Tune ADD: A Shropshire Lad (John Betjeman)

Subject: Shropshire Lad
From: Si
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 05:26 PM

Can any one help with the tune credited to J.Parker used for the setting of Betjemans poem about Captain Web.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Shropshire Lad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 05:33 PM

John Kirkpatrick recorded it. (At least I think that was the tune he used.)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Shropshire Lad
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 08:03 PM

John Betjeman recorded it, if it comes to that; Betjeman's Banana Blush (Charisma CAS 1086, 1974).  For some reason, I have the single (B side was The Cockney Amorist).  Not sure where you'd get a score for it, though...

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Shropshire Lad
From: Stewie
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 07:02 PM

The title of the Kirkpatrick album that it was on is: John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris 'Among the Many Attractions Will Be a Really High Class Band' Topic 12TS295. The note on the sleeve confirms McGrath's recollection that Kirkpatrick used Parker's tune. I don't know whether the album has made it to CD - doesn't look like it according to the discography linked by McGrath above.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Shropshire Lad
From: IanC
Date: 04 Jul 01 - 04:22 AM

I've got both recordings and I know the tune well. Is there somewhere I can whistle it onto the net?

Subject: Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb
From: GUEST,johnashurst
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 01:31 PM

A sung version of John Betjemans poem "A Shropshire Lad" about Captain Webb, the first man to swim the channel, was recorded very effectively some years ago. I would like to sing it but have only a hazy idea of the tune.

Can anyone supply dots ABC etc, or failing that, an audio file of some sort.

John Ashurst

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 03:08 PM

Here's my memory of the tune.

Mick

---

X:1
T:A Shropshire Lad
A:John Betjeman
C:Jim Parker
Z:Mick Pearce (from memory)
Q:3/8=96
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:F
C|A2 A AAB|A2 G G2 A|B2 B BcB|A3-Az
w:The gas was on in the In-sti-tute, The flare was up in the gym_
c|c2 c dc=B|ccA A2 F|A2 A AGF|G3 z1
w:A man was run-ning a min-er-al line A lass was sing-ing a hymn
C|A2 A A2 B|A2 G G3|c2 c c2 d|"^rit"c3 B2
w:When Cap-tain Webb the Daw-ley man, Cap-tain Webb from Daw-ley
B|"^a tempo"AGA B2 A|G2 F D2 F|CFG A2 F|G3 F3||
w:Came swim-ming a-long the old can-al that car-ried the bricks to Law-ley
d_dc B3|d_dc B3|d_dc B2 F|G3 B2
w:Swim-ming a-long, Swim-ming a-long, Swim-ming a-long from Sev-ern
B|AAA B2 A|G2 F D2 F|CFG A2 F|G3 F2|]
w:And pay-ing a call at Daw-ley Bank While swim-ming a-long to Hea-ven.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb
From: GUEST,John Ashurst
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 04:37 PM

I am a newcomer to Mudcat. Truly amazing site. I now have the dots courtesy of ABCedit (which I also got off a Mudcat link)and am retreating to my keyboard to try it.

Thanks Mick and all who support such a splendid enterprise.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb
From: Mr Red
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 04:41 PM

John - register and you cn PM or chat.

The tune (the one I hear at the Somers TFC Albion Fri Worcester) was on the Album with Jim Parker - Banana Blush comes to mind.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb
From: John Ashurst
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 04:47 PM

Don't quite understand this. Thought Bannana Blush was JB reciting?

Mick Pearce seems to think it was J & S Kirkpatrick who recorded it? As I haven't heard either I am in the dark!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 04:56 PM

I didn't think I'd mentioned the Kirkpatrick recording, but McGrath of Harlow did in Captain Webb the swimmer (though he thought JK had written the tune). My own main memory is of the Betjeman/Parker recording.

Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 05:04 PM

Jim Parker did tunes for Barrow Poets, didn't he? I think there was a recording of Banana Blush with words and tunes.

Kitty

Subject: Tune Req: Music for Betjemen's Shropshire Lad?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 03 Sep 06 - 04:06 AM

Does anybody have the dots and or the chords to the Captain Webb song?

Words by John Betjeman, tune Jim Parker, great version by John and Sue Kirkpatric.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for Betjemen's Shropshire Lad?
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 03 Sep 06 - 04:29 AM

Les

I posted these just a few days ago in Tune Req: Betjeman poem about Captain Webb

Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Music for Betjemen's Shropshire Lad?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 03 Sep 06 - 04:43 AM

Thanks Mick, don't know how I missed that!