Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill

Subject: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Alice
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 10:57 AM

Dan, you mentioned this song in the Skibberreen thread, and I've listened to the lovely audio clip of it on Folk Legacy's web site. Can we have the lyrics?

Alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 08:25 AM

There's a sound sample at Folk-Legacy Records,:

The half-past-ten from Tralee town to Queenstown's on its way,
Bringing thousands of our boys and girls up to Americay.
They leave the places of their birth and that's against their will.
They labor daily for their bread in Scovill's Rolling Mill.

"Good morning, Mister Wilcox." "Good morning," he will say.
"Have you got a job for me at a dollar and a half a day?"...

It also contains the following note:

Scovill's Rolling Mill - Waterbury, Connecticut was the center of America's brass industry from Colonial times until about 20 years ago. Large numbers of Irish - from Co. Kerry and Queen's Co. (Co. Laois) in particular - came to work in the mills of Scovill, Benedict & Burnham, Chase and other companies. "Scovill's Rolling Mill" is a look into the hard life of industrial workers before unions and occupational safety laws. "The half-past ten from Tralee town to Queenstown's on its way" refers to a journey on the Great Southern & Western Railway for connection to a transatlantic sailing. Special thanks to Caroline Paton, from whom I first heard the song, and Jeremy Brecher, who collected it from Congressman John Monagan of Waterbury.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 11:41 PM

I e-mailed Dan Milner and asked him to drop by and post the lyrics. It's not in his Bonny Bunch of Roses songbook, and there are only partial lyrics in the booklet for his wonderful Irish In America CD. If nobody comes up with the lyrics, I'll attempt to do it by ear, but I can't make out all the words.
Dan gave me a songbook that was related to the CD, but it's a skinny one and I can't locate it on the shelf. I'll betcha that book has the lyrics.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 12:05 PM

Dear Alice, Jim and Joe,

Thanks for your interest. Just a bit too busy right now... plasterers and painters in the house, etc. I will get to it next week for sure.

All the best to each of you,
Dan Milner

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Alice
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 07:46 PM

Thanks, Dan. I did buy your CD. Looking forward to the lyrics.

Alice

Subject: DTADD: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 05:43 PM

Scovill's Rolling Mill

The half-past-ten from Tralee town to Queenstown's on its way
Bringing thousands of our boys and girls off to Amerikay.
They leave the places of their birth and that's against their will
And they labor daily for their bread in Scovill's Rolling Mill.

"Good morning, Mr. Wilcox." "Good morning," he will say.
"Have you got a job for me at a dollar and a half a day?"
He'll give you a bag and a piece of wire and your eyes you'll begin to rub
For your daily occupation is beside the pickle tub.

Oh, you may work at the pickle tub; you may work in the yard.
You may work at the scratching machine and that's not very hard.
But when pay day comes around your belly with beer you'll fill
And you'll spend the money you earned so hard in Scovill's Rolling Mill.

They'll send you to the muffles, boys, and they'll say that all is swell
But just you take a tip from me, I'd rather be in Hell.
If he gave me a broom to sweep the floor, I'd do it with a will
But I'll be damned if I work at the pickle tub for Wilcox in the mill.

Go up the street to Randolph's or across the way to Booth's
You may go to Benedict's and to Chase's; it's no use.
For when payday comes around your belly with beer you'll fill
And you'll curse the day you sailed away to Scovill's Rolling Mill.

Just go down to New York, me boys, and hear the ocean roar.
You'll think you see your mother standing at the cabin door
Crying, "Darling Jack, come back again and the old farm you can till.
Then no more you'll roam from your native home to work in the rolling mill."

And when your health and wealth are gone and you think you'd like to go home.
Your friends will get a raffle up to ship you across the foam
Your mother will greet you with a smile but tears her eyes will fill
For she knows your health was broken down in Scovill's Rolling Mill.

Now when you're six months in Ireland and feeble is your walk,
The friends you knew while in your youth, to them you'll scarcely talk.
Your dance is done; your voice is still; six feet of earth you'll fill
And they'll lay you away in the burying ground due to Scovill's Rolling Mill.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Alice
Date: 09 Oct 03 - 12:52 PM

Thanks, Dan.

Alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 09 Oct 03 - 02:52 PM

Thanks for asking Alice.

By the way... I noticed recently a Civil War period 69th Regiment button on auction at e-Bay. It was manufactured by Scovill.

All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Scovill's Rolling Mill
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Oct 03 - 03:25 PM

Click here to get to a page on the history of Scovill. Like many firms related to the textile induxtry, it moved from New England to the South.
-Joe Offer-