History - BBC's 'Singing Together'

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: JHW
Date: 29 Nov 14 - 05:33 PM

Really enjoyed the programme. I didn't know it continued so long after my school days.

Is a turtle stove the bare cast iron pot thing? Ours I guess was just less than red hot and sizzled your finger if you touched it. (and then smelled of pig?)
We only had the one class from 5 to 11 yrs in a single room at our village school with our one teacher so we all listened to Singing Together on the 3 foot square pale plywood baffle speaker.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,Davi Marquis
Date: 01 Dec 14 - 09:41 AM

I remember "singing together" at St Saviours school in Jersey Channel Islands Some of the programs were recorded with a "home made tape recorder" by a senior school teacher and we had to practice some of the songs.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 14 - 10:17 AM

In our school you could always tell which song was going to be number 1 in the end of term hit parade; it was the only one the boys in the class would actually deign to sing along with - normally the comedy or quirky songs, eg Football Crazy, Mango Walk, Linstead Market (in whose chorus I can still remember the gusto with which they belted out the 'OH LORD!' bit!)

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,YorkyT
Date: 13 May 15 - 10:07 AM

Can anyone recall what the lyrics were of the very last Christmassy song/Carol in either the Autumn 1957 or Autumn 1958 booklet? I can "see" it, and remember singing it, but I CAN'T remember what it was!!!

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 28 Oct 15 - 07:49 PM

Guest YorkyT:
I don't have Autumn 57, But Autumn 58 had:
I saw a maiden &
On Christmas night
at the end of the "Singing Together" section.
The second half of the book was for the "Rhythm & Melody" broadcasts, and ended with:
Christ was born on Christmas day,
Unto us a boy is born &
Amahl and the night visitors.

Cheers
Nigel

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: The Sandman
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 05:16 AM

the great thing about singning together ,was that it was a social event all of us children participating together , similiar to maypo;le dancing, the sum was greater than the individual parts

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 06:11 AM

My primary school pupils loved it Sandman, and so did I. I used to rehearse the songs with my class in between programmes by playing the school piano, which had to be wheeled along to my classroom.
It was a delightful mix of History, Geography, Traditions and Poetry. The children learned such a lot. I even drew from the songs for Creative Writing and Art.

That and Country Dancing (which I also taught) were a real joy.
I can't imagine today's ten year-olds skipping round in pairs performing country dancing!

The Royal Norfolk Show often has Maypole Dancing by local schools, but quite small children take part. (and, once, some visiting Masai in full African dress who spontaneously took a ribbon and joined in! Hilarious!)

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 22 Apr 19 - 10:43 AM

Answering numerous queries above (over the years.Battle Song of the Zartians (Calling all Zartians)
Is transcribed, with music in ABC in This Thread

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 06 Aug 19 - 06:13 PM

Just got hold of quite an early one but no cover hence no year date. It has SINGING TOGETHER
HOME SERVICE
Mondays
11.00 - 11.18 a.m.
19th September - 5 December
on the cover page.
Songs are:
Cock-a-doodle Do
Amid the New Mown hay
The maid and the Mill
The Wandering Miller
The Keeper
Child in the Manger
Gold and Amber
St Distaff's day
Christmas carol
Whence is that Goodly Fragrance
I saw 3 ships
Jesu good above all other
Holy Angels Bright


The comes
Rhythm and Melody 22 September- 8 December

Prince and Princess
Christmas Lullaby
Past three o'clock
The Spinning Wheel
The Bellman's Song
From Bethlem City
Chist is born
Upon Paul's Steeple
I saw three ships
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Oranges and Lemons
Bobby Shaftoe ( The last 5 just the tune)

Anyone got a year for it?

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 04:38 PM

Autumn 1949, according to This thread (final post)
Not one in my collection, so not in the main thread listing contents

Cheers

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 06:40 AM

Further:
If you want to create a front cover for it there is an image Here

It might need a little work to stretch/skew it back to being rectangular.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 02:22 PM

Thanks, Nigel
I suspected it was 40s. I paid a quid for it in a charity shop so I'm quite chuffed to have it. It's the earliest I have now. I have some 50s that bring back memories. Ah, Marianina!!

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 28 Dec 19 - 04:36 AM

Wow!! Feel as if I have been transported back in a time machine !
I was at a West London junior school between 1964 and 1968 and,like so many others here, I have fond memories of clustering round the huge old radio singing many of the songs mentioned above.
The two that lodged in my memory so strongly that I still occasionally find myself humming them are Calling All Zartians Out and Mariannina but it has been fascinating being reminded of so many others and little snippets have been floatingback. through a .

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 28 Dec 19 - 04:45 AM

Sorry...got cut off !
It fascinates me that we were all quite happy to accept lyrics that were quite clearly ridiculous and also that,back in the days before the internet, my first suspicions that the rest of the world wasn't exactly like Teddington probably came from these songs.
I loved the lessons but I remember one awful,maudlin song about a dying cowboy really disturbed me. I just remember the lines:

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 28 Dec 19 - 04:53 AM

(Continued)
' I saw a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen,
Wrapped in white linen and cold as a grave. '
The cowboy goes on to say:
' I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today.'
Charming subject for children ! In the days before brutal computer games, I found this quite disturbing.
Anyone else haunted by this one ??
I subsequently became a primary teacher for 40 years and still teach 2 days a week.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Dec 19 - 08:43 PM

No I wasn't haunted by The Streets of Laredo.

I think we liked the American songs. One year, I think Billy Barlow was voted the most popular. We were never asked to vote. We learned not to show our feelings in Lincolnshire. even then we knew no one cared what we liked.

You have to remember thatt generation of little boys started choosing their toy gun cap pistols for Christmas from the Wooly's toy counter round about March.

Also we loved TV westerns - Cisco Kid and pancho, the Range Rider, hopalong Cassidy, Hugh O'Brian in Wyatt Earp, Ward Bond and Seth McCullough in Wagon Train.

Any song that mentioned cowboys was onto a bit of a winner.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 31 Dec 19 - 09:52 AM

Hi Julie,
I think it was just the sheer joy of being able to sing something other than hymns in school. I remember it fondly. Having become a folksinger with a lot of pretty rough songs in my repertoire (at one point even including the even worse English relative of Streets of Laredo) it amuses me that I have very fond memories of 'Once there was a wild rose gay' by an operatic female singer, and pieces like Marianina and songs in other languages. Also the very first song I sang in a folk club in about 65 was the version of 'Sally Brown' from ST memories.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 02 Jan 20 - 05:57 AM

Iain C:
Many of these turn up on eBay, often not requiring 'good money'.
Some people try to get high prices for them, but my listings normally start (and often finish) at £3.00 because I'm only selling off spares picked up while trying to complete (or improve the condition of) my collection.
I've started (very slowly) scanning my collection, starting from the earliest. So far I have full page scans of 1950 Summer, 1951 Autumn, 1952 Summer & Autumn, 1953 Spring, Summer, Autumn, 1954 Spring.
As I've offered elsewhere, I am happy to transcribe words for anything which isn't already on Mudcat, and even add the tune in ABC notation.
If anyone needs an email of a scan of a particular song, I'm happy to provide it. A fuller list of contents of the various leaflets is Here on Mudcat
Cheers
Nigel

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 02 Jan 20 - 06:00 AM

Okay,
I just posted a response to a comment which seems to have disappeared into the ether. Never mind.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 20 - 11:20 AM

Hi there. I am looking for any radio recordings of singing together from1989-1992 and any pupil booklets. In particular, I am looking for episodes with Sophie Aldred and Grant Baynham, I remember songs like Cotton Fields and island in the Sun.

There are some episodes on my YouTube channel -


https://youtu.be/B4tmUE6K7ks

https://youtu.be/Mv3VkS5KZuc



Will happily pay for any resources that anyone can offer.

Please email - [e-mail]

Thank you.

Music Teacher
Scotland, UK

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Mar 20 - 04:11 PM

Guest:
A quick look at the thread linked a little earlier, also Here identifies both those songs ("Island in the sun" & "Cotton Fields") as being in the Singing Together programme for Spring 1991.
This is not an issue I've often seen on eBay (looking at my own copy), but I would be happy to transcribe lyrics and melody (ABC format), or to photocopy the relevant pages.

Note to other 'Catters, I've also emailed this response.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 06:55 AM

Photocopies sent.
Guest is still looking for any recordings from the era, if available.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 07:43 PM

Looking for the words of it is Spring the daisies are bursting out- can anyone help please? from Singing Together . Chris, Scotland

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 08:29 PM

Guest: Chris Scotland

Any idea of song title, or approximate year?
Never mind. The title is 'Cowboy Spring' from the Summer 1965 Singing Together.

To save anyone else transcribing I'm on it now.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 09:04 PM

Correction, 'Time & Tune' Summer '65, not 'Singing Together'.

COWBOY SPRING

It is spring, the daisies are bursting out.
It is spring, the grass is tender.
And now, the breeze is blowing so softly
Over the rolling plains.

Me and my horse go clippety, cloppety.
Me and my horse go jiggety, joggety.
As we go riding clippety, cloppety,
Over the rolling plains

I just left the Double-X ranch,
I got on my horse and rode away,
I know a pretty girl lives in the valley,
Over the rolling plains.

X: 1
T:CowboySpring
M:6/8
L:1/8
S: Time and Tune Summer 1965
Z: NP 28 April 2020
K:D
F3 G3| A3 F3| A2 A B3|A2 A B3| F3 G3| A3 F3 | A3 B3 | A3 B3| E3 E2 F | G3 E3 | E3 E2 F | (E2D) B,3| E3 E2 F| (E2D) B,3 | D6||
w: It is spring, the dai-sies are burst-ing out. It is spring, the grass is ten-der. And now, the breeze is blow-ing so soft-_ly, O-ver the roll-_ing plains.

Transcribed from "Time and Tune" Summer Term 1965. The page is annotated Copyright Elizabeth Poston 1961
The back cover acknowledges permission to reprint: The Bodley Head Ltd "Cowboy Spring" from "The Children's Song Book"
NP
The melody can be viewed by copy/pasting the above (from X: 1 to 'roll-_ing plains') into a converter such as the one at

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Apr 20 - 09:07 PM

. . . ABC Converter such as the one at MandolinTab

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,David Lord
Date: 23 May 20 - 10:49 AM

I chanced upon this fascinating thread, particularily fascinating for me as I dis a lot of work for BBC Schools' Radio in the 1960s and 70. as pianist, script writer, presenter and occasionally contract producer. I have many happy memories od accompanying William Appleby in various programmes, possibly Singing Together though my memory is so bad I'm afraid. I certainly did Time & Tune, Music Session, Music Session One, A Corner For Music, Springboard, Music Club, The Music Box - even Listen with Mother! I'm looking at the Time & Tune pamphlet now with The Song of the Zartians, so I guess I might have been accompanist in that programme. Happy days!

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Sep 20 - 11:16 AM

I still remember those words to 'Dagobert.Do your siblings also remember:
'A clearing deep within the quiet wood
Where with promise of warmth and cheer a log cabin stood
A light from the window illuminates the trees
That echo with a sigh, the soft singing of the breeze'

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 12 Jan 21 - 07:27 PM

! It's a long thread.

In case you missed it,,,

Worth mentioning that the 2014 programme with Jarvis Cocker is still available to listen to and is fascinating.

^^^^ link here thread.cfm?threadid=79364#3679683

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,Andrew Page
Date: 12 Apr 21 - 04:22 PM

This thread is absolutely fascinating.

I have a number of Singing Together pamphlets from the 60s and 70s, partly because I'm interested in folk music and partly due to enjoying Time and tune/Singing Together in teh school radio broadcasts in the mid-1980s.

I am looking for a song that I learned at school via Singing Together in either 1985 or 1986 (I'd guess the latter). It is Old Raciborski, apparently derived from a Polish folk song about the oldest yew tree in the land.

I have been unable to track down in ebay in over a decade. I have done some research on Polish folk tunes and while I can find quite a bit of information about the Racziborz Yew but I can't find any song directly related to it.

I would love the full lyrics if anyone is able to share them. I'd also pay money for the sheet music - even if just a photogcopy/scan.

The words I remember are:

Famous old yew tree
Thousand years growing
Stands in the forest
Gipsy way showing

Old Raciborski, Old Raciborski
See how the gipsy sings to you!
Turn gipsy caravans down the forest trail
That we seek.

Old Reciborski,
Pathway bestriding.
Always the gipsy
Faithfully guiding.


My e-mail is [e-mail]

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jan 22 - 08:38 PM

Can anyone please help me identify this song? I learnt it through the radio for schools in the 1980s and I cannot think of the title or missing word. Thank you!

I am a king in a world of beauty
Where rivers of Crystal run
Lily and rose are the woodland green
Delight the summer sun
My royal robes are the season
White furred with winter snow
And I will just.......them
Like arrows from a bow
Like arrows from a bow.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 24 Apr 22 - 01:57 PM

The Wildlife King
Not "Singing Together" but "Time & Tune" Summer 1973.
It also appears in a compendium version "Time and tune Songbook" the 'teacher's version' of which includes a more complete accompaniment. The reference for the book: ISBN: is 0 563 13177 2

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST
Date: 16 May 22 - 06:05 AM

Did the BBC TV programme for schools from the 1960s, "Making Music", have accompanying booklets similar to the ones for "Singing Together"?

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 May 22 - 10:12 AM

I had both Singing Together and Making Music in primary school. Pamphlets were given out for ST but we had nothing for MM. That would lead me to GUESS no. Even if that is correct, I suppose one could still wonder whether anything was produced for the teachers.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 May 22 - 12:00 PM

"Making Music" did have booklets for the pupils I have about a dozen of those, but don't know just how many gaps may be in my collection!
More details Here

I will get around to listing the contents on Mudcat at some stage.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 May 22 - 02:23 PM

BBC Making Music: Contents

Okay, this thread gave me the impetus to add the contents.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together': guest 12 S
From: GUEST,Guest Ann Jarvis rec: 12 Sept 20: 11:16 am
Date: 28 Dec 22 - 02:10 PM

I loved that song, can’t remember if it was Singing Together or Time and Tune. The melody is haunting, taken from a classical piece but I don’t know which ??Many years ago now but I never forgot it

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: weerover
Date: 28 Dec 22 - 04:22 PM

Veteran Scottish singer Fraser Bruce has recently published a book titled "The Folk River" about the development of organised folk music in Scotland. In it he credits "Singing Together" as having played a substantial part in his interest in folk. I feel similarly and still remember substantial parts of some of the songs. Watching a recent TV show, one of the characters (a Cornishman) began to sing "Song of the Western Men" and I found myself joining in it with him, although I have never sung it since primary school, best part of sixty years ago.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 28 Dec 22 - 06:32 PM

There's an accompanying BBC article
Singing Together: The radio show that got schoolchildren singing
28 November 2014
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30210485



"It petered out, fizzled out," says Barry Gibson, a senior producer in the School Radio Department towards the end. "Ultimately, it was down to audience figures because at that time teachers were under a lot of pressure to make sure that everything they did tied in with the National Curriculum.

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,David Pearce
Date: 19 Nov 23 - 07:12 AM

Hi all,

Just discovered this thread and I thought that some of you might be interested in a Blog Post I wrote about the 1970 - 1976 run of Singing Together from my own personal perspective. I am also doing two Christmas themed articles covering the carols and other festive songs I was introduced to by this lovely programme. If you do take a look, I hope you enjoy it.

Singing Together Blog post

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 19 Nov 23 - 12:33 PM

Guest, David.

If you come back to this discussion I have made scans of my whole Singing Together collection (complete 1951-1985) available Here

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,David Pearce
Date: 19 Nov 23 - 07:12 AM

Hi all,

Just discovered this thread and I thought that some of you might be interested in a Blog Post I wrote about the 1970 - 1976 run of Singing Together from my own personal perspective. I am also doing two Christmas themed articles covering the carols and other festive songs I was introduced to by this lovely programme. If you do take a look, I hope you enjoy it.

Singing Together Blog post

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 19 Nov 23 - 12:33 PM

Guest, David.

If you come back to this discussion I have made scans of my whole Singing Together collection (complete 1951-1985) available Here

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Dec 23 - 03:18 PM

Hi Nigel,

I got my collections from you on ebay if you are Nigel42Folk which I think may be the case. It was a real part of my childhood reconstructed thanks to you. In fact, the Blogmas entry I posted today and the one scheduled for tomorrow look at the Christmas Songs from Singing Together from 1970-75. If you'd like to have a look at them, they are on my blog. Here's the link to the first one. Christmas Songs from Singing Together 1970-72

Subject: RE: History - BBC's 'Singing Together'
From: GUEST,David Pearce
Date: 20 Dec 23 - 03:37 AM

Here, if you liked the first one is Christmas Songs from Singing Together 1973-75

One of my colleagues has a son who is very adept at reading music and playing the trombone, so he is going to look at the sheet music of carols that are no longer on the internet and he's going to try to play some of them during the holidays. I'll be intrigued to find out id I can recall any of the tunes. I'll keep you posted.