Lyr Req: Red and Gold (Ralph McTell)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ralph McTell song about English Civil War
From: Fliss
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 06:58 PM

Thanks for that, I will have a look on Ralphs website and see if there is a cd of the album.

f

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ralph McTell song about Civil War
From: GUEST,Henrik
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 04:26 AM

Hi ;o)

Seemingly the only place where there is a Ralph version (even including an oral introduction) to this fantastic song is on the great live album (a collection of live songs from various concerts) called "Songs for Six Strings - II" (1996, Leola Music).

If you liked Fairport Convention's version, you ain't heard nothing yet! And to think that he is doing this solo! This is one of my top favourite songs. You simply get it on your brain and find yourself going around humming it all the time. *LOL*. So be "WARNED"!

I just really wish I had been present when he first played it to the FC guys. I bet their jaws must have dropped to hit the floor. The Civil War battle that he describes in this amazing and "goose bump inducing" (well, for me at least) song took place at Cropredy at the bridge across the river Cheerwell, and since FC arranges a folk festival every year at.... Cropredy - well, there is your link ;o)

Henrik

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ralph McTell song about Civil War
From: Fliss
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 06:24 AM

Cheers for that Jim.

Subject: Lyr Add: RED AND GOLD (Ralph McTell)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 12:46 AM

Copied from the above website.

RED AND GOLD
(Ralph McTell Arr. Fairport Convention)

CHORUS: Red and Gold are royal colours.
Peasant colours are green and brown.
Green is the corn in the brown earth when it's growing,
Red and gold when the harvest is cut down.

Through Cropredy in Oxfordshire the Cherwell takes its course
And the willows weep into its waters clear.
My name it is Will Tims and it's here that I was born
And raised in faith my King and God to fear.

In 1644 the King in Oxford Town did dwell,
Though we'd heard that Cromwell's army was nearby.
It did not occur to me that little Cropredy
Could be witness to the meeting of both sides.

On June the 29th that year I was about my work,
Cutting hedges in the meadow by the stream.
My blade slipped. I cut my hand, and my own dear blood did flow
Upon the brown earth and the corn still green.

Now it did distress me so to watch my own blood flow
And quickly soak into the greedy ground.
In red and gold my colours swam and sweat broke on my brow
And faint I knew that I must lay me down. CHORUS

At first I thought the thundering was just inside my head,
So I raised myself above the hedge to see,
And I watched as in a dream as the armies fought downstream
The Battle for the Bridge at Cropredy.

Now the King's men fought in red and gold though Cromwell's men were plainer.
The blood they spilled was coloured just the same.
Through the hedgerow's fragile cover, I saw brother killing brother,
And all of this was done in Jesus' name. CHORUS

All that day and all the next the battle it was raging,
Though when darkness came I slipped away;
But the crying of the dying kept me wakeful and just lying
In my bed until the dawning of the day.

And the dreams I had were red and gold,
And the little stream became a flood,
From all my brothers killing one another,
Till waking I realised it was all my own dear blood.

Some were buried in the church and some just where they fell,
With no markers to declare their place of rest;
But the poppies they do grow where they were never sown,
And to my mind, they do declare it best.

And each year when the green corn once again turns into gold,
And the poppies in the field again remind me,
Like the scar upon my hand and the blood spilled on this land,
And the hungry earth so eager to confine me.

For read and gold they are the colours:
One is blood and one is power.
Though I may find my rest in Cropredy Church,
In golden fields forever will spring the poppy flower.

By Cropredy the Cherwell is still bidden to keep flowing,
And the willows by its side still gently weep;
But still in restless dreams by this most peaceful stream,
The poppies wake me from my rightful sleep.

And the dreams I have are red and gold,
And the little stream becomes a flood,
From all my brothers killing one another,
Till waking I realise it's all my own dear blood.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ralph McTell song about Civil War
From: Fliss
Date: 31 Oct 04 - 07:12 PM

Thanks for that. Found a link which gives words and how Ralph came to write the song. Because of the group's link to Cropredy where there had been a civil war battle.

I hadnt remembered any of that. I just remembered I had heard him sing it and it didnt seem to be on any of his recordings.


http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/sandy.denny/songs/redandgold.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ralph McTell song about Civil War
From: Ed.
Date: 31 Oct 04 - 04:52 PM

The song that you're after is called "Red and Gold" Fairport Convention, amongst others have recorded it. I suppose that he 'sort of' wrote it for them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ralph McTell song about Civil War
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Oct 04 - 04:34 PM

Sounds a bit like the William Morris poem.

If these verses are part of it, I will post it.

Because, forsooth, the battle was set,
And the scarlet and gold had got to be met,
He rode on the spur till the next warm noon;
Two red roses across the moon.

But the battle was scattered from hill to hill,
From the windmill to the watermill;
And he said to himself, as it neared the noon,
Two red roses across the moon.


I would guess that McTell would have revised it, however.

Subject: Lyr Req: Ralph McTell song about Civil War
From: Fliss
Date: 31 Oct 04 - 03:29 PM

Ages ago I heard Ralph sing a song about the English Civil War. The title was something like Scarlet and Gold. Ive only heard it once. I think he wrote it for a group.

Hope someone knows something about it.

cheers fliss