Lyr ADD: New Bell Wake

Subject: Lyrics Req for New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,Chalkie - Guest
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 07:33 AM

Why I've not asked for these before now I don't know but, some years ago now I bought the New Bell Wake CD by Roy Bailey, a great CD with many a good track upon.

One of these was the title track. A song that could be sung solo in the pub, I thought, with a bit of humour in it. The only trouble is that I can not make out a line or two of what is being said/sung.

Can anyone provide me with the lyrics?

Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyrics Req for New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 07:50 AM

Chalkie

i've got the lyrics, but little time, if you could typr out what you've got I'll amend if possible

Cheers

raggy

Subject: RE: Lyrics Req for New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,Chalkie
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 08:06 AM

Raggy, your the man!

I'll have to refresh myself regarding the lyrics. Can't do it tonight as it's practice night with the rest of the crew but I'll get back to you in a couple of days.

All the best for the year ahead.

Chalkie

Subject: Lyr Add: NORTON NEW BELL WAKE
From: GUEST,Reg
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 12:24 PM

Hope this helps:

NORTON NEW BELL WAKE

Kings Norton raised at last my friend, a new bell in the steeple,
The ringers thought they'd make amends by rousing up the people,
One morn, you know, before cockcrow, so stoutly they set ringing,
It was to make a new bell wake, they gave the bells a swinging.

CHORUS: They banged each bell, & rang so well
So true their parts did take
From morn till night, was loud delight
At Norton new bell wake.

The Beadle led, Sam Parsonage did the second bell make sing,
Wrencher Jim the third pulled in, the fourth Will Collins did ring
Will Dipple fifth, Ben Adkins sixth, chimed in his bell so merry,
Bob Mason was seventh, and the tenor bell was rattled in by Jerry.

And then they drunk at such a rate, they'd nearly spent their store,
There was only tuppence on the plate, and they could raise no more,
In came the warden at that time, behaved so mighty well.
Oh, what a shout! When he turned out two shillings for each bell!

Then at night, oh what a sight there was on Norton Green.
Oh what a squall at Osbourne's stall, they fired her magazine.
The crackers flew, and serpents too made all the town to shake,
And they thought so civil, the very devil had come to keep bell wake.

FINAL CHORUS: It was crack and fizz, and smack and whiz,
And the cakes again they did bake.
The powder stunk, and all got drunk,
At Norton new bell wake!

Mines a pint!

Cheers

Reg

Subject: Lyr Add: NEW BELL WAKE
From: BB
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 02:29 PM

Can't remember where we got our set of words from - slightly different to Reg's:

When Norton raised at last, my friends, a new bell on the steeple,
The ringers tried to make amends by rousing up the people:
One morn, you know, before cockcrow, they suddenly got ringing,
And for to make a new-bell wake, set all the bells a-swinging.

CHORUS: They banged each bell and rang so well,
So true their parts did take,
From morn till night there was loud delight
At Norton New-Bell Wake.

The beadle led, Sam Parsonage made the second bell to sing,
Renchurch in, the third pulled in and the fourth did Collins ring,
Dipple fifth, and Atkinson chimed in the sixth so merry,
Tom Mason seventh, and the tenor bell was rattled in by Gerry.

Such ringing ne'er was known before - they fairly shook the spire;
They kicked up one continuous row - 'twas slam, round, change and fire;
The guns did shoot and the folks did hoot on hearing such a clatter;
They ran about to see the rout and learn what was the matter.

They drank too at a furious rate - they nearly spent their store;
Two pence was all left on the plate and they could raise no more;
The warden came in just in time, behaved them fair and well;
They gave a shout when he turned out two shillings for each bell.

At length, 'twas night, and such a sight was there on Norton Green,
And what a squall on Osborne's stall when they fired their magazine;
The crackers flew, and serpents too made all the neighbourhood quake;
Folk thought the Devil had seemed but civil and had come to the New-Bell Wake.

'Twas crack and fizz and smack and whiz, the cakes again did bake,
The powder stunk and most were drunk to end the New-Bell Wake.

*
Note that there is an extra verse, and we've always done the usual chorus at the end, then what Reg calls the final chorus.

Our understanding (and that of someone who lives in Kings Norton) is that the words were found in the church tower there, and that Dick Brice wrote the melody.

Terrific song - we've been singing it for years, and never tire of it.
Enjoy!

Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyrics Req for New Bell Wake
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 05:53 PM

With minor changes, the transposition of stanzas 2 and 3 and the omission of 'Twas crack etc', the text posted by Barbara is closest to what Bailey sings. He doubles up on the chorus at a couple of points. Bailey noted that his text was from Roy Palmer (ed) 'Room for Company'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,Guest - Chalkie
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 08:54 AM

The set of lyrics from BB are indeed the ones on my Roy Bailey CD.

When you sit down listening to the CD with the lyrics in front of you, you wonder how on earth you couldn't tell what he was saying!

Thank you.

Raggy, I've already got the lyrics embedded in my mind, so, with a bit of luck I'll bend your earlugs at Milnesbridge!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 09:14 AM

Chalkie it will be a delight to see and hear you as always

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,Gadaffi
Date: 23 Jan 06 - 11:41 AM

The words are definitely to be found in Kings Norton church in Birmingham - or at least they were in the 1970s. The local group Brummagem led by Bob Lapworth used to sing it at the original Birmingham Tradition Club. I believe the words and tune are to be found in one of Roy Palmer's excellent books.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,Simon Rosser
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 01:35 PM

Keith Dignam and I (as Pickled Dill) sang this song at a club one night back in the 1970s when Roy was the headline act. He told us he really liked the song and quite casually said to us that he might sing it. Having only just perfected it ourselves, we weren't happy at the time and were markedly less so when he not only recorded it but called his new LP by the same title. Well, we've all passed a lot of water since then.

The words above are not as we learned them exactly but close enough for folk! For those interested, our second verse went thus:

The beadle led, Sam Parsonage made the second bell to sing,
Then 'Wrencher' Jim the third pulled in and fourth did Collins ring,
Then Dipple fifth and Atkins, Ben chimed in the sixth so merry,
Tom Mason seventh, and the tenor bell was rattled in by Gerry.

It's a damn good song and more people should sing it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: New Bell Wake
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 01:51 PM

Liz and Alan Weston sing this one regularly at Maidenhead - They also credit Roy Palmer's book

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: New Bell Wake
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 03:56 PM

Wow, Simon, hi… long time no see! I remember you & Keith singing it, and thought it was brilliant - both song and performance. That was the first time I ever heard it but it always stuck in my memory.

Later when I was working in the Folk Shop in C# House, I came across Roy's LP and that was my favourite track on what is a very fine album.

Great to "see" you again - hope all's well -

Bonnie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: New Bell Wake
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Apr 14 - 05:59 AM

The serpent in the last verse is a musical instrument. When I was in high school, I encountered the serpent in the writing of Thomas Hardy.

Now, many years later, I have seen and heard the serpent on YouTube.

Here's the URL for a pleasant, mellow serpent piece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCIc9YGwczs

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=83
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jul 23 - 04:03 PM

refresh