Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad

Subject: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 12:14 PM

Does anyone have the lyrics to these two Jez Lowe songs?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: GUEST,Geoff
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 07:01 PM

These, and many other excellent songs, are both in the songbook
'Songs Of Jez Lowe' Volume 1, published by Fellsongs Music Publishing, Workington, Cumbria CA14 3EW, England.

You can also try the www.Jezlowe.com site.
or
Lowe Life Music, PO Box 25, Horden, Peterlee, County Durham SR83YZ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Aug 05 - 07:03 PM

Nowt to do with Gorgeous George...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 09:37 AM

For what it's worth, here's an excerpt from GALLOWAYS, transcribed from a sound sample at Jez Lowe's web site:

If you walk in the evenin' where galloways graze in the sun,
Grazin' and standin', you won't see them gambol and run.
You won't see their heads turn around when you're walkin' away,
But the sun is still blazin' on blind eyes a-gazin' on galloways grazin' all day.

[Here are some pictures of galloways. There's also something called a belted galloway. (Not sure if galloway should be capitalized.)]

Subject: Lyr Add: GALLOWAYS (Jez Lowe)
From: GUEST,Jacqued
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 09:49 AM

Here you go:

GALLOWAYS
(Live at the Davy Lamp - Jez Lowe CD1)
Jez Lowe

If you walk in the evening where Galloways graze in the sun,
Grazing and standing, you won't see them gambol and run.
You won't see their heads turn around when you're walking away.
But the sun is still blazing on blind eyes a'gazing,
On Galloways grazing all day.

It casts a fine shadow from pulley wheels black in the sky,
But the streets seem so narrow where once they were gaping and wide.
There's never no children where children always would play.
But the sun is still blazing on blind eyes a'gazing,
On Galloways grazing all day.

There are hard restless memories but it doesn't seem so long to me,
But the yards seem so empty, like broken hearts for all to see.
The ragged red walls are all bent and a'breaking away.
But the sun is still blazing on blind eyes a'gazing,
On Galloways grazing all day.

And these are the windows that once shed a warm winter's light,
Where a dusty old wind blows around corner-ends in the night.
Its howl goes unheeded, the weeds let it moan where it may.
But the sun is still blazing on blind eyes a'gazing,
On Galloways grazing all day.

All that was and was made it has gone but it's hard to forget,
'Cos they've left it all naked and standing like stones of regret.
So tear it all down, put an end to its death and decay.
But the sun is still blazing on blind eyes a'gazing,
On Galloways grazing all day.
Yes the sun is still blazing on blind eyes a'gazing,
On Galloways grazing all day.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: GUEST,Geoff
Date: 25 Aug 05 - 05:04 PM

When I first heard this, I thought it referred to Galloway cattle, and the 'blind eyes gazin' alluded to the empty windows of the abandoned buildings.

It turns out that the Gallways are also a breed of small horse. They were used as Pit Ponies, and were blind from spending their working lives in the dark of the coal mine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 04:53 AM

Yes and are probably descendants of the hobblers ridden by the reivers. Thanks a bunch.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Aug 05 - 08:21 AM

Geoff: The song certainly makes more sense after hearing your explanation. I went looking for confirmation, and found none, but I did find this, which presents a problem:

"Another challenge to the keeping of pure-bred Fells was the need for a larger and stronger agricultural horse. Such cross-breeding had caused the extinction of the Scottish Galloway, which was absorbed into the Clydesdale breed in the early 19th Century."

-- From The Fell Pony Museum.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 18 Sep 13 - 03:19 PM

The 'gallowa' pony was the standard pit pony in Co Durham and was of small stature for obvious reasons and that's what Jez's song is about- doubt if the 'Scottish Galloway' as described by the Fell Pony Museum would have been suitable for the work. As one who lives (lived) in Galloway I often wonder at the name, but the only explanation I've had locally is that they were fell ponies of some sort, but bred specially in Galloway for use in the pits of Durham- don't think there is such a breed these days, except maybe a few ageing retirees, although even that's now unlikely, 20 years after the last Durham deep mine closed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galloways & Galloway Lad
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Sep 13 - 05:46 PM

The Home of Rest for Retired Horses , Speen , near High Wycombe used to have some Ex Coal Board ponies , but they were not blind like the old Galloways - I think conditions for Pit Ponies were a lot better after WWII .