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Barrel Songs

18 Dec 09 - 04:19 AM (#2791006)
Subject: Barrel Songs
From: Jack Blandiver

Mention of The Unthanks Tar Barrel in Dale makes me ask myself - how many other barrel songs are there? Off the top of my weary head I can think of...

1) Bring Us a Barrel
2) Roll Out the Barrel
3) Barrel of Nails (Ivor Cutler)
4) - er -
5) That's it.

Any more???


18 Dec 09 - 04:48 AM (#2791017)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Joe Offer

Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money.... (Side By Side, by Harry Woods)

Another good one was recorded by Pete Seeger: Barrel of Money Blues (Empty Pocket Blues)

-Joe-


18 Dec 09 - 05:43 AM (#2791050)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: steve in ottawa

Does The Sick Note count?


18 Dec 09 - 05:45 AM (#2791051)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: steve in ottawa

I see that one's offically called:

WHY PADDY'S NOT AT WORK TODAY (Excuse Note)


18 Dec 09 - 06:38 AM (#2791075)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: breezy

'Barley Mow'

Barrel, the arf barrel,
gallon the arf gallon,
quart pot
pint pot
arf a pint
nippikin etc the etc

Good luck to the Barley Mow

happy Christmas

snow in The South east of England and Terry has left the building


18 Dec 09 - 06:52 AM (#2791083)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Susan of DT

72 hits on barrel in the DT


18 Dec 09 - 07:26 AM (#2791094)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Dave Sutherland

Much of the action in the song "Campbell The Rover (Drover)" concerns a barrel.


18 Dec 09 - 10:02 AM (#2791187)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: MGM·Lion

In several Child ballad analogues cited in the notes [to e.g. 'Young Waters'#94], a malefactor is agonisingly executed by being dragged along or rolled downhill in a barrel pierced by spikes or nails. The following stanza #8 actually occurs in #194, 'The Laird of Wariston', version B:

Word has gane to her father, the grit Dunipace,
And an angry man was he;
Cries, Gar mak a barrel of pikes,
And row her down some lea!

Not sure if this can be cited a a song - Bronson gives no tune for it. But presumably all the Child ballads will have been sung at some time, even if no tune attributed to some of them has survived?


19 Dec 09 - 06:18 AM (#2791871)
Subject: RE: Barrel Songs
From: Jack Blandiver

Thanks all; I am truly heartened by the response. Mustn't forget songs about Coopers either. Digitrad comes up with The Wee Cooper of Fife (Child #277) and The Cooper of Dundee - both charming wee songs. And I wonder could the kilderkin Phil Tanner sings of in his Gower Wassail be some sort a barrel too? You know, I think it just might...