Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)

Subject: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST,john p
Date: 18 May 05 - 04:56 AM

Can anybody help with lyrics for "the streets of staithes" by Garbutt/slater. John P.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 18 May 05 - 05:25 AM

One fine august day as I was making my way
along the hardship troubled streets of staithes
i saw the seagulls flying in the clear northern sky
heard the shifting chorus of the waves
as staithes looked so fair in the clear morning air
sea mist seeming to fragment with specks of light
and on the sea wall though the mists lifting paul?
an old man sitting there came into sight

well we sat side by sid euntil the turning of the tide
but not the smallest craft put out to sea
and as the water receded still unheed lay the boats
the pots and nets collected on the quay
I aske dhim the reason why no boats put to sea
he looked long and thoughtfully at me
and then with a sigh he said you might well wonder why
for who'd have thought such things could ever be


John,

I'm at work now i'll try and remember the rest and post it this evening if no-one beats me to it, it's a long time time since I sang this and the precision of the above may not be at all accurate, I'll have to check when I get home

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST,raggytash
Date: 18 May 05 - 06:22 AM

Well there's days I remember when from March till November
the men of staithes set out with net and line
and every morn till every night every man and boy would fight
to take the families living from the brim
and when the boats came back to land,their women lent a willing hand
to get the hard won catch safe on the shore
work for women and for men pots to pull and lines to mend
hooks to bait all ready for the morn

But now the boats come epmty in no fish will but no bread
to fish today you need a radar screen
those trawlers with their fine mesh nets are out to take all they can get
between them they'll soon fish the north sea clean
...........

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: Raggytash
Date: 18 May 05 - 01:54 PM

so staithes now wears a different face
the fishwifes bonnets trimmed with lace
are only curios and souvenirs
and since they've taken herring pens ?.......(don't know about this)
our lobster too are at an end
the only fish is frozen now in Staithes

So now you see the fishing gone
the folks are moving on
if it Staithes you came to see
you came too late
although the seagulls still fly high
our men now work at ICI
they've moved up to the council house estate
ah but think on now you've heard me tale
these cottages you see for sale
for a way of life they are an unmarked grave
and on the airs salyy breath
I seem to catch the smell of death
and the hardship troubled streets of Staithes


Seems like there's only thee and me know this one!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 May 05 - 02:48 PM

Staithes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST
Date: 18 May 05 - 04:36 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST,Andrew
Date: 18 May 05 - 04:57 PM

The 'herring pens' should be 'buried hens'. Its a name for under age lobsters. I assume they cant get into the pubs at Whitby !!

Think its 'Sea mist lifting to fragmented specs of light' in Verse 1

Paul is right phonetically but Pall is better way to spell it.

Not being finnickity just few other corrections :

Instead of for a way of life ... - were a way if life but are an unmarked grave- in last verse

final line - along the hardship cobbled streets of Staithes -

But how can I claim to know better these are transcriptions from Vin Garbutt and I don't really speak Teeside but think Ive got it mostly right.

So I'm another one that knows it.. Sang it lots in my youth and will go and see if I can still do it now. Thanks for jogging the memory.


Andrew

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: Terry K
Date: 19 May 05 - 02:05 AM

and "brim" should be "brine" in verse 3.

Buried hens are pregnant lobsters which should not be taken for obvious reasons. Two for the price of one if only they could wait, which to me sums up the whole tragedy the song is putting across.

(And "Teeside" should be Teesside). :o)

In the 60s and 70s Staithes became "desirable" for the estate agents as a colony of artists settled there, but even they seem to have gone. Staithes is now looking very sad, with lots of boarded up places and lots for sale. Unfortunately not much like in Kevin's link.

cheers, Terry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: Raggytash
Date: 19 May 05 - 02:06 AM

Andrew

Thanks for that, I couldn't think for the life of me how to spell Pall when I was at work, I knew Paul wasn't correct !

There is one amendment I,m not sure about

"So think on now you've heard me tale
these cottages you see for sale
were a way if life, but are an unmarked grave"

as opposed to

"so think on now you've heard me tale
these cottages you see for sale
for a way of life they are an unmarked grave"

Need a definitive response from someone

Hey John, have you tried emailing Vin via his website, he's not very busy at the moment !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: Raggytash
Date: 19 May 05 - 02:08 AM

Terry, verse 3 another typo I'm afraid !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 05 - 03:17 AM

Thanks everyone. together with what you have posted and my little bit of memory I think I have got it. I used to sing it years ago and someone asked for it recently. it is a great song to sing.
                John P

Subject: Lyr Add: THE STREETS OF STAITHES (Garbutt/Slater)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 19 May 05 - 07:54 AM

G'day John, Raggytash, Andrew, Terry and all,

From the depths of the Antipodes ... I still felt there were a few words not quite as I remember Vin singing it. I also have it on LP - his The Valley of Tees and this is how I hear that recording:

THE STREETS OF STAITHES
Garbutt/Slater

One fine August day as I was making my way
Along the hardship-troubled streets of Staithes,
I saw the seagulls flying in the grey northern sky
Heard the shifting chorus of the waves
As Staithes looked so fair in the crisp morning air,
Sea mist lifting to fragmented specks of light,
And on the sea wall, though the mist's lifting pall,
An old man sitting there came into sight.

Well, we sat side by side until the turning of the tide
But not the smallest craft put out to sea -
As the water receded, still unheeded lay the boats,
The pots and nets neglected on the quay.
I asked him the reason why no boats put to sea.
He looked long and thoughtfully at me
And then, with a sigh, he said: "You might well wonder why
For who'd have thought such things could ever be."

"Aye, there's days I remember when from March till November
The men of Staithes set out with net and line
And every day from morn till night, every man and boy would fight
To take the family's living from the brine,
And when the men came back to land, their women lent a willing hand
To get the hard-won catch safe on the shore;
Work for women and for men, pots to pull and lines to mend
Hooks to bait - all ready for the morn."

"But now the boats come empty in - no fish will buy no bread.
To fish today you need a radar screen
Those trawlers with their fine mesh nets are out to take all they can get.
Between them they'll soon fish the North Sea clean.
So Staithes now wears a different face - the fishwife's bonnets trimmed with lace
Are only curios and souvenirs
And since they've taken buried hens, the lobster too are at an end.
The only fish is frozen now in Staithes."

"So now you see the fishing's gone, the folks are moving on.
If it's Staithes you came to see, you came too late.
Although the seagulls still fly high, our men now work at ICI -
They've moved up to the council house estate.
Ah, but think on now you've heard me tale, these cottages you see for sale
For a way of life they are an unmarked grave."
And on the air's salty breath, I seemed to catch the smell of death
On the hardship-troubled streets of Staithes.

Regards,

Bob (E&OE)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 19 May 05 - 10:50 AM

Sounds good to me Bob, I thought, but wasn't 100% that the words in the last verse were

"for a way of life they are an unmarked grave"

and the last line

"along the hardship troubled streets of Staithes"

My original last line was again a typo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 20 May 05 - 02:20 AM

G'day Raggytash,

I can't really swear that I have it all right ... Vin's Teesside accent is a long way from here - and I had to think hard about both those lines ... but that's the way I hear them!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: Terry K
Date: 20 May 05 - 03:08 AM

Right then. I've just listened to the LP which I put on to iTunes a couple of weeks ago and Bob has nailed it pretty well. Though I didn't ever have a proper Teesside accent (too posh, believe it or not!) my claim to fame is that I did work at Wilton when Vin was there - just how much reflected glory can a man stand!

However, in the interests of refinement;

verse 1 - Sea mist yielding to .....

verse 2 - waters receded ...

verse 4 - the trawlers ...

       - lobsters too ...

verse 5 - Ah so ... (more Chinese than Teesside)

       - Nick, you're right, it's "along the hardship-...

cheers, Terry

call me a nitpicker if you like, but I was always told it's better to be the nitpicker than the nitpickee

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: GUEST,Betsy
Date: 20 May 05 - 02:28 PM

On the subject of accents in this thread,Teessiders live very close to Staithes which is loosely between Middlesbrough and Whitby. Teessiders (we believe)would say the word as written - locals pronounce more like "Steers" withiout using a strong "R".
Bet ya can't wait to try it y'sel !! - picturesque place and well connected with Capt. James Cook in his younger days.
You know where it is now,pop-in sometime.
All the best

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: Terry K
Date: 21 May 05 - 02:07 AM

Yes Pete, but there's a hell of a difference between the real Boro/Stockton townie accent that would epitomise classic "Teesside" as against the North Yorkshire rustic tones of the Esk valley.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: streets of staithes
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 21 May 05 - 03:38 AM

We go to Staithes at least twice a year, sometimes more,the missus's brother is the cox of Staithes lifeboat. It is hardly sad, in fact its a lovely little village, the pubs are great, and my three year old son loves the one and only FANTASTIC little toy shop where the prices are unbelievably low.

The pictures McGrath posted show the brother-in-laws house and the cottage on the causeway that we stay in, Aah sweet memories!. We will be there in a few weeks time.

Love the song

whb

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)
From: GUEST,Peter Wray
Date: 09 May 17 - 09:04 AM

I remember when I used to go potting with the Marske Fishermen, back in the 70's, we used to check every lobster for the clusters of eggs the females would carry on their undersides. If eggs were present, we would say they were 'in berry' and put them back in the water. So the term 'buried hens' is incorrect, and the correct term is 'berried hens'. Sorry to be pedantic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 09 May 17 - 01:06 PM

"Buried hens" may be "incorrect", but I am 99% certain that those were the words which Vin Garbutt sang on the record. I think I'm correct in saying that on the actual LP sleeve, which I admit I no longer have, Vin went to the trouble to explain in the notes about the song that a "buried [sic ] hen was a pregnant lobster". He no doubt felt the need to explain such a curious term.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)
From: RunrigFan
Date: 09 May 17 - 03:15 PM

Some few adjustments

One fine August day as I was making my way
Along the hardship-troubled streets of Staithes,
I saw the seagulls flying in the grey northern sky
Heard the shifting chorus of the waves
As Staithes looked so fair in the crisp morning air,
Sea mist lifting to fragmented specks of light,
And on the sea wall, though the mist's lifting pall,
An old man sitting there came into sight.

We sat side by side until the turning of the tide
But not the smallest craft put out to sea -
As the water receded, still unheeded lay the boats,
The pots and nets neglected on the quay.
I asked him the reason why no boats were put to sea.
He looked long and thoughtfully at me
And then, with a sigh, he said: "You might well wonder why
For who'd have thought such things could ever be."

"Aye, there's days I remember when from March till November
The men of Staithes set out with net and the line
And every day from morn till night, every man and boy would fight
To take the family's living from the brine,
And when the men came back to land, their women lent a willing hand
To get the hard-won catch safe from the shore;
Work for women and for men, pots to pull and lines to mend
Hooks to bait - all ready for the dawn."

"But now the boats come empty in and no fish will buy no bread.
To fish today you'll need a radar screen
Those trawlers with their fine mesh nets, are out to take all they can get.
Between them they'll soon fish the North Sea clean.
So Staithes now wears a different face - the fishwife's bonnets trimmed with lace
Are only curios and souvenirs
And since they've taken the buried hens, the lobster too are at an end.
The only fish is frozen now in Staithes."

"So now you see the fishing's gone, the folk are moving on.
If it's Staithes you came to see, you came too late.
Although the seagulls still fly high, our men now work at ICI -
They've moved up to the council-house estate.
Ah, but think on now you've heard me tale, these cottages you see for sale
For a way of life they are an unmarked grave."
And on the air's salty breath, I seemed to catch the smell of death
On the hardship-troubled streets of Staithes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)
From: The Sandman
Date: 10 May 17 - 06:41 AM

"Buried hens" may be "incorrect", but I am 99% certain that those were the words which Vin Garbutt sang on the record. I think I'm correct in saying that on the actual LP sleeve, which I admit I no longer have, Vin went to the trouble to explain in the notes about the song that a "buried [sic ] hen was a pregnant lobster". He no doubt felt the need to explain such a curious term.
Vin could be wrong, Iwould listen to Peter Wray, or anyone who has ACTUALLY done it

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 10 May 17 - 07:18 PM

Aye - he could be wrong - take it up with him. I'm just telling you what was on the record, which was what the OP requested.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)
From: RunrigFan
Date: 10 May 17 - 10:32 PM

My lyrics came from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqBClTN1WAk

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Streets of Staithes (Garbutt/Slater)
From: RunrigFan
Date: 10 May 17 - 10:55 PM

Sea mist lifting to fragmented specks of light,

Sounds like as He was dreaming