Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO

Subject: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 23 Nov 04 - 11:23 PM

reading in another thread about the difficulty
of establishing a 'definitive' version of a trad song..??

Well my wife insists there is only one version of
"SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YOU MARRY ME" that matters..

and thats the one she used to hear regularly
on early - mid 1960's BBC kids radio shows..

and she wont let me rest until i get it for her..

searched.. downloaded..
lyrics.. midi files..mp3s

even bought her a recent Natalie Merchant CD
with a well 'PJ Harvied' gritty rock style version..[ i liked it ]
but none of them are good enough..

because none were the version she insists she remembers
from when she was a toddler..

so please help..
does anyone know precisely which recorded version
got most airplay on BBC radio way back then..??

thanks...

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Peace
Date: 23 Nov 04 - 11:42 PM

FF-2209 - SARAH MAKEM (colour 1977/ 18 mins) - A sensitive film by David Hammond of the Ulster folksinger, of Keady, Co Armagh, born 18th October 1900 and died April 20th 1983. Peter Kennedy recorded her in 1952 and used her "As I roved out" for the signature tune for a weekly Sunday morning radio programme that ran for nearly 15 years. Songs in this film include As I roved out, False Lover, Keady Town, The Banks of the Roses (Murder Ballad), Soldier Soldier will you marry me now? (sung by her son, Tommy with banjo guitar & drum), Our ship she's ready to bear away. (See also CD#161)

That info is from

FOLKFILMS ON DVD-R
... PK used to teach in the 1960s) performed a ... family, taking part in the BBC radio programme ...
of the Roses (Murder Ballad), Soldier Soldier will you marry me now? ...
www.folktrax.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/menus/folkfilms.htm

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Peace
Date: 23 Nov 04 - 11:43 PM

Sorry, don't know if that's it. I'm a Canuck. Never listened to BBC.

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Snuffy
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 08:56 AM

If it was on Listen With Mother it would be sung by the singers in the studio: they probably did not release commercial recordings.

SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YOU MARRY ME is in the DT (but I learned it as SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WON'T YOU MARRY ME.

There's lots about the song on this thread Lyr Req: Soldier, Soldier^^, which might have details of recordings

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 10:22 AM

A version of the song in question was recorded by Harry Belefonte on his first album "Mark Twain". It was released back in the early '50's. I see copies of the album on Ebay every so often.

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Flash Company
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 10:22 AM

Soldier, soldier will you marry me in the '60's on kids programmes would possibly be the recording by Steve Benbow on 77 Records. There is a mate of Steve's out there somewhere who may be able to confirm.

FC

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 11:24 AM

There were two commercial recordings regularly played on early '60s "Children's Favourites". Both were American so far as I remember; Belafonte is a possibility, but I rather think the earlier, fairly straight arrangement was sung by a woman. The later recording, which I hated, was a "modernised" and over-syncopated arrangement sung by multiple voices, with the dialogue parts alternating between male and female. It reminds me, thinking about it, of one of those cheesy "singalong" records that Disney used to put out in those days.

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 01:03 PM

Jim Elsdon sang a brilliant version of this song at Whitby this year. It was called 'Deckie, Deckie...' and it concerned a conversation between a young lass from Hull(?) and a Deck-hand on a fishing boat. I think Jim collected it from someone singing, as I believe Jim does, on the Bridlington Pleasure boats.

Clearly the oral tradition alive and well

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Juan P-B
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 02:02 PM

I was given this parody by a policeman in Portsmouth (it's a long story)

Sailor, Sailor

Oh sailor, sailor will you marry me?
With your uniform so neat
Oh no, nice girl! I cannot marry you
For I haven't got any teeth!

So off she went to her grandfather's glass
And got him a set that were really first class
An the sailor put them in

Oh sailor, sailor will you marry me?
Do you have to make me beg ?
Oh no, nice girl! I cannot marry you
'cos I've only got one leg

So off she went to her grandfather's table
Where she sawed of a leg so her sailor weren't disabled
And the sailor screwed it in.

Oh sailor, sailor will you marry me?
With your nautical gait so jocular
Oh no, nice girl! I cannot marry you
I've only got one eye. I'm monocular!   (this is a GREAT line!)

So off she went to her grandfather's tin
Found a gurt big marble that she gave to him
And the sailor popped it in.

Oh sailor, sailor will you marry me?
Or am I wasting my time ?
Oh no, nice girl! I think I'll marry you,
'cos I'm feeling rather fine

So off they went to her grandfather's cradle
Where she found that the sailor (seaman) was very, very able

And the sailor put it in!

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: BB
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 02:11 PM

Chris Coe sang a good version of this on the 'Bandoggs' LP - sadly no longer available, thanks to (spit) Celtic Music - but this won't have been the one that was heard on childrens' radio, which I suspect stems from the '50s, as there was certainly one played regularly in that decade.

Does anyone remember the parody that Dave Paskett used to sing in the late '60s, starting 'Oh, business executive, won't you marry me, with your brief case, brolly and your bowler hat...'? I used to have a recording of it, but can't now track it down. Quite brilliant!

Barbara

Subject: RE: Recording Req: SOLDIER, SOLDIER, WILL YO
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 02:17 PM

There is more related material in the earlier discussion Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me (Hobart Smith), including the complete "Kipper Family" parody that Juan posted some of above.