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Lyr Req: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)

08 Dec 07 - 12:54 PM (#2211371)
Subject: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: GUEST,Chris Muriel

I'm looking to complete a verse (and possibly be corrected on what I can remember) of a song I recall hearing in the 1970's called "Winson Green Jail".
Here's what I have :

Winson Green Jail

Have you been down to the jailhouse where the warders they wait upon you,
Where they feed you cold bread and water instead of a nice Irish stew.
Instead of a Sunday cooked dinner you'll be counting the bricks in your cell
With a torraliy ooraliy addie, in the place they call Winson Green Jail.

Now they send you down there from the steelhouse when the warders have finished with you,
They shove you in cell-block reception in front of a bloody great screw
And instead of counting your money, you'll be counting the bricks in your cell-
With a torraliy ooraliy addie, in the place they call Winson Green Jail.

** 2 lines missing here ****
                                                      with never, no nothing to do
And instead of hanging round Gas Street you'll be counting the bricks in your cell,
With a torraliy ooraliy addie, in the place they call Winson Green Jail.

Can anyone help, please ?

Chris Muriel (chris.muriel@analog.com), Manchester

08 Dec 07 - 05:35 PM (#2211537)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: The Sandman

here we are,many years ago,I did some session concertina for Jeff Dennison,who recorded this song,and I still have the recording.Here are your lines
    It's really a lovely location the side of the old pcns,
    in summer it smells like a cesspool and in winter it smells like the fens.
Dick Miles

08 Dec 07 - 05:46 PM (#2211543)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: Joe Offer

What's that "pcns," Dick - pens??

-Joe-

09 Dec 07 - 02:56 AM (#2211771)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: Leadfingers

Its Beside of the Old B C N -- Birmingham Cnal Navigation !

09 Dec 07 - 09:44 AM (#2211877)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: GUEST,Lindsay in Wales

and the line is "never no baccy to chew" not "never no nothing to do"

09 Dec 07 - 12:49 PM (#2211961)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: BB

Anyone know who wrote it?

Barbara

09 Dec 07 - 01:05 PM (#2211969)
Subject: Lyr Add: WINSON GREEN JAIL
From: Mark Dowding

I posted this in another message some time ago. The LP that I've got this on is "Straight From The Tunnel's Mouth" by The Boatmen - Eric Blackburn, John Grace, Pat Slattery
Published 1975
Sweet Folk and Country SFA 018

Winson Green Jail - Trad

Oh have you been down to the jail
Where the warders they wait upon you
Where they give you free bread and water
But never no baccy to chew
And instead of a Sunday cooked dinner
You'll be counting the bricks in your cell
With a too-ra-li-oo-ra-li-addy
In a place they call Winson Green Jail

They send you down there from the steelhouse
When the bogies have finished with you
They shove you in cell block reception
In front of a bloody great screw
And instead of counting your money
You'll be counting the bricks in your cell
With a too-ra-li-oo-ra-li-addy
In a place they call Winson Green Jail

It stands in a lovely location
By the side of the old BCN
In summer it stinks like a cess pool
And in Winter it smells like a fen
And instead of hanging round Gas Street
You'll be counting the bricks in your cell
With a too-ra-li-oo-ra-li-addy
In a place they call Winson Green Jail


The steelhouse is the police station in Steelhouse Lane
BCN is the Birmingham Canal Navigation

The LP that I've got this on is "Straight From The Tunnel's Mouth" by The Boatmen - Eric Blackburn, John Grace, Pat Slattery
Published 1975
Sweet Folk and Country SFA 018

Cheers
Mark

10 Dec 07 - 10:39 AM (#2212486)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: Newport Boy

I'm sure it wasn't The Boatmen who untied my boat near Gas Street Basin in 1975, but some bugger did! At 2 am, we were out in the middle of the canal.

I hadn't noticed the club entrance off the towpath near where we moored, but we heard the music from 10 till 2!

Phil

10 Dec 07 - 12:10 PM (#2212537)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: Rasener

What seems strange to me, is that as a Brummie, we always called it Winson Green Prison and not Jail. I beleive it was really Birmingham Prison.

11 Dec 07 - 06:40 AM (#2212954)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: Roger the Skiffler

Phil, I used to go to that jazz club The Opposite Lock( but in the '60s!). My school in Handsworth wasn't far from the prison & one of my classmates dad's was a warder there for a time.

RtS
"memories...."

12 Dec 07 - 07:45 AM (#2213730)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: Jim Dixon

The other thread: Req/ADD: Winson Green Jail.

12 Dec 07 - 11:32 AM (#2213871)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: Rasener

Hi RTS
When I left Birmingham to go and work up in Scotland, I hired the Opposite Lock for my leaving function. Oh yes I remember it well, well some of it. :-)

12 Dec 07 - 11:46 AM (#2213879)
Subject: RE: lyrics: Winson Green Jail (or Gaol)
From: GUEST,Rich

You're right, it's always been Winson green prison. I also went to school in Handsworth.