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Subject: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Tradsinger Date: 28 Jan 06 - 05:16 AM There was a recent thread about the song 'English Country Garden', but I am full of curiosity to know who wrote the words, and when ... and why?! Can any MCs elucidate? Gwilym |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Peace Date: 28 Jan 06 - 05:37 AM 'Country Gardens the well-known song "An English Country Garden" was originally a Cotswold morris dance tune called "Country Gardens", first published in the early 18th century. It was collected in the Cotswold hills by Sharp, Cecil and later given to Grainger, Percy and was arranged and published by Grainger in the early 20th century. The genteel words were added later. Also the tune used for the song "The Vicar of Bray".' Found at www.folklib.net/folkfile/c.shtml |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Flash Company Date: 28 Jan 06 - 10:55 AM Cat Stevens springs to mind as an author of the words. Rolf Harris did a good parody of it. FC |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Tig Date: 28 Jan 06 - 05:00 PM Jimmy Rodgers had a hit with it in June 1962 - reached number five in the charts. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Jim Dixon Date: 30 Jan 06 - 07:12 PM I've found several web sites that credit Robert M. Jordan as the writer of AN ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN, sometimes alone and sometimes jointly with Cecil Sharp. For example, folktrax.org gives this description of the sheet music:
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: GUEST,Neil Kimber Date: 02 Dec 07 - 12:59 PM From what I can gather Cecil Sharp collected this song from William Kimber of Eddington Morris fame, |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 02 Dec 07 - 01:28 PM See thread 1006, linked above, (origins). In brief, the origins are summed up by IanC, 31Jul01 and Dicho, 31Jul01 in that thread. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Dave Hanson Date: 03 Dec 07 - 02:30 AM You related then Neil ? eric |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: jonm Date: 03 Dec 07 - 06:40 AM No, he would have known it was Headington (Quarry) Morris Men! The tune was certainly collected from Kimber. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Marje Date: 03 Dec 07 - 07:18 AM The bit that gets on my nerves is that little pause in the song before the word "garden", giving a slightly syncopated effect. I'm sure it's not in the original tune, and yet it seems to have become an accepted version. I hate it, it's so arch and twee. Marje |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: mattkeen Date: 03 Dec 07 - 07:30 AM That gap (that Marje talks of) is really irritating and is not in the version I play - from the Lionel Bacon Black Book and is credited as the Bampton version I think. Syncopating the tune slightly is really good fun though, and Chris Wood and Andy Cutting did a great version of it on one of their albums. But Andy Cutting's ability to chop up rhythms and still make it all flow is fantastic. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: GUEST,Edthefolkie Date: 03 Dec 07 - 07:35 AM Whoever did write the lyrics, he/she was obviously American. "Bobolink, cuckoo and quail, Tanager and cardinal" areen't visitors to the British bird table in my experience! Was it really THAT Jimmie Rodgers, The Singing Brakeman, who recorded the most popular version? Whatever, I know Rolf Harris parodied it as follows: Wet underfoot and the leaves are thick with soot In an English country garden Newspapers torn and strewn across the lawn In an english country garden Litter, garbage in the yards Little doggies' calling cards One scraggy rosebud peering through the weeds For they've all downed tools While they do their football pools In an English country garden Market, join the Common Market Market, join the Common Market. That's William Kimber and Percy Grainger spinning away in their graves then.......... |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Dave Hanson Date: 03 Dec 07 - 08:38 AM Nah Jimmy Rogers the C/W singer was long dead before ' English Country Garden ' was in the charts. eric |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: quantock Date: 03 Dec 07 - 03:03 PM I remember when I was a kid growing up in England, and while the Jimmy Rogers version was popular, there was a show on TV in which Tommy Steele sang a different version - basically the Jimmy Rogers song but with the words changed so it actually sounded English - no cardinals or tangiers. Probably not snakes or ants that sting, but I cant remember that far back. The song was my Mum's favourite, and she particularly loved hearing the Tommy Steele version. Never heard it again since that one time though. I guess it is unlikely that anyone would find it in print now. Then there was a great parody some years later by Fred Wedlock. Again, I can't remember the words except the line at the end "I'll cultivate a concrete estate, Not an English country garden". It was a very clever parody. I'd love it if someone could post the words to that one. Cheers, Rob. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Dave Hanson Date: 04 Dec 07 - 03:23 AM Dominic Behan used to do a parody called ' The English Royal Family ' a distinct improvement. eric |
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Subject: Lyr Add: ENGLISH URBAN GARDEN (Fred Wedlock) From: Mysha Date: 04 Dec 07 - 04:13 AM Hi Rob, I can add this from the Harp mailing list, with some help of other parts of the Internet: THE ENGLISH URBAN GARDEN Fred Wedlock Somehow the flowers never seem to grow, in my English country garden. I'll tell you now of some reasons that I know and those I miss I hope you'll pardon. Nettles in the flowerbeds, sparrow droppings on the shed, stick to the walls and harden. And too many things with lots of legs and wings, in my English country garden. I took a look at an illustrated book showing every garden creature, but I've got a few too horrible to view that the auther dare not feature. Anaconda centipedes, kamukazi bumble bees, even a vampire robin. I need a gun, not a spray to keep the pests at bay in my English country garden. I realise that I will never be a vegetable grower, so I've decided what I'm going to do and to hell with Percy Thrower. Get a load of broken bricks, smother them in readymix, set it and let it harden, And I'll cultivate a concrete estate, not an English country garden. P.H.M. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Big Al Whittle Date: 04 Dec 07 - 08:36 AM I seem to be alone in liking the Jimmy Rodgers version. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 Dec 07 - 03:20 PM I have posted a note from Grainger to Cecil Sharp, suggesting shared royalty, in thread 1006, the primary thread, linked above: (Origins)Lyr. Req: English Country Garden. Grainger published his piano arrangement in 1918; it brought him fame as well as income. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: GUEST,Shimrod Date: 04 Dec 07 - 06:06 PM The song 'English Urban Garden', as quoted by 'Mysha' above, was actually written by Alan Twelvetree of Peterborough. Alan was one of the founders of P'boro Folk Club. I remember one particularly memorable Sunday night (club night) when Alan arrived at the club in a state of great excitement because his song had been sung on the telly that evening by 'Pinky & Perky'. For those not old enough to remember P&P, they were two bizzare puppet pigs who sang in high, falsetto voices (I kid you not!). |
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Subject: Lyr Add: ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN From: Warsaw Ed Date: 04 Dec 07 - 07:06 PM There's the standard version:English country garden: ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in an English country garden? We'll tell you now of some that we know Those we miss you'll surely pardon Daffodils, heart's ease and flox Meadowsweet and lady smocks Gentian, lupine and tall hollihocks Roses, foxgloves, snowdrops, blue forget-me-nots in an English country garden. English country garden. How many insects come here and go in an English country garden? We'll tell you now of some that we know Those we miss you'll surely pardon Fireflies, moths, gnats and bees Spiders climbing in the trees Butterflies drift in the gentle breeze There are snakes, ants that sting And other creeping things in an English country garden. English country garden. How many songbirds fly to and fro in an English country garden? We'll tell you now of some that we know Those we miss you'll surely pardon Bobolink, cuckoo and quail Tanager and cardinal Bluebird, lark, thrush and nightingale There is joy in the spring When the birds begin to sing in an English country garden. . How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in an English country garden? We'll tell you now of some that we know Those we miss you'll surely pardon Daffodils, heart's ease and flox Meadowsweet and lady smocks Gentain, lupine and tall hollihocks Roses, foxgloves, snowdrops, blue forget-me-nots in an English country garden. And then the practical short verse: What do you do when you can't find a Loo In an English Country Garden? Pull down your pants and fertalize the plants In an English Country Garden. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 Dec 07 - 08:07 PM The version posted by Warsaw Ed is one of several, and part parody; it is not 'standard." It was posted previously (or one close to it) by Colin Wood, 22 Jan 06 in thread 1006 (Origins) Lyr. Add: linked at top of this thread, and also posted in contemplator.com. No one has posted the version collected by Sharp. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Leadfingers Date: 04 Dec 07 - 08:58 PM What about the version sung regularly by Diz Disley ? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 Dec 07 - 09:24 PM Leadfingers- wasn't that an instrumental? I vaguely recall it, but it may just be my imagination. I don't have any of his recordings. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Words of English Country Garden From: Dave the Gnome Date: 05 Dec 07 - 02:51 AM How many crows can you pick from your nose In an English country garden You pick 'em and you lick 'em and you roll 'em and you flick 'em In an English country garden... Ahhhh, school days:-) Dave |
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Subject: RE: Origins: English Country Garden From: GUEST,Pilgrim Date: 21 Oct 12 - 03:44 PM I dropped in here in search of the origins of the song, In an English Country Garden and, having had a hearty chuckle at some of the comments, I'm glad I did. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: English Country Garden From: Tradsinger Date: 22 Oct 12 - 04:46 AM Overheard from the young daughter of a friend of mine: Here's what you do if you want to have a poo In an English country garden. Pull down your pants and paralise the ants In an English country garden Then get a spade and cover what you've made In an English country garden. Kids! don't you just love 'em?! Tradsinger |
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