old as you suppose. CT was in the Royal Navy in the 60s (I think) and wrote this song and others from his personal experience. He was an artificer (engineer)and served in both surface ships and D/E submarines, and all his songs from this period are larded with expressions commonly used in 'The Andrew,' the RN. Other puzzlers from 'C on a R,' 'Pussers' is pursers (belonging to the Navy) and 'Donny B' is Donnybristle(sp?) in Scotland. There are terms like this in virtually every verse.
Someone will sing his songs at virtually every festival in England, Australia, and New Zealand, and, I'm told, sometimes in the States and Canada too.
Haven't we been here before?

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Bernard
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 08:58 PM

Why not come along to the Open Door Extravaganza on Saturday 22nd/Sunday 23rd March 2003 and ask one of our regulars, Archie Tawney, all about it?! His younger brother is called Cyril... yes, the very same!

Oh, and Harvey will be with us on Sunday evening!

Read all about it!!

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,Grab
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 07:12 PM

Nick, check the first linked thread (started by myself to ask the exact same question the guy at the top did ;-) for info.

Graham.

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: vectis
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 09:16 PM

Before powdered or frozen anything ships carried live chickens to give eggs and, in the fullness of time, meat.
So I've been told.
I can't imagine Naval vessels carrying chickens though. Maybe explorers and merchantmen took chooks.

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 05:21 PM

I allways thought it was just "diner speak." What are the clues (if any) that it is of nautical origin? I'll have to check out the aforementioned sea song.I dont know if they kept chickens on sailing ships, never heard of it. Maybe after refrigeration became commonplace you might find eggs on board. I think they would they would have been using powdered eggs and I think it would not be refered to in a kindly way, more like chicken shit on a raft

Nick

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Mugwump
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 12:07 PM

what a silly song - one of dave Kenningham's favourites

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Mugwump
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 06:25 PM

Thousands on a raft that was an album by pete browns piblokto!

The titlr track is exactly the same as dark side of the moon by pink floyd - a good two years before!!!

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,Rhiannon
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 06:17 PM

And "thousands on a raft" means beans on toast.

Rhiannon
>^..^<

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Mugwump
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 11:08 AM

That should read "what it was all about"

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Mugwump
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 10:28 AM

It used to be sung by pipe smoking Mick at The Duke Of Edinburgh in Lee Green on Monday nights to DAVE KENNINGHAM'S delight.

It's great to have finally found out what li was all about!

Thanx Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: rock chick
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 10:14 AM

O no not that song again!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Auxiris
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 10:08 AM

I thought creamed chipped beef on toast was referred to as "foreskins on toast"??

cheers,

Aux

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,VINCE
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 07:38 AM

Still got the E.P. of the Young Tradition called 'Chicken On A Raft'. Great harmony sound they had. Peter's voice was terrific...a great loss! (what's an e.p I 'ere some of you say....just showin me age....its a small vinyl record, usually four tracks,)

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: banjomad (inactive)
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 06:50 AM

Cyril Tawney says it's fried egg on fried bread, he wrote it so he should know.
Dave

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From:
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 08:52 PM

Another thread besides those two is this one which covers DABTOES Dabtoes - Thread #36989 - Another term

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Greg F.
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 08:36 PM

Try


HERE

and



HERE

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,Allan S.
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 07:56 PM

Shit on a shingle is Creamed chipped beef on toast. not poached egg.
actually not bad tasting tho...

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,Ex-GI
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 07:21 PM

Shit on a shingle- US Army version.

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Snuffy
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 07:16 PM

or fried egg on fried bread, poached egg on toast isn't revolting or greasy enough!!

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: Crane Driver
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 07:15 PM

A (somewhat underdone) poached egg on toast is the last thing you want for breakfast the morning after - so, of course, that's what the navy gives you. "Dabtoes" are deck sailors (they get their feet wet) while the "dustmen" are engine room artificers - the two groups don't mix, even while "picking at a chicken on a raft". Anything else incomprehensible is bound to be Royal Navy slang.

Andrew

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: vectis
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 06:45 PM

poached egg on toast.

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,FFLC
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 06:42 PM

Thanks Harvey. Im all enlightened now!!

Subject: RE: Chicken on a Raft
From: harvey andrews
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 06:34 PM

I understand it to be egg on toast, nautical slang

Subject: Chicken on a Raft
From: GUEST,FFLC
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 06:30 PM

What's a "chicken on a raft" in the context of sea song of the same name?

Its been bugging me for ages - want to sing the song in club, got the words, just want the answer to that inevtiable question.....

Can anyone help please?