Lyr ADD: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,Val
Date: 07 Dec 21 - 05:28 AM

Happy are those children that have railways in the hall
Painting in the kitchen, stories when they're small
Friends to come and visit them, ribbons for their hair
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
Mothers doing washing up and neighbours picking flowers
Brothers under motorcars for hours upon hours
Coming home from school each day, knowing someone's there
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
Can you think how it would be if all you could recall
Was angry words and tempers or no-one there at all
Birthdays, picnics, christmases, families that care
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
Sometimes kids are fortunate 'cause people can be found
To foster them and care for them and always be around
All these families ever ask is just a chance to share
With all these lonely children their castles in the air
They give them homes and firesides, railways in the hall
Painting in the kitchen, stories when they're small
They let their friends come visiting, buy ribbons for their hair
But most of all to help them find their castles in the air
But most of all to help them find

Spinners recording

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 21 - 09:52 AM

fantastic been looking for words to replace my old worn out copy.thank you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,threelegsoman
Date: 17 May 19 - 02:51 AM

I was asked to upload this song only last week:
Castles in the Air

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 16 May 19 - 05:33 PM

Well, by uncanny coincidence, after this being such a long thread, this was one of our chosen tunes for "World Play a Strathspey Day" yesterday (15th May 2019)!Played and recorded at band practice of Auld Spice Ceilidh band, and uploaded to Soundcloud for onward transmission to Facebook. We play it as a pretty snappy strathspey, not like the midi posted on 10.11.03.
We play it in G and only use the following chords: G, D (or D7), C and Am.
The first half of the tune is very reminiscent also of "Wee Willie Winkie" - the nursery rhyme my mother used to sing to us: at least that was the tune she used.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST
Date: 16 May 19 - 03:57 PM

I play this on my 8 string uke and sing it. Couldn't find the chords on line but emailed one of the Spinners and he sent it to me. I had to transpose it to a better key for me. I love it, will play it next week at open mic in the pub.
Jennifer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,gutcher
Date: 08 Jul 15 - 01:22 PM

In his post of 2.7.14 Jim Mclean askes that the song "The Drunkard's Raggit Wean" be added--- this does not appear to have been done.
Jim gives a full version of the words, a truncated version with the music can be found in a Chicago publication of 1914 called "The Live Wire" a Collection of Prohibition Songs.
The late Tam Reid, Cullerlie, sang it to a bothy ballad tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,Peter from seven stars link
Date: 08 Jul 15 - 11:10 AM

This   (The swithinbank song) was sung at sing around on Monday. It was new to me, and I just found the settlers version, complete with pictures of sundry castles !. Being next in the circle , I sang one I have written from our experience as foster Carers.   Anyway, I though interest in castles in the air merited being revived.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,Tim
Date: 02 Apr 15 - 08:42 PM

In fact she did write it and won a prize for it.
She was a social worker in London I beleive.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BONNIE BONNIE BAIRN (John Ballantine)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Jul 14 - 01:25 PM

From The Gaberlunzie's Wallet by James Ballantine (Edinburgh: John Menzies, 1843), page 65:


THE BONNIE, BONNIE BAIRN.
James Ballantine

The bonnie, bonnie bairn, wha' sits pokin in the ase,
Glowerin in the fire wi' his wee round face;
Laughin' at the fuffin' lowe, what sees he there?
Ha! the young dreamer's biggin castles in the air.

His wee chubby face, an' his touzie curly pow
Are laughin' an' noddin' to the dancin' lowe,
He'll brown his rosy cheeks, an' singe his sunny hair,
Glowerin at the imps wi' their castles in the air.

He sees muckle castles towerin to the moon,
He sees little sodgers pu'in them a' doun;
Warlds whomling up an' down, bleezin wi' a flare,
Losh how he loups, as they glimmer in the air.

For a' sae sage he looks, what can the laddie ken?
He's thinkin upon naething, like mony mighty men;
A wee thing maks us think, a sma' thing maks us stare,—
There are mair folk than him biggin castles in the air.

Sic a night in winter may weel mak him cauld;
His chin upon his buffy hand will soon mak him auld;
His brow is brent sae braid, O pray that daddy Care,
Wad let the wean alane wi' his castles in the air.

He'll glower at the fire, an' he'll keek at the light;
But mony sparkling stars are swallowed up by Night;
Aulder een than his are glamoured by a glare,
Hearts are broken—heads are turned—wi' castles in the air.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: Lighter
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 08:46 AM

Thanks very!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 03 Jul 14 - 06:45 AM

Hello, Lighter. You can find the tune in various formats at this page:

http://thesession.org/tunes/6716


I can't help you with the words,however.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: Lighter
Date: 02 Jul 14 - 08:31 AM

Rugby types will note that the original melody was pinched for "The Ball o' Kirriemuir."

In Ireland it is used, more or less, for "The Stuttering Lovers."

Are words and music available for "Bonnie Jean o' Aberdeen," which is apparently the original name of the tune?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DRUNKARD'S RAGGIT WEAN (J P Crawford)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 02 Jul 14 - 07:48 AM

My father sang this song to the tune of Castles in the Air. I am 76 and he said he got the song from his father (in Paisley). Instead of singing "the drunkard's Raggit Wean" at the end of the line, he would substitute "pair wee Jimmie McLean" or the name of whichever sibling he was singing to.

Scottish Poetry Selection
- The Drunkard's Raggit Wean

A considerable increase in the consumption of alcohol was one of the by-products of the Industrial Revolution and the dreadful living conditions endured by of most of those crammed into the hastily built towns. This, in turn, gave rise to the temperance movement, attempting to turn people away from the evils of drink. The poem below, by James P Crawford (1825-1887) was written in 1855. It was one of the most successful and frequently performed in the temperance movement of its time. Crawford was a tailor and the poem (which also had music written to accompany it) was said to have been written in a United Presbyterian Church in Glasgow, while the minister was delivering a long sermon.


THE DRUNKARD'S RAGGIT WEAN

A wee bit raggit laddie gangs wan'rin' through the street,
Wadin' 'mang the snaw wi' his wee hackit feet,
Shiverin' i' the cauld blast, greetin' wi' the pain-
Wha's the puir wee callan? He's a drunkard's raggit wean.
He stan's at ilka door, an' keeks wi' wistfu' e'e
To see the crowd aroun' the fire a' laughin' loud wi' glee;
But he daurna venture ben, though his heart be e'er sae fain,
For he mauna play wi' ither bairns, the drunkard's raggit wean.

Oh, see the wee bit bairnie, his heart is unco fu',
The sleet is blawin' cauld, and he's droukit through and through;
He's speerin' for his mither, an' he won'ers whare she's gane:
But oh ! his mither, she forgets her puir wee raggit wean.
He kens nae faither's love, and he kens nae mither's care,
To soothe his wee bit sorrows, or kaim his tautit hair,
To kiss him when he waukens, or smooth his bed at e'en;
An' oh ! he fears his faither's face, the drunkard's raggit wean.

Oh, pity the wee laddie, sae guileless an' sae young!
The oath that lea's the faither's lips 'll settle on his tongue,
An' sinfu' words his mither speaks his infant lips 'll stain;
For oh! there's nane to guide the bairn, the drunkard's raggit wean.
Then surely we micht try an' turn that sinfu' mither's heart,
An' try to get his faither to act a faither's part,
An' mak' them lea' the drunkard's cup, an' never taste again,
An' cherish wi' a parents' care their puir wee raggit wean.

Meaning of unusual words:
Raggit Wean=child with ragged clothes
hackit=cracked, grazed
greetin'=crying
puir wee callan=poor, small lad
ilka=every
keeks=peeps
ben=within
fain=affectionate, in love
mauna=must not
bairns=children
unco fu'=very drunk
droukit=soaked through
speerin'=asking
kens=knows
kaim=comb
tautit=matted, tangled

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,Andy Pagin
Date: 02 Jul 14 - 05:29 AM

My mum was a fosterer back in the 1970s, I remember her playing this song over and over again from a compact cassette and writing down the lyrics .Whether she sang it at some fostering function or just wanted them for a magazine article I don't recall.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Castles in the Air (W. B., 1858)
From: GUEST,P. Wadhams
Date: 16 Jul 11 - 05:47 AM

The Anne Swithinbank song is very poignant because Anne herself, a dear friend, died of cancer, far too young, a few years ago. She wrote the song while she was living in Cambridge, but then she moved to the US and married and raised a family in Seattle. Her song, I hope, did a lot to encourage people to become foster parents.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: Snuffy
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 08:08 PM

Thanks, Mark and Suzanne. I'm sure that's the one Sylvia was after. I couldn't remember half as much as you, Mark. I went Googling for "railways in the home" instead of "in the hall"!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 07:47 PM

Considering I haven't heard that song for twenty years or more I'm surprised how much I did remember!

Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 07:46 PM

Enlarging on Boab's note, Contemplator (Leslie Nelson-Burns has these remarks:

Composer- James Ballantine (1808-1877)
Music- Bonnie Jean o' Aberdeen, midi provided.
Castles Air

Subject: Lyr Add: CASTLES IN THE AIR (Anne Swithinbank)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 07:33 PM

Thanks, Mark, for giving me a start. Filling in the blanks is so much easier! This is what the Spinners sing:

CASTLES IN THE AIR
(Anne Swithinbank)

Happy are those children that have railways in the hall
Painting in the kitchen, stories when they're small
Friends to come and visit them, ribbons for their hair
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air

Mothers doing washing up and neighbours picking flowers
Brothers run their motorcars for hours upon hours
Coming home from school each day, knowing someone's there
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air

Can you think how it would be if all you could recall
Was angry words and tempers or no-one there at all
Birthdays, picnics, christmases, families that care
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air

Sometimes kids are fortunate 'cause people can be found
To foster them and care for them and always be around
All these families ever ask is just a chance to share
With all these lonely children their castles in the air
(NOT repeated!)

They give them homes and firesides, railways in the hall
Painting in the kitchen, stories when they're small
Let their friends come visiting, buy ribbons for their hair
But most of all to help them find their castles in the air
But most of all to help them find their castles in the air


[1977:] Winner of a Croydon Social Services songwriting competition to encourage fostering, a first attempt at composition. [When] asked how she wrote this very perceptive song, [Anne Swithinbank] said she thought of all the good things she'd experienced by having a family around her, and imagined what it would be like to be deprived of all that. (Notes The Spinners, 'All Day Singing')

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 04:31 PM

Just been checking via GOOGLE. Much relevant info. found in Lesley Nelson-Burns collection.

Subject: Lyr Add: CASTLES IN THE AIR (W. B., 1858)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 01:26 PM

Boab, thanks for completing the "Castles" (1858) I took from Levy sheet music.
You are correct, the verse you added is the second. In the sheet music, the second verse is in very fine print above the first, and the third is printed as text at the end.
Do you have a source for your copy? The song is well-written; an author should be found.
Here is the whole lyric, so that it may be harvested easily. It is a great song, one I am surprised that I had not seen before.

I hope someone can transcribe the music.

Lyr. Add: CASTLES IN THE AIR (1858)

The bonnie, bonnie bairn, who sits poking in the ase,
Glow'ring in the fire wi' his wee rond face;
Laughing at the fuffin lowe abat what sees he there!
Ha! the young dreamer's bigging castles in the air.
His wee chubby face and his fouzie curly pow,
Are laughing and nodding to the dancing lowe;
He'll brown his rosy cheeks, and singe his sunny hair,
Glow'ring at the imps wi' their castles in the air.

He sees muckle castles, tow'rin' tae the moon,
He sees little sodjer laddies, pu'in' them a' doon,
Warlds whamblin' up an' doon, bleezin' wi' a flair,
See hoo he loups as they glimmer in the air!
For a' hoo sage he looks, whit can the laddie ken?
He's thinking aboot naething- just like mony michty men;
A wee thing maks us blink, an' something mak's us stare
Mair fouk than him are biggin' castles in the air!

Sie a night in winter may weel mak' him cauld;
His brow is bent and braid, O pray that daddy Care
Would let the ween alane wi' his castles in the air!
He'll glower at the fire! and he'll keek at the light!
But mony sparkling stars are swallowed up by night;
Aulder een than his are glamoured by a glare,
Hearts are broken, heads are turn'd wi' castles in the air.

by W. B., Published Oliver Ditson, 1858, Boston.
Sheet music at Levy Sheet Music, http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/levy-cgi/display.cgi?id=127.026.000;pages=4;range=0-3
@children, @age, @reflection

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 12:50 PM

This one goes back a bit in my memory. It was a song that Ed Stewart used to play a lot on Junior Choice in the seventies on Radio 1.

This purely from memory so hopefully someone will fill the gaps in or put the lines in the right order:

Happy are those children who have railways in the hall
Painting in the kitchen, stories when they're small
Friends to come and visit them, buy ribbons for their hair
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air
To an awful lot of children these are castles in the air

(I think there's another verse in here)

Can you think how it would be if all you could recall
Was angry words and tempers or no-one there at all
?????????????
?????????????
?????????????

Sometimes kids are fortunate cause people can be found
To foster them and care for them and always be around
To let their friends come visiting, buy ribbons for their hair
But most of all to help them find their castles in the air
But most of all to help them find their castles in the air

Then there's a verse with a couple of lines at the end that go something like:

All these children ever ask is just a chance to share
With all these lonely children, their castles in the air

Then there's another line about birthdays, christmas, football games and other things to share da di da di da di da castles in the air.

Well that's not bad for a five minute think!

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 01:21 AM

Just an aside---in my memory, "Q"'s second verse was aye my third---

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 01:19 AM

"He sees muckle castles, tow'rin' tae the moon,
He sees little sodjer laddies, pu'in' them a' doon,
Warlds whamblin up an' doon, bleezin' wi' a flair'
See hoo he loups as they glimmer in the air!
For a' hoo sage he looks, whit can the laddie ken?
He's thinkin' aboot naething---just like mony michty men;
A wee thing maks us blink, an' something mak's us stare
Mair fouk than him are biggin' castles in the air!"

That should complete the set! An old favourite of mine. Thanks for bringing it to mind..
Boab

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 08:45 PM

I've got the Spinners recording (on 'All Day Singing', 1977), and it is neither of the above, but was written by Anne Swithinbank as a one-off for an adoption drive. I haven't got the words down yet - would next weekend do, please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: early
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 07:14 PM

song was sung by the spinners in the 60's and singer at skipton was Iain Glover - if you ask him nicely i am sure he would send you the words - or you could look it up in the spinners songbook - song is about adoption

Subject: Lyr Add: CASTLES IN THE AIR (W. B., 1858)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 02:14 PM

Lyr. Add: CASTLES IN THE AIR

The bonnie, bonnie bairn, who sits poking in the ase,
Glow'ring in the fire wi' his wee rond face;
Laughing at the fuffin lowe abat what sees he there!
Ha! the young dreamer's bigging castles in the air.
His wee chubby face and his fouzie curly pow,
Are laughing and nodding to the dancing lowe;
He'll brown his rosy cheeks, and singe his sunny hair,
Glow'ring at the imps wi' their castles in the air.

Sie a night in winter may weel mak' him cauld;
His brow is bent and braid, O pray that daddy Care
Would let the ween alane wi' his castles in the air!
He'll glower at the fire! and he'll keek at the light!
But mony sparkling stars are swallow'd up by night;
Aulder een than his are glamoured by a glare,
Hearts are broken, heads are turn'd wi' castles in the air.

Third verse not readable; perhaps a better copy at another site (or in a book of Scottish poetry? may not be in this arranged form):
He sees muckle ---

by "W. B.," Published by Oliver Ditson, 1858, Boston.
No idea if this is an original song or arranged from a Scottish lyric or melody.
Sheet music at Levy Sheet Music, Levy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: alanabit
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 01:15 PM

Oh dear. I just read the thread title properly. Apologies folks from a red faced alanabit!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: alanabit
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 01:08 PM

And if she asks you why you can tell her that I told you
That I'm tired of castles in the air
I've got a dream, I want the world to share
And castle walls just lead me to despair

Hills and forests grow where the mountains touch the sky
A dream come true - I'll live there till I die
I'm asking you to say my last goodbye
The love we knew ain't worth a second try

   Save me from all the trouble and the pain
   I know I'm weak but I just can't face that girl again
   Tell her the reason why I can't remain
   Perhaps she'll understand if you tell it to her plain

For I will not be part of her cocktail generation
Partners waltz devoid of all romance
The music plays and everyone must dance
I'm bowing out - I need a second chance

For how can words express the feel of sunlight in the mornings
In the hills away from city strife
I need a country woman for my wife
I'm city born but I love the country life

Repeat first verse.

Hope this helps. Alan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 12:58 PM

"For many, many children these are castles in the air".

Didn't the Spinners record this back in the 60s?

Subject: Lyr Req: ? Castles in the Air (not Don Maclean)
From: GUEST,Sylvia
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 12:33 PM

I heard a song sung at Skipton Folk Club last week, not sure if title was Castles in the Air but heard it as the refrain. It was about giving children love so that they can build their castles in the air. I wasn't paying a great deal of attention to what the singer said at the start other than someone (a female) won a prize for this song but she didn't write it.

Please can someone help me with the words, music, or what CD i may find it on.

thanks