Songs about Nelson or Wellington

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Teribus
Date: 28 May 15 - 02:10 AM

The "England expects" signal which came about because the signal that Nelson intended to send was "Nelson confides" would require two hoists was sent to "amuse the fleet" which at the time was outnumbered and sailing towards the enemy fleet in light winds in such a manner that the leading ships of the two columns of British ships (Nelson's "Victory" and Collingwood's "Royal Sovereign") would come under heavy and sustained fire for some time before they could return fire and engage the enemy. The signal was intended to "waste time", to distract the attention of those who knew full well what was about to happen and take their minds off dwelling on it. The "England expects" was not Nelson's final signal before battle was joined - as it was pulled down Nelson ordered the signal he always flew prior to battle that was the standard hoist for "Close engagement".

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Hrothgar
Date: 27 May 15 - 04:44 AM

"The next to come in it is Lord Collingwood,
He has fought with Lord Nelson 'til he shed his blood."

Collingwood was second in command to Nelson at Trafalgar. His reaction to the "England expects..." signal was "I wish Nelson would stop signalling. We know well enough what we have to do."

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Hrothgar
Date: 27 May 15 - 04:44 AM

"The next to come in it is Lord Collingwood,
He has fought with Lord Nelson 'til he shed his blood."

Collingwood was second in command to Nelson at Trafalgar. His reaction to the "England expects..." signal was "I wish Nelson would stop signalling. We know well enough what we have to do."

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: eftifino
Date: 27 May 15 - 04:01 AM

Here's one with my tongue firmly in cheek!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZeWW0DTOHs

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,Andiliqueur
Date: 26 May 15 - 11:11 AM

Lady Hamilton's lament by Sophia Wright. He is not mentioned by name but definitely by reputation.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Teribus
Date: 26 May 15 - 10:41 AM

Surprised that none of the resident "folk experts" haven't mentioned that song by that great folk group ABBA - Waterloo - after all almost everything else is accepted by them as "being folk".

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: bubblyrat
Date: 26 May 15 - 06:27 AM

When we disgruntled sailors in the Royal Navy were feeling particularly hard-done-by ( like when our daily rum (tot) ration was stopped ), we would sing, to a well-known American tune , this ;


I wish I was a Civvy,
I do ! I do !

I'd go along Trafalgar Square,

I'd see old Nelson standing there ;

"Get stuffed ! Get stuffed ! You one-eyed ,one-armed bastard ! "

(but we loved him really , of course ! )

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,Jim P
Date: 26 May 15 - 03:01 AM

Wellington's mentioned in Dido, Bendigo. http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=1570

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 26 May 15 - 01:10 AM

Don't think anyone has mentioned that "Bold Nelson's Praise I mean to sing", cited above somewhere, and subsequently linked to the Dransfields' rendering on one of their early LPs, has a tune closely related to "Princess Royal".

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 26 May 15 - 12:57 AM

Joe F's "Ballad" above is by Laurence Durrell, author of the onetime bestselling Alexandria Quartet novels, Justine (1957), Balthazar (1958), Mountolive (1958), Clea (1960).

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Bert
Date: 25 May 15 - 09:32 PM

There's a verse in Why Don't Women Like Me, by George Formby that goes

Take Lord Nelson with one limb
Lady William Hamilton she fell for him
with one eye and one arm gone west
she ran like the devil and she grabbed the rest.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: MartinRyan
Date: 25 May 15 - 07:32 PM

Love that "Likewise the Duke of Wellington
That noble son of Erin"!

It's still not too late to see conflicted nationality as liberating rather than enslaving!

;>)>

Regards

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 25 May 15 - 07:13 PM

Ord's Bothy Songs And Ballads gives "The Plains of Waterloo" which mentions Wellington a lot quoting to an extra stanza said to be heard in the feeing markets of Scotland

"Here's a health to Queen Victoria
In peace lang may she reign
Likewise the Duke of Wellington
That noble son of Erin
For though he was a Tory knave
His courage aye was true
He displayed both skill and valour too
That day at Waterloo"

It also has another song called "The Day Of Waterloo" sung to the air of Scots Wha Hae. Sorry don't have the time to type it all out and I can't find it on line but as an example one verse is

"To all who can the honour claim
From Wellington's immortal name
To the humblest sons of martial fame
Who fought at Waterloo"

It also has "The Battle of Barossa" which mentions Nelson's victory at Trafalgar.

There is also "Nairn River Banks" which again mentions Wellington.

"Like brethren, with the Spanish troops undaunted we advance
While we with victory and success keep down the pride of France
Long have we been engaged here but never yet did yield
While brave Lord Wellington and us could keep the bloody field"

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Joe_F
Date: 25 May 15 - 05:51 PM

The Ballad of the Good Lord Nelson

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST
Date: 25 May 15 - 12:40 PM

I remember Pete Coe singing what I like to think is the shortest song ever:


The revolution has begun
So I'll go home and get my gun
And shoot the Duke of Wellington.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Jack Campin
Date: 25 May 15 - 11:48 AM

There is a tune by Simon Fraser in his 1816 collection, "Round with a Health to Glorious Wellington". It's a rather elaborate 6/8 quickstep.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST
Date: 25 May 15 - 11:02 AM

The old songs, yes the old songs
that gave our fathers joy;
the songs they sang till the welkin rang
when Nelson was a boy.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 25 May 15 - 10:32 AM

Lord Nelson had one eye,
Lord Nelson had one arm,
Lord Nelson had one leg,
Lord Nelson fell down DEAD!

We used to sing this when we were young. We'd cover an eye on the first verse, then put one arm behind our backs then stand on one leg before toppling over.

Subject: Lyr Add: CARRYING NELSON HOME
From: GUEST,Jacqued
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 02:52 PM

This is a cracker:

CARRYING NELSON HOME
Martin Wyndham-Read – CD Oceans In The Sky
Mike O'Connor

Line 2 (Portuguese):   Sing about (the battle of) Cape St Vincent
Line 3 (French):   Sing about the sailors at (the battle of) the Nile


Ease the bow spring,
Gently set the foresheets on the windward side.
Let go fore and aft and as she turns,
Sail her full-and-bye to catch the evening tide.

Shake out those topsails,
Feel the seas roll under that she knows so well.
Find a star to guide her to-o-o the dawn,
And then let her greet the long Atlantic swell.

Sing me a shanty,
Canta del cabo San Vincente.
Chantez des ma-rins du Ni-le,
Sing a hymn of Trafalgar.

Stream the log now,
For she's heeling with a land breeze to inspire.
Orange scented from the groves of Andaluccia,
And within my mind Cadiz still gleams with fire.

Give her sea room,
Put Saint Vincent well astern by break of day.
Then you shorten sail and harden up those sheets,
And close-hauled we'll make the northings slip away.

Chorus

One point to leeward,
For the rolling seas are getting shorter now.
They remind me of the lights of far Hieras,
And they tell me Biscay's on the starboard bow.


Shake o-u-t your reefs,
For carried on the breeze that's setting fair -
Are spices from the quays of Lorreal,
You can sail her free to weather Finnisterre.

Chorus

Ease your main sheets,
For it's soon we'll see the harbour lights of home.
Anchor, make good every she-e-e-et and halyard,
Remembering just who you have on board.

Pipe me ashore,
Gently hoist aloft your keg of brandy wine.
Make ready to receive the Admiral's barge,
Low'r me easy now, I'm going ashore one last time.

Sing me a shanty,
Canta del cabo San Vincente.
Chantez des ma-rins du Ni-le,
Sing a hymn of Trafalgar.
X2

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,OLD CHATAM CHIEF
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 06:40 AM

I ONCE HEARD A MONOLOGUE ABOUT THE DEATH OF NELSON BY A CHIEF AT THE BAR OF A RESERVE SHIP HE WAS SOCIALLY CONFUSED AT THE TIME SO DID NOT MISS A WORD
THIS WAS WONDERFUL

HAS ANYBODY GOT A COPY OF THIS PLEASE ([e-mail])

Subject: Lyr Add: MARCHING INLAND
From: GEST
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 10:43 AM

Marching Inland

Lord Nelson knew the perfect way to cure your mal-de-mer,
And if you pay attention, his secret I will share;
To any sea-sick sailor he'd give this advice for free:
If you're feeling sea-sick, sit underneath a tree.

I'm marchin' inland from the shore,
Over me shoulder I'm carryin' an oar;
When someone asks me, "What is that funny thing you've got?"
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more, no more.
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more.

I'm marchin' inland from the shore,
Over me shoulder I'm carryin' an oar;
When someone asks me, "What is that funny thing you've got?"
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more, no more.
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more.

Drake he's in his hammock, and a thousand miles away,
Grenville's Revenge is at the bottom of the bay;
Many's the famous sailor never came home from the sea,
Just take my advice, Jack, come and follow me.

I'm marchin' inland from the shore,
Over me shoulder I'm carryin' an oar;
When someone asks me, "What is that funny thing you've got?"
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more, no more.
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more.

So, sailors take a warnin' from these men of high renown,
When you leave the ocean and it's time to settle down;
Never cast your anchor less than ninety miles from shore,
There'll always be temptation to be off to sea once more.

I'm marchin' inland from the shore,
Over me shoulder I'm carryin' an oar;
When someone asks me, "What is that funny thing you've got?"
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more, no more.
Then I know I'll never go to sea no more.

####.... Tom Lewis ....####

Archived at GEST Songs Of Newfoundland And Labrador

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,NSC George Henderson
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 06:42 AM

Which of the Reivers is Reiver 2.

Remember Piddlin Pete???

George Henderson

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,NIGEL PATERSON
Date: 24 Oct 05 - 05:57 PM

There are two Nelson songs (The Victory & Death of Nelson) & one Wellington song (With Wellington We'll Go) in the new book & CD from The Halliard..."The Halliard, Broadside Songs". Further details from:
www.thehalliard.com or nicjones.net
    Hope that's of interest,
                           Nigel Paterson(mandolin, The Halliard)

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Trevor
Date: 13 May 05 - 04:22 AM

How about 'I call my willie Nelson 'cos he's only got one eye'.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Ian
Date: 13 May 05 - 03:48 AM

Tune for Bold Nelsons Praise
See or listen to the Dransfields CD Up To Now FRDCD 18
Look up Dransfields on the web.

Subject: Lyr Add: LORD NELSON
From: Reiver 2
Date: 13 May 05 - 03:42 AM

A posthumous song about Nelson that we (The Reivers) used to sing is this latter-day Rebel ditty:

LORD NELSON

Lord Nelson stood in pompous state upon his pillar high,
And down along O'Connell Street he cast a wicked eye.
He thought how this barbaric race had fought the British crown,
Yet they were content to let him stay right here in Dublin Town.

CHO: So remember brave Lord Nelson, boys,
    He had never known defeat,
    And for his reward they stuck him up
    In the middle of O'Connell Street.

Well, for many years Lord Nelson stood and no one seemed to care
He'd squint at Dan O'Connell who was standing right doen there.
He thought, "The Irish like me, or they wouldn't let me stay.
That is, except those blighters that they call the I.R.A."

CHO:

And then in nineteen sixty-six, on March the seventh day,
A bloody great explosion made Lord Nelson rock and sway.
He crashed and Dan O'Connell cried in woeful misery,
"There are twice as many pigeons now will come and sit on me.

CHO: So remember brave Lord Nelson, boys,
    He had never known defeat.
    And for his reward they blew him up
    In the middle of O'Connell Street.

I'll never forget the time we were asked to provide a musical program for the annual meeting of the Canadian Orange Society Women's Auxilliary (or some such name) which was to be held that year in Kamloops, B.C. where we were located. As I recall there were a hundred or more people there. We had prepared a program in which we omitted all the Rebel songs we knew and just did "neutral" songs like "The Orange and the Green," and "Windy Old Weather," or pro-Orange songs like "The Old Orange Flute." We decided to sing "Lord Nelson" as our final song -- the audience suddenly grew very quiet as the song progressed, and we were aware of many frowns -- but after finishing the verses above we went right on into "The Sash My Father Wore" (which is sung to the same tune) and the unexpected switch brought down the house! Afterwards a rather stout, dowager-type lady came up to me and asked, "Where are you boys from?" Without thinking, I told her the truth and said, "Well, Chuck is a Liverpudlian, and I'm a Yank." She stared at me in disbelief. Then suddenly gave me a knowing smile and a little wave of her hand and said, "Ah, go on with ye, you're pullin' me leg. I know you're both from Belfast." I gave her a sly wink, and left her with her happy misperception.

Reiver 2

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 May 05 - 03:20 AM

Wellington was only called the Iron Duke after Waterloo. He moved into No.1 London (nice address - it's on Hyde Park Corner) and had iron shutters on his windows. He needed them when people rioted after a failed attempt in politics. They threw stones at his windows and it was only the iron shutters prevented them breaking in.

During the Penninsular Campaign and the fight against Napoleon, he was known as Nosey - and had a dog called that.

LTS

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 13 May 05 - 12:43 AM

Just found the tune and lyrics on this site.http://www.contemplator.com/england/nelson.html

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: LadyJean
Date: 13 May 05 - 12:11 AM

Alas, musically I'm like Joan of Arc, "I don't know A from B." So I can't give the tune for this, which is truly beautiful. However:

Come All ye bold seamen, whereever you're bound,
And always let Nelson's proud memory go 'round
And pray that the wars and the tumult may cease.
For the greatest of gifts is a sweet lasting peace.
May the lord put an end to these cruel old wars.
And bring peace and contentment to all our brave tars.

Subject: Lyr Add: BOLD NELSON'S PRAISE
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 12 May 05 - 11:58 PM

Can't remember the tune, but this was a popular song in the navy.

BOLD NELSON'S PRAISE
(Copied from a collection of naval songs by Cecil J. Sharp - in the book it says By permission of Novello & Co. Ltd)

Bold Nelson's praise I'm going to sing
(not forgetting our glorious King)
He always did good tidings bring
For he was a bold commander
There was Sydney Smith and Duncan too
Lord Howe and all the glorious crew
They were the men that were true blue
Full of care
Yet I swear
None with Nelson could compare
Not even Alexander


Bold Bonaparte he threaten'd war
A man who fear'd not wound nor scar
But still he lost at Trafalgar
Where britain was victorious
Lord Nelson's actions made him quake
And all French powers he made to shake
He said his King he'd ne'er forsake
These last words
Thus he spake
Stand true my lads like hearts of oak
And the battle shall be glorious


Lord nelson bold though threaten'd wide
And many a time he had been tried
He fought like a hero till he died
Amid the battle gory
But the day was won their line was broke
While all around was lost in smoke
And Nelson he got his death-stroke
That's the man
for old England!
He faced his foe with his sword in hand
And he lived and he died in his glory

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Pauline L
Date: 12 May 05 - 12:43 PM

Oops. Should be Wellington's Victory.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Pauline L
Date: 12 May 05 - 12:37 PM

This is not a song, but it is music. Wellington'd Victory, by Beethoven, includes snatches of the melody of God Save the King.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 12 May 05 - 12:33 PM

As it 'appens, heard a great one at Scanlon's in Brigg last night, sung by Jim Hancock of 'The Roaring Forties', 'The Coleby Ploughjag', 'Clarty Sough' and other incarnations. New to me, can't remember the title but it concerned the return of Nelson's body to England in a cask of brandy - the chorus was something along the lines of "We'll bring him home" or similar. Very plaintive and moving. And well sung.
S:0)

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 12 May 05 - 10:54 AM

in MY SINGING CALENDAR June 14 - 18:
WELLINGTON AND WATERLOO
PLAINS OF WATERLOO II
PLAINS OF WATERLOO III
There are some more songs about the Battle of Waterloo, but Wellington is not mentioned (!)

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 12 May 05 - 08:29 AM

The Death of Nelson
The Banks of the Nile
Rattling and Roaring Bombs

curiously little about "Nosey" though

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,Allen
Date: 12 May 05 - 07:43 AM

The Iron Duke, Atty the Long-Nosed Bugger (or Beggar) that Beats the French, the Beau, Hooknose, lot's and lot's.
Come to think of it Ahe Marmont is about Salamanca.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,Bainbo
Date: 12 May 05 - 07:32 AM

Wellington crops up in Stanley Holloway's monologue, Pick Oop Tha Musket, which became such a hit that the Iron Duke (and there's a nickname you could use) cropped up again in sequels such as Beat the Retreat on Thy Drum and Old Sam's Party.

Les Barker wrote The Nelson Monologue, which played on the myth of the Admiral's disabililties: "Nelson was a lady's man. He drove Lady Hamilton wild. Though he only had one eye, one arm, one leg, 'cause he'd been chopped in half as a child." It does include the priceless verse: "He used to go to the local hop, and there he'd scream and shout, Because he couldn't do the Military Two-Step - and half the Hokey Cokey was out."

Possibly not what you're looking for :-)

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: alanabit
Date: 12 May 05 - 06:46 AM

Did Wellington have a nickname, which would have sounded better in a song?

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: MartinRyan
Date: 12 May 05 - 05:58 AM

Wellington turns up in "Laurel Hill", one of my favourite songs of the Napoleonic era:

"And now to conclude, I'll sing Wellington's praises
An undaunted hero - and an Irishman still.."

And, no, this is not a troll!

Regards

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 May 05 - 05:50 AM

Don't forget 'A drop of Nelson's blood' - in a roundabout way....

One of the problems with Wellington is that it's not the best name to find a rhyme for (skellington being about the closest to recognisable English I found...) and it's a bit of a grunt rhythmically too...

LTS

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: Jess A
Date: 12 May 05 - 05:13 AM

see this thread for starters. there's some links in there for other Nelson threads too, not so much for Wellington by that route but I bet there's plenty out there.

Subject: RE: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: GUEST,Allen
Date: 12 May 05 - 04:33 AM

Not sure about Wellington, but there are some about Nelson including Onboard the Victory, recorded by the Boys of the Lough.

Subject: Songs about Nelson or Wellington
From: cptsnapper
Date: 12 May 05 - 04:25 AM

Whilst there are a lot of songs about Napoleon I'm not aware of there being to many about Nelson or Wellington so I'd appreciate it if people could let me know of some. Thanks