Lyr Req: caving song

Subject: Lyr Req: caving song
From: muppett
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:09 AM

In days when I used to go caving (late 70's early 80's) there were a song I used t' sing called I'm off caving. it were sung t' tune of Bye, bye Blackbird.

1st lines were;
             Pack up all me gear tonight
             My wetsuit, me boots & light
             For I'm off caving.

the gist of it was a tale of getting pissed and no caving being done.

I first saw it in a caving club song book, not sure which club it was, think it was a university club, that used stop at the Bradford Pothole cottage at Brackenbottem (nr. to Horton in Ribblesdale).

Anyone heard of it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From:
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 06:29 PM

Haven't found that one. There is this:

Cave Song Fake Book

Also found these songs :

The Hard Caver

DUSA's version of this classic caving song, sung to the tune of The Wild Rover. This version was found in an old log book, and also appears in the one and only DUSA journal.

I've been a hard caver for many a year
And spent all my money on carbide and beer
But now I'm hung over with bruises galore
So I'll be a hard caver no never, no more

And it's no, nay, never,
No, nay, never no more,
Will I play a Hard Caver,
No never, no more.

My first day in Durham, a fresher so neat
Some boozy old cavers I happened to meet
I asked to go caving, they answered me, "Nay -
Such idiots as you we can find any day!"

And its no, nay...

I brought out my cheque book so new and so bright
The treasurer's eyes opened wide at the sight
"With pleasure we'll greet you as one of our rank -
As soon as your cheque has been cleared at the bank"

And its no, nay...

They sold me a Nife cell at a hell of a price
And a old cardboard helmet, so soft and so nice
They took me out caving: Great Douk was the place
Three men were castrated and two lost with out trace

Now I've been to Yorkshire, to Mendip and Wales;
I've been down the pots and I've sampled the Ales
And now I'm returning with stories to tell
Of waters that rose and of boulders that fell

The pitches in Yorkshire all end in dead sheep
To find them you wander through snow ten feet deep
We set off for Swinsto, found Easegill instead
So we free dived the sumps to get out at Leck Head

There's no caves in Mendip, or so runs the tale
So bottoming prowess is measured in ale
Now Swildons is deep and quite wet, I'll admit
The streamway is sporting, but shatter is ****

Now Wales is speleophilologist's delight
The names are so long that you can't say them right
So don't blame the types who say O.F.D.
For it's simpler to say than Llanfairpwllgwyllgogoch

Now all I have left is a tattered wetsuit
A clapped out old Nife cell and half of a boot
My clothes are all ragged, my knees are still sore
So I'll be a hard caver, no never, no more.

Cave Oddity

Sung to the tune of Space Oddity by David Bowie, lyrics adapted by Anthony, Duncan, and probably lots of other people in CUCC.

Pitch control to Caver Tom
Pitch control to Caver Tom
Eat your Tunnock's Bar
And put your helmet on

Pitch control to Caver Tom
Start traversing, cows tails on
Try your clicker
And may Sod's luck be with you

This is pitch control to Caver Tom
You've really pushed the grade
Caves & Caving wants to know
What pants you wear
Now it's time to leave the belay
If you dare

This is Caver Tom to pitch control
I'm nowhere near the floor
And I'm dangling in a most peculiar way
And I'm feeling quite indifferent today

For here
Am I hanging from a small thread
Far above the floor
The rope is rubbing through
And there's nothing I can do

Now I'm past 1000 metres down
I'm feeling very small

But the water seems to know
Which way to go
Now I need a piss so very much
You know

Pitch control to Caver Tom
Your belay's failed, there's something wrong
Can you hear me Caver Tom
Can you hear me Caver Tom
Can you hear me Caver Tom
Can you hear

Am I lying on a small ledge
Far above the floor
Lying on my back
Twenty feet beneath my rack

Creek Goes the Marlow Rope

Sung to the tune of Green Grow the Rushes oh. Words adapted by someone I don't know, from Reading??

I'll sing you one oh
Creek goes the Marlow rope
What is your one oh
1 for the bolt at the head of the pitch,
Never to be trusted.

I'll sing you two oh
Creek goes the Marlow rope
What is your two oh
2 2, the jumars, oh!
All clogged up with mud, ho ho!
1 for the bolt at the head of the pitch,
Never to be trusted.

I'll sing you three oh
Creek goes the Marlow rope
What is your three oh
3, 3, the jammers we forgot
2 2, the jumars, oh!
All clogged up with mud, ho ho!
1 for the bolt at the head of the pitch,
Never to be trusted.

...

I'll sing you twelve oh
Creek goes the Marlow rope
What is your twelve oh
12 for the seats on the minibus
11 for the Sunday jackers
10 for the cavers lost on the moor
9 for the sumps in Swildons
8 for the twisted braidline
7 for the pints in the Marton Arms
6 for the pools of vomit
5 for the bars on the worn-out rack
4 for the knackered ladders
3, 3, the jammers we forgot doh!
2 2, the jumars, oh!
All clogged up with mud, ho ho!
1 for the bolt at the head of the pitch,
Never to be trusted.

Cavers

To the tune of the Wombles, this adaptation was found in an old logbook from the mid 90's.

Underground - overground speleoling free
The cavers of Durham Uni are we
Making good use of the gear that we find
Gear that incompetent clubs leave behind

Speleology

We don't cave for fame or fortune,
We don't cave for glory,
We just cave for recreation,
And for speleology,

Speleology, Speleology,
Balls to Oxford Pothole club.
BALLS TO OXFORD POTHOLE CLUB!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: rich-joy
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 01:26 AM

see also the other thread on Caving; re it being the Hippest Sport/Pastime ...



I'm SURE there were some Aussie Caving Songs, though ...


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: muppett
Date: 10 Mar 11 - 08:20 AM

Still looking, can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: Michael
Date: 10 Mar 11 - 10:49 AM

Vin Garbut sings one he wrote about caving, in Somerset I think, can't find it on his site though.

Mike

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 10 Mar 11 - 11:48 AM

I remember you singing the song years back, but beyond that I can't help with WHAT you sang.
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: migginz
Date: 10 Mar 11 - 01:56 PM

Having been down a cave once or twice (but rather more often boozing with cavers near Ingleton) I thought I'd see what I could find

http://www.harmonieii.co.uk/caving/cavingsongs.html
http://www.bec-cave.org.uk/publications-mainmenu-32/caving-songs-mainmenu-84.html

and there seems to be a book too...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Words-Orrible-Anthology-Caving/dp/0951813102

have fun...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: ced2
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 06:01 AM

Muppet, this is a most dangerous thread... I'm now trying to remember all those songs (many of them very rude) sang night after night in the ale tent at GG. Remember Oscar, the wiley bird?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 07:27 AM

Dick Fred and Jingles (Cheddar folk club about 10 years ago) did a very good caving base spoof of Jim Boyes's "Funny Old World".

I remember that Jim was most impressed and said that he thought that he'd now made it as a song-writer if people were parodying him!
Also I believe that Jim has been a caver in the past himself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: Bruce D
Date: 12 Mar 11 - 03:14 AM

NSS (National Speleological Society USA) has a major collection of caving / cave related songs written over many years for a yearly contest.

Some of the songs are fantastic others are terrible, but many hours of listening and material is avaliable. (Note much of the material is copyrighted)

http://www.caves.org/committee/salons/ballads/Cave%20Ballad.shtml

Bruce D

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: muppett
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 07:47 AM

Come on cedric, share them wi us.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: ced2
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 09:38 AM

Not a chance pal, I would get locked up!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: caving song
From: muppett
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 09:50 AM

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooow