Song Challenge - Bonfire Night

Subject: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 04:44 AM

We've come a cob-a-coalin, cob-a-coalin, cob-a-coalin
We've come a cob-a-coalin, for bonfire night

The first that comes in is a garden ornament
His belly is big and his money's all spent
He's drunk the pub dry and now he wants more
Will someone bend down and pick him up of the floor

Over to you...

:D

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 05:28 AM

The next to step up is a bloke in a dress
His make up is vivid, his wig is a mess.
He picked up a G.O. from off of the floor,
And got a bit more than he bargained for.


(As long as the song for Bonfire Night doesn't become 'The Burning Times' we should be OK).

LTS

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 10:27 AM

Looks like just me an' thee, Liz!

Next to come in is a Jolly Jack Tar
Not one on the oceans, but trawling VR
He's browsed into Google and used Acrobat
but found all he needed here in the Mudcat

C'mon - must be someone else out there:-)

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:17 AM

The next to come in was a cloaked indivitical
With extreme opinions on subjects political.
The room grew quite still and then someone spoke out,
Saying "COALing, not TROLLing, is what we're about."

(I'll get me coat)

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:35 AM

That sounds like an Accrington-ism. You still lurking out there, Stanley? :-)

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:39 AM

No, sorry, only me -- forgot to type in my nom-de-plume.
Sorry!

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:43 AM

Then someone came in as the Cat in the Hat
An anonymous GUEST who frequents Mudcat
Imagine a Yankee familiar with why
In England they celebrate burning the Guy.

Bye

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:54 AM

Up to the door comes a bloke with a bill.
With beer, he can't waddle, in case he should spill.
He's come a cob coaling and hope's he's in luck.
You don't need much coal when you're only a Duck!

Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 12:49 PM

There's three in this thread who have something in common
It's easy to see when you put 'thinking cap on
Liz, Geoff and Dave they are all just the same
Fancy them having the same middle name...

:D

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:18 PM

I would love to join in, and doubtless shall.
But can someone clarify the scansion (or a matching tune), as DtG started this, but his three verses all have different scansion.

Of course if the scansion is not required to match I could add something immediately!

CHEERS

Nigel

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Tutti Flutey
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:36 PM

At ceilidh's the next one likes prancing about
Between dances he stands there with fist round his stout
While on stage the musician who's playing guitar
Sees that the fiddler is stood at the bar.

Chortle, T-F

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:38 PM

My middle name's actually "the" too, but it's silent (and invisible).

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Tutti Flutey
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:44 PM

The pops and the bangs are sounding tonight
While bonfires are burning giving warmth and some light
"I hope," said the man with a beard and a grin
"That all the poor animals are safely within!"

Important message!!

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 03:01 PM

They are all fit Nigel - It's just that some fit better than others! Believe it or not I managed to find a windows media sample:-)

Try clicking here and clicking on the sound link for cob-a-coalin. You get a fill verse and chorus with concertina accompaniment. Try my verses and with a bit of shoehorning they get in there:-)

The next that comes in is a Parson in black
He's a holy old fellow, in grace he don't lack
He's a holy old fellow in place and in time
But he has awful problems fitting tunes to the rhyme...

:D

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Flash Company
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 07:38 AM

We'll Come a cob-a-coalin, cob-a coalin, cob-a-coalin
We'll come a cob-a-coalin for bonfire night.

In the folk cellar there is an old feller
Who's brought in a Banjo and Plucks quite a lot,
Plucks a lot, plucks a lot morning till night,
If you think that I can't spell, well maybe you're right!

FC

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: KT
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 01:12 PM

You're all very clever, your rhymes are superb
'Though I'm very confused 'bout the use of one verb
I tell you the truth now, I'm really not trollin'
So do tell me, please, what IS cob-a-coalin'?

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: KT
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 01:20 PM

Cob-a coaling is something I don't understand
Must be 'cos I live in a different land
But if I write more to partake in this game
Is it required that I add the word "the" to my name?

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 04:08 AM

OK, different middle name but I have bothered people about this song elsewhere.

I have Deep Lancashire and Harry Boardman's book. I have heard Harry sing it and have sung it myself. I have not got to the bottom of its origins but the Cob a-Coalin practice seems oldish and common.

Harry's song with its collection of pace egg characters doesn't, as far as I can tell, go back further than Deep Lancashire. Did Harry create it out of bits of other songs, practices and traditions?

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 04:28 AM

I don't realy know either but perhaps it may help to know that coal does come in cobs! The individual lumps - particularly if they were large ones - were always refered to around here (Salford) as cobs. It does seem to be some sort of 'cadging' tradition but any more I don't know. The original first verse is -

The first that comes in is a collier you see
with a pick and a shovel all ready to dig
he digs it and picks it and then it does fall
and that is the way that we gather cob coal

Probably doesn't help at all!

:D

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 05:11 AM

I love the song and want it to be part of a tradition that goes back a long way - to Pace Egging or whatever. But I have this lurking doubt that no such origin exists for the song in its complete form in Harry's reportiore.

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Flash Company
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 10:21 AM

I worked in North Manchester for a lot of years, and as a Mid-Cheshire boy was something of a foreigner!
I remember once singing the original 'Down in yon cellar' verse as I was heading for the archives and being asked 'How do you know that?, I used to sing it when I were little!'
The lady asking the question was,I guess, in her '50s so someone other than Harry Boardman must have known it, any singers except Elvis had passed her by!

FC

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 10:27 AM

True enough. Other posts and other threads identify Nowt in yon cellar etc. Bit the Soldier and Sailor seem to appear from nowhere. Unless someone else knows better?

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 10:44 AM

We come cob-a-coaling for stuff for the fire
We've nowt in the cellar to make it burn higher.
So go into your scuttle, and fetch us a lump,
And we'll try to mak last line to rhyme (Ecky Thump!!)...

[SPOKEN by the whole crew]
Nigel - I like your verse, the first line starts brilliantly,
although the second line seems just a bit too long to fit the rhythm of the song.
The blank third line is a master stroke,
but I personally regard a bit of "dumpty-dumpty-dee" or maybe the odd "fol-de-rol" as being more "traditional".

When stuck in a challenge, for lines to a song.
Try looking at Mudcat - it doesn't take long.
You quickly may find a version or more.
And a Blicky or two will impress for the score...

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 10:49 AM

Here's a nice assortment of collected Bonfire songs - BLICKY!!.
Quack!!
Geoff the Duck.

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 11:03 AM

Whilst you are thinking, why not watch your own personal Firework Display!
Quack!

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 01:59 PM

http://www.bcpl.net/~cbladey/guy/html/verse.html

This site from Geoff is truly amazing

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Flash Company
Date: 08 Nov 04 - 07:19 AM

'The first to come in' verses have a feel of Jones's Ale about them, also various Mumming plays 'Come in my first head man'
There is also a song, I think from Yorkshire, which starts:-
'You noble spectators whoever you be'
And tells in broad terms the death of Samson

FC

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 03:18 PM

Other posts and other threads identify Nowt in yon cellar etc. Bit the Soldier and Sailor seem to appear from nowhere. Unless someone else knows better?

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 06:35 PM

Thank you thank you thank you!

Glad my site has been helpful.

The only extant early Guy Fawkes Song is Guy Fawkes Prince of Sinisters. It was a favorite of Dickens with its earliest appearance in pantomimes
I have a run down on it on the pages.....

I am about to add more images to the image collection....

Hope you had a good 5th....
Just in case you REALLY appreciate the pages....
I do not get any outside funding for these and make them available to one and all FREE!
To make some money I write and sell books....
I have a great one out with all of the collected prayers, rhymes, images of guys and run down on the history and traditions....
Not expensive! And now available by pay pal

for details
http://www.geocities.com/artcars/hutbook.html#Our%20Catalog

Conrad Bladey
Peasant

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 02:06 PM

It is an excellent site, *#1 PEASANT* , I found it through a websearch for "cob coaling" and didn't know that it was produced by a Mudcatter, although it isn't exactly surprising to discover that this should be the case.
I'm pleased that I managed to point some more 'Catters in its direction.
Keep up the good work!
Quack!!
Geoff the Duck.
(still playing with the fireworks...)

Subject: RE: Song Challenge - Bonfire Night
From: GUEST,Mac15shaw
Date: 22 Oct 15 - 06:24 AM

We com a cob a coal in for bonfire time
Your coal and your money we hope you enjoy
Fol dede fol Dede de foli   Dediddle um da de
For down in yon cellar it's fair full of bugs
They've eaten mi stock in and part o' mi clogs
Foli Dede etc
Pepper pot pepper pot morning til neet
If tha give us nowt we'll steal nowt
But bid thee good neet

This is one of the song we did in the 40's and early 50's