Lyr Req: Song of the Hammers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song of the Hammers
From: Big Mick
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 01:34 PM

I won't go against the author's wishes by posting the lyrics, but I have this CD, and the lyrics are indeed posted in the liner notes. Your transcription above is close, but the last line is incorrect.

I apologize for not posting the lyric, but if the man who wrote it doesn't want it sent, then I must honor his wishes. You would do well to buy Ed Miller's CD at any rate. It is a wonderful piece of work, and it gave me one more person to emulate, like I needed it.....***chuckle***.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 31 Jan 05 - 03:21 PM

Thanks Jim, yeah, me neither. The author himself, when queried, answered Buy the CD, the lyrics are in the package. I heard "women" in that first line too. Yokes makes sense, too, as does Dram.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Jan 05 - 07:00 PM

Well, here is my feeble attempt at a transcription from the sound sample. "*" marks the words I'm unsure of:

Ah, the women* take the wages from the man that takes a tram*,
And the devil takes the wages from the man that takes a dram*.
It's one way or the other for a man that's in his prime,
If he yokes* up on a Sunday lookin' for the double time.

Ordinarily, a good strategy at this point would be to take a phrase or two from these lyrics, and use them to search with Google. I have done that, and come up with nothing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 27 Jan 05 - 11:48 AM

Yes, Jim Dixon, you have the right one. Got the lyrics? Thanks! Great song, great singer, I'll have to hear more of his stuff.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: Boab
Date: 27 Jan 05 - 03:17 AM

An offchance it might be the one starting "I was born in the shadow of a Fairfield crane----"? I believe Arche Fisher was the writer.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Jan 05 - 12:38 AM

Ed Miller sang THE SONG OF THE HAMMERS on his album "Lowlander," Wellfield Records, CD #23, 2000. Brian McNeill wrote it.

There's a sound sample at Bandstore.com.

Can you verify this is the song you want?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 05:37 PM

Sounds like it could be Alex Glasgow's All In A Day - check the words in the thread: lyric all in a day. (by Glasgow but about the North-East of England!)

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 05:00 PM

IF I heard this on NPR's Acoustic Cafe THEN it is Ed Miller's "The Songs of the Hammers" BUT I still can't find the lyrics anywhere... JoeClone, can you change my thread title? I don't want to start a new one... thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 04:39 PM

No, that's not it, but it's close! I wish I could remember some of the verses...

Subject: ADD: The Great Ships (R. Gullane)
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 03:34 PM

Is this it?

This is one of two songs from Roy which we have recorded for this album, and it deals with Glasgow's most famous industry--shipbuilding. At one time, and not all that long ago, the phrase "Clyde Built" was synonymous with top quality. Shipbuilding and every job involved with supplying the yards with their raw materials was done with great pride in those days. As all of Roy's maternal uncles worked in the yards or their satellite industries, he feels it was inevitable that he would write this song one day. Little did they know that Clyde Valley would become Silicon Glen and that the biggest industry would no longer be shipbuilding by computer chips. The Lizzies and the Mary mentioned in the chorus of this song refer to the three most famous liners ever to have been built on the Clyde: The Queen Mary, The Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Elizabeth II (QE2).

The Great Ships
Lyrics and melody by R. Gullane of the Tannahill Weavers

In the city of Glesga 'twas aye oan the kerds
If ye lived near the river ye'd work in the yerds
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes
Were the muckle great cranes that reached up tae the skies

Chorus:

Where we built the great ships of iron and steel
The Lizzies, the Mary, we built them right here
We built the great ships, the pride o' the sea
But noo there is nae work for me
And who wid believe that we built the great ships?

At the end o' the forties apprenticed was I
Tae the cream of the welders by the name o' MacKay
"Ye've twa lugs and ane gob so listen, nae lip
And I'll show youse young lads how we build the great ships."

Chorus

There's scarcely a ship noo and blessed few men
As the river runs silent through Silicon Glen
For an auld clapped oot welder ye'll no get much thanks
Noo there's fish in the river and chips oan its banks

Chorus

Subject: Lyr Req: The Welder of Clyde? Scottish...
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 02:33 PM

I heard this on the radio as I was driving down through the snow this weekend - no idea what station or recall of even where I was at the time. The singer had a strong burr but I could understand most of the lyrics, which I have sought in the Trad and on the Internet to no avail.
What I remember is the singer lays the keel, then the welders come in and weld, then he watches the ship sail off, then he lays the keel again.
Anybody know this song? He does (the singer) at one point mention that the shipbuilding is happening in Clyde.