07 Jan 13 - 12:07 PM (#3462683) Subject: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome I remember (with the occasional waking up in cold sweats) the beer campaigns of the 60s and 70s when the big breweries were trying, unsucessfuly, to fight CAMRA and fool the populace into believeing their pseudo-foamy-mouuthwash stuff was beer. Now, don't get me wrong here, the beer was awful but some of the campigns were quite menorable. Who remebers It's a big-head bitter, Trophy bitter The best that you ever bought Whitbread, big-head, Trophy bitter The pint that thinks it's a quart! It was followed up with the 'How do you do it Stanley?' campaign which was nowhere near as good. The worst of the lot, arguably, was Watneys Red Barrel, but there adverts to the tune of the Beer Barrel Polka were quite classic but I only remember bits of it - Can anyone else remember it? I could look it up of course but whwere's the fun it that ? :-) One that was probably just local to us, North West England, Was Greenhall Whitleys "I wish I was in Greenhall Whitley Land" adverts which really were quite tunefull and well sung by an unaccomapnied singer. Anyone else remember those? Or does anyone have anything else they want to share? Cheers DtG |
07 Jan 13 - 12:18 PM (#3462690) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Will Fly Chas'n Dave singing "Gertcha!"? |
07 Jan 13 - 12:20 PM (#3462693) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Ye Gods! I hope not. I've been watching the new re-run of Fawlty Towers and I still have conniption fits every time I see they're serving Watneys Red in the bar. Mind you. I've heard it suggested that Ewan MacColl probably wrote the Drinking Song after watching one of those damned Watneys Red adverts. |
07 Jan 13 - 12:21 PM (#3462694) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,John Foxen Thankfully for me the these songs have remained as unmemorable as the "beers" they tried to sell. However, let us remember with gratitude for the song and the beer the wonderful Keith Marsden's hymn to Old Peculier. Mudcat old peculier thread |
07 Jan 13 - 12:22 PM (#3462697) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome Dunno if i saw that, Will. I Remember the song but don't relate it to a beer advert. What was it advertising? Cheers DtG |
07 Jan 13 - 12:23 PM (#3462698) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,jim bainbridge to the tune of 'Cushie Butterfield' If you want a beer that's perfection indeed I'll give you a guide to fulfilling your need. At home by your fireside, in club or in bar The sign of good taste is the famous blue star.. It's the strong beer, it's the bottled beer With the north's biggest sale For complete satisfaction Newcastle Brown Ale... that was sung on a Tyne Tees TV advert by Owen Brannigan in the 60s- the beer was OK then, unlike the crap sold under that name nowadays! |
07 Jan 13 - 12:29 PM (#3462702) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Will Fly Dunno if i saw that, Will. I Remember the song but don't relate it to a beer advert. What was it advertising? Courage Best! |
07 Jan 13 - 12:59 PM (#3462714) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Steve Gardham It's obviously already happened! |
07 Jan 13 - 01:09 PM (#3462723) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome Ahhhh - Of course. Had to have been a London Brew. Thanks Will. Good point, Steve! :-) Cheers DtG |
07 Jan 13 - 02:09 PM (#3462746) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Sir Roger de Beverley As a callow youth of 18 I remember the Meggies singing a hymn to the late lamented Hewitt's Ales of Grimsby. Possibly written by John Conolly and/or Bill Meek. It was sung to the tune of the threshing machine and went something like: I once was a weakling of 7 stone 10 I daren't take me shirt of before other men I wrote to Charles Atlas and told him me tale He sent me a crate full of Hewitt's best ale Chorus It won't fail, it can't fail that ubiquitous liquid called Hewitt's best ale. My brother had trouble with marital bliss Each night in the bedroom not even a kiss Now his wife's fierce embraces they turn him quite pale He washed his pyjamas in Hewitt's best ale. Ch If your natural functions are proving a strain And you've been to the doctor again and again When the syrup of figs and the senna pods fail try just half a teaspoon of Hewitt's best ale ch Forgive my failing memory for any remaining verses or the versimilitude of those quoted. Roger |
07 Jan 13 - 02:49 PM (#3462760) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: 12-stringer Drink Falls City Beer, it gives you more Drink City, Falls City It's got what you're looking for Drink City, Falls City More fun, more flavor, more quality It's pasteurized and bitter-free Drink City, Falls City Beer, yes indeed To the tune of "How Many Biscuits Can You Eat" and performed with banjo by David "Stringbean" Akeman. In my drinking days, I was a Falls City consumer (if nothing 80 proof+ was available, of course), and this song is still trad in my house. Falls City went under in the late 70s, after an ill-advised launch of "Billy Beer," named for the (his 15 minutes had already expired but neither he nor Falls City were yet aware of it) brother of Jimmy Carter. |
07 Jan 13 - 03:00 PM (#3462765) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST "A Double Diamond Works Wonders" sounds like another tune. Probably when somebody tells me which tune I'll say "Of course". |
07 Jan 13 - 03:20 PM (#3462776) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome Double Diamond! Aye that was the other stuff. Just found this gem of a site that reminded me it was to 'There's a hole in my bucket' Some grand reminisces in there too. I'm off to the folk club but will enjoy it later DtG |
07 Jan 13 - 03:28 PM (#3462781) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: fat B****rd (Guest was me fB)Thankyou DtG. As soon as I posted I remembered the 'proper' tune. I believe Chas and Dave did a few Courage advert tunes. |
07 Jan 13 - 03:45 PM (#3462789) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: McGrath of Harlow It's hard to think of any beer that would be as appropriate to Fawlty Towers as Watney's Red. |
07 Jan 13 - 06:27 PM (#3462872) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: gnomad Sir Roger's quote up above also appears with other breweries mentioned (Batemans being one such). Additional verses, XXX being your choice of brewery: If your bath and washbasin are both far from white, And your lavatory too is a terrible sight, (Alt; ..all covered with shite) When the Domestos and Harpic both fail, Just flush down a gallon of XXX best ale. If you have no children, and your wife wants six, And you've tried and you've tried all the usual tricks, Go down to an alehouse, take with you a pail, And sup down a bucket of XXX best ale. I also have childhood memories of a shot of beer being rolled into a pub in wooden barrels to a song: Beer, beer, beer from the barrel, Stones' beer is a good strong beer, Let's have a cheer, 'Cause it's beer from the barrel. I assume it was some sort of campaign against new-fangled metal barrels, or possibly keg and/or top pressure systems. I was too young to know about such stuff at the time. |
07 Jan 13 - 06:57 PM (#3462885) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome I wonder if "Nottingham Ale" was the original beer advert :-) |
07 Jan 13 - 07:06 PM (#3462895) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Gallus Moll Some folksogns become beer / lager adverts however - Tennents Caledonian used Dougie McLean's 'Caledonia' a few years ago to great effect; don't believe it was shown in England tho I think it is available on youtube -- memorable advert! (Adam MacNaughtion's 'Jeely Piece Song/Skyscraper Wean' was used by Milanda Bread |
07 Jan 13 - 08:41 PM (#3462942) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Tattie Bogle Gallus Moll beat me to it there: it was Frankie Miler's version of Dougie's song that did it: but is it no back on agin the noo? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZrdo1PuUvQ |
08 Jan 13 - 03:59 AM (#3463003) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Brian Peters Then there were: 'Do yourself a power of good, ask for a Manns' (bottled brown ale), to the tune of 'Lieber Augustin' 'Go for a Bull's Eye Brown' (Greenall Whitley bottled beer) to the tune of 'Oh Susannah'... "If you want to get your whistle wet, go for a Bull's Eye Brown." I'm sure there was a Mackeson song as well. |
08 Jan 13 - 04:10 AM (#3463005) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Brian Peters Oh, and... "Magnetize yourself with a Magnet The strength is surprising in a Magnet If you're looking for a brew That's strong enough for you Try the magnetizing Magnet Ale" (Tune: 'Daddy wouldn't buy me a Bow-wow) I presume this was a John Smith's product. |
08 Jan 13 - 04:23 AM (#3463008) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Will Fly "Mann's is the best brown ale, best brown, best brown ale, "Mann's is the best brown ale, let's buy some now!" "Guinne-ess is good for you!" |
08 Jan 13 - 04:38 AM (#3463011) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Nigel Parsons Dave: Good thread, but ... It's a big-head bitter, Trophy bitter The best that you ever bought Whitbread, big-head, Trophy bitter The pint that thinks it's a quart! It was followed up with the 'How do you do it Stanley?' campaign which was nowhere near as good. 'Stanley' was not a follow-up. It advertised Whitbread's slightly more expensive bitter "Whitbread Tankard" "How do you do it Stanley?" "It's Tankard that helps me excell, After one I do anything well!" Cheers Nigel |
08 Jan 13 - 04:51 AM (#3463014) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Nigel Parsons Whitbread also parodied Percy French's Abdul The Bulbul Emir: Whitbread Best Bitter advert, 1982 Now stories are told of a brave man of old Whose interest was Whitbread best beer But he new a klutz who drove him nearly nuts That was Abdul the Bulbul Amir Now that snake in the grass was a pain in the neck Claiming Whitbread tastes best from the jar, And this man most irate, with his own glass quite straight Was Count Ivan Skavinsky Skavar. Well those boastful old goats went out canvassing votes But one thing they both did forget, Be it straight glass or jar, Whitbread's not particular, 'Cos the best "Best" needs no etiquette. They did another advert in the same vein where Abdul & The Count argue about whether to drink in the snug (with the ladies) or in the bar. |
08 Jan 13 - 05:12 AM (#3463017) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome Brian - Well remembered:-) And Nigel - I had forgotton about the beer that mustn't be spoonerised :-) You are spot of course! Cheers DtG |
08 Jan 13 - 05:26 AM (#3463021) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: gnomad Another from the John Smiths bow-wow stable- "Magnetize yourself with a Magnet.¬ Magnetize yourself with a Magnet.¬ If you take a glass or two, It will cheer you through and through, And they generally call it mag-net-izing." ¬ is a dee-dah blast on a trombone, and if memory serves the whole was repeated several times. I have vague recollection of shots of someone being picked up by a crane by means of a giant horseshoe 'magnet', also of someone juggling using club-sized horseshoe 'magnets'. Yeah, John Smiths still use the magnet symbol on their cans and (I think) also on their pumps. Power of advertising, eh? We didn't even have a TV until some dozen years after these adds that I remember, so this is all from the relatively short exposure I got when visiting friends. |
08 Jan 13 - 05:30 AM (#3463022) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: bubblyrat Ah ! Titbread Wankard ! That brings back memories ! And drinking vile Watneys Red Barrel in Gibraltar after a year on Tiger ,Swan, Castle,and San Miguel ( what songs / tunes of they ,pray ?? ). But I digress ! What of cider ,say I ? Every time Nicola (for such is her name ) says " We're going shopping ; let us get our coats " , I inexplicably burst into " Coates comes up from Somerset ,where the cider apples grow !" ---- such is the subliminal power of advertising . The major success story ,of course , is the Magners advertisement ; I often watch it on "youtube" , performed by the great man himself ,with Sharon Shannon ,Donal Lunny , and other Irish luminaries --marvellous !And definitely established in the folk world , I feel ? |
08 Jan 13 - 05:56 AM (#3463032) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Nigel Parsons Coates comes up from Zummerzet" Ah, yes, yet another parody of Fred E (Danny Boy) Weatherly. Original words Here |
08 Jan 13 - 05:57 AM (#3463034) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST No |
08 Jan 13 - 06:26 AM (#3463039) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Gallus Moll Thanks for doing the blue clicky link to Frankie Miller singing 'Caledonia' Tattie B -- is there any way of linking to the actual advert (is that allowed?) 'cos it really had such amazing impac; plus I think I like that vesrion better! |
08 Jan 13 - 06:28 AM (#3463041) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Brian Peters "No" I must admit, I haven't taught them to my kids, so perhaps not. Some more (memory a bit vaguer here): "Worthington E's the beer [possible contravention of Trades Descriptions Act there]... de-dah de-dah de-dah ...the Worthy Worthington". "Beer at home means Davenports" "The pint that thinks it's a quart!" Or: "that thinks it's a short". Or: "that's as flat as a fart". And what about the Tetley Bittermen, who didn't have a song but did have those thumped chords on the piano followed by the big riff in the brass, as they strode up to the bar in their (if my memory serves) Arran sweaters. Maybe they were folkies all along. Slogans: "Looks good, tastes good and, by golly, it does you good" How true. Then there was one for Watneys starring Peter Cook, who recited: "Watneys Pale, good clear ale Watneys Brown, drink it down... And if you don't drink Watneys I'll smash your face in" Ah yes, here it is... There is indeed some subliminal power there. Some of those were on TV when I was a dozen years too young to buy beer legally, but the jingles still stuck. |
08 Jan 13 - 06:32 AM (#3463042) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Gallus Moll me again -- I just checked and youtube has the Frankie Miller / Dougie MacLean song advert when you google Tennents advert 'Caledonia' - definitely worth watching! Tattie Bogle please put clicky link? |
08 Jan 13 - 07:43 AM (#3463061) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Mr Red Will they become folk songs? I give you Hot Cross Buns Hot Cross Buns, one a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns. etc etc etc. Was that an advertising jingle or what? Or do folklorist prefer the soubriquet "Street Cries" ? There are many more, but "Hot Cross Buns" is the most memorable. And was around when Jones' Ale was New, Me Boys, When Jones' Aaaaaale........ was New! |
08 Jan 13 - 08:23 AM (#3463087) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Brian Peters I give you Hot Cross Buns Hot Cross Buns, one a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns. etc etc etc. Was that an advertising jingle or what? Or do folklorist prefer the soubriquet "Street Cries" ? Wikipedia claims that it started off as a street cry before being buffed up and published in the form of the nursery rhyme some of us remember from our youth. Seems to have been a traditional seasonal song as well. The thing about the beer ads is that, although they have clearly stuck in our minds, I doubt they were ever sung for fun by the general public. 'Nice One Cyril', on the other hand, was an ad slogan for a bakery, that was turned into a football chant by Tottenham fans (or did the commercial record come first?) and spread like wildfire. People to this day still say 'Nice one!' in conversation. |
08 Jan 13 - 10:24 AM (#3463136) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Steve Gardham If we're side-stepping onto street cries you can take 'Three Jolly Fisherman' back to Lady Nairn's 'Caller Herrin' and then back to the Edinburgh street cry. Great thread! Brian, that's an interesting and debatable thought....in order to be classified as a folk song it has to pass through familial generations; generations perhaps, but in a much wider sense. For instance the terrace cries fulfil all the criteria for folk song but have not necessarily been passed down through families. |
08 Jan 13 - 10:44 AM (#3463141) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Back in the early '70s, when the Watneys Red campaign was at its height, I was unfortunate enough to live in a part of west London which could best be described as a beer drinkers' desert. The overwhelming majority of the pubs around those parts were owned by Watneys and the few which weren't sold stuff which was equally as bad. I was also a member of a miniscule Trotskyist sect which was one day going to sieze power in the name of the people and usher in the socialist paradise. (Thinks. (Sigh. Where did it all go wrong?)) Anyway, one day I was grousing to a group of comrades about the state of the muck which was being passed off as a product of the red revolution; I'm sure you'll remember the adverts and the phoney Russian accents. And I opined that, come the real revolution, there would be wall to wall real ale and every last drop of it would be free. One guy who hadn't said a word up until this point, interjected with a sentence which has given me sleepless nights ever since. He said, "Come the revolution there won't be any beer". We asked why not and he said, "Because under socialism, the need for stimulants will disappear." Needless to say I left the said organisation shortly afterwards and went off instead in search of the perfect pint. |
08 Jan 13 - 11:30 AM (#3463156) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Mr Happy I don't recall any adverts for old beer? |
08 Jan 13 - 11:51 AM (#3463161) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Who said anything about old beer? Watneys Red would have corroded the casks it was stored in if it had been left for any length of time. |
08 Jan 13 - 12:33 PM (#3463174) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome It's teh Worthing taste that satisfies, Your worthy Worthington - Only bit I can remember. What about "Any Tom. Jack or Walt Who likes the taste of Malt With love the Malt in a Colt 45" And the subsequent jokes Can I have a Colt 45 please? Sorry, not got any. OK. I'll have a Luger and lime... :D tG |
08 Jan 13 - 01:33 PM (#3463196) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Dave the Gnome Whoops - WorthingTON tastr that satisfies... |
08 Jan 13 - 01:40 PM (#3463202) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,Eliza Having lived in Central Scotland for many years I distinctly remember, "Aye! McEwans! The best buy in beer!" They made Export and Heavy, both of which were delicious, but not as good as Adnam's brewed in Suffolk. Is there a song about Adnam's? |
08 Jan 13 - 02:49 PM (#3463224) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: fat B****rd There was Newcastle Brown TV ad to the tune of ... ....... ..... (guess what) which went something like; "Oh me lad, Newcastle Brown's a winner Seven or eight on a Saturday night Three or four with Sunday dinner" |
08 Jan 13 - 02:54 PM (#3463226) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Gurney It has been done the other way around, as referred to by DavetheGnone halfway up there. Nottingham Ale jingle to the tune Lillibullero. |
08 Jan 13 - 03:55 PM (#3463269) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Rumncoke I remember the new pub which was built in Portsmouth city centre, right by the Guildhall and which had the machine gun of the war memorial pointing at the back window before the powers that be rotated the statue onto a less amusing target. It was owned by the local brewery, the name of which escapes me, but I remember they put a big tank on the roof to catch the stuff they sold as beer. That is Portsmouth in Hampshire on the South coast of England. Hang on - it was Brickwoods. I don't think anyone ever sang about it. |
08 Jan 13 - 05:08 PM (#3463300) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: ollaimh the canadian brewery olands had a beer called scooner export. a grandson of the brewery owner wrote a jingle for it "the bluenose is sailing once again" . olands brewery was the major funder to rebuild the bluenose. the jingle was so popular michael stanbury--ther writer, wrote a whole song which is still sung around nova scotia. it\s a good song. |
08 Jan 13 - 06:04 PM (#3463329) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: The Sandman was little brown jug ever used? |
08 Jan 13 - 07:30 PM (#3463374) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Tattie Bogle Just for Gallus Moll.....you can buy me a cider at the next Ballad Workshop, and I'll teach you how to do "blickies"! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX9h558Tz1E |
08 Jan 13 - 09:00 PM (#3463406) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Joe Offer I used to annoy my parents in the car by leading my siblings in rousing renditions of beer commercials. My favorite was: Let's get together with a glass of Schlitz, A friendly glass of Schlitz. Brewed with pride and just a kiss of the hops [smack!], It puts real gusto into every drop. So, let's get together with a glass of Schlitz, A friendly glass of Schlitz. Real gusto in a great....light....beer. Our other favorite was: I'm from Milwaukee, and I oughta know, It's draft-brewed Blatz beer, Wherever you go. Smoother....fresher....less-filling, that's clear; Blatz is Milwaukee's finest beer. I found out much later that Blatz was terrible, but I still like their advertising jingle. Hamm's beer (from Minnesota) was cheaper (15 cents a glass in 1970), so lots of people in Southeastern Wisconsin drank Hamm's:
Capturing the frosty enchantment, Hamm's Beer, Refreshing Hamm's Beer.
From the land of pines, lofty balsams, Comes the beer refreshing, Hamm's, the beer refreshing. (click) -Joe, born in Detroit (home of fire-brewed Stroh's) and raised in Racine/Milwaukee (home of Schlitz, Pabst, Blatz, and Miller's)- |
08 Jan 13 - 09:06 PM (#3463408) Subject: Hamm's Commercial From: Joe Offer Here are more complete lyrics to the Hamm's commercial: From the Land of Sky Blue Waters, From the land of pines, lofty balsams, Comes the beer refreshing, Hamm's the beer refreshing. Brewed where nature works her wonders, Aged for many moons, gently mellowed, Hamm's the beer refreshing, Hamm's the beer refreshing. From across the rippling water, Through the whisp'ring pines and birches, Comes the beer refreshing, Hamm's the beer refreshing. Comes a call to cool enchantment, Comes a call to cool refreshment, Hamm's the beer refreshing, Hamm's the beer refreshing. Hints of lakes and sunset breezes, Dance and sparkle in each glassful, Hamm's the beer refreshing, Hamm's the beer refreshing. Source: http://www.beerknurd.com/store.beers.process.php?brew=6719 |
08 Jan 13 - 09:28 PM (#3463416) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Stilly River Sage Hamm's Beer Commercial - land of sky blue waters, the original black and white commercial I remember. Here's one in color. Here's the YouTube search. SRS |
09 Jan 13 - 12:07 AM (#3463443) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Semofolkie What better to go with a good beer folk song, than a good irish chili folk song. "Something's cooking at the Kelly's and it's good good good." *laughs* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrIId2m9Rdw |
09 Jan 13 - 01:28 AM (#3463452) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Seamus Kennedy "If you've got the time, we've got the beer, (Beer after beer), Miller tastes too good to hurry through..." "Here's to good times, tonight is kinda special, The beer we pour must say something more somehow; So tonight, tonight, let it be Lowenbrau." |
09 Jan 13 - 03:22 AM (#3463461) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,Trevor Sheridan There was a lovely cartoon advert of the McEwans cavalier singing "McEwans is the best buy, the best buy, the best buy McEwans is the best buy, the best buy in beer Best buy McEwans, McEwans, McEwans (then he ran off in the distance) Best buy McEwans the best buy in beer" and as Jim B said earlier it was a smashing pint especially in South Shields !!! |
09 Jan 13 - 04:28 AM (#3463468) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Nigel Parsons Tune for the above? Could it be 'Ach Du Lieber Augustin' ? |
09 Jan 13 - 05:56 AM (#3463490) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Brian Peters "For instance the terrace cries fulfil all the criteria for folk song but have not necessarily been passed down through families." Yes of course, Steve - terrace chants represent my only participation in an authentic singing tradition, so I'm hanging on to them! A lot of what we call folk songs do seem to have been passed on primarily through families, but of course there were other places like pub sings and so forth, where they could be passed across generations. The beer ads, unlike terrace chants, never caught on as mass participation songs, so it's hard to imagine them getting passed on at all - it's hardly the kind of thing you'd sing your kids to sleep with. Or would you? |
09 Jan 13 - 06:31 AM (#3463498) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Mr Happy .........& then there's the Spoonerisms: 'A pint of Titbread Wankard & a half of shitter bandy' !! |
09 Jan 13 - 07:24 AM (#3463516) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Edthefolkie Blimey, must be about 35 years since I last heard Titbread Wankard. I think I first heard it from an oaring friend who drank in the Auriol Rowing Club (Leander's poor neighbour in Hammersmith). Maurice the barsteward used to sell us housemates a keg of the foul stuff complete with plastic tankard-fronted dispenser & pipes, for our parties in Norf Landon. However we kept the Fullers ESB in the garage so the cognoscenti could get the real stuff. No doubt the odd Mudcatter found their way in there - I know people used to trek from as far as Croydon, and we hosted a Detroitian, a Louisville Kentuckian, and a Guyanan at various times. |
09 Jan 13 - 11:20 AM (#3463598) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Charley Noble I don't think anyone has mentioned "When Jones'/Johnson's Ale was New" or my all time favorite "Dead Dog Scrumpy/Cider." I mind purchasing a bottle of Dead Dog Cider in Cornwall many years ago; since then my search for a better brew has been curtailed. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
09 Jan 13 - 12:14 PM (#3463619) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Mr Red Now apart from me mentioning it, I don't think anyone else did. So was it Jones', Joneses, Joan's, Joanses and now I have to consider Johnson's Ale? Methinks all of the above at some stage. I agree that football chants are far more likely to survive and reach public domain status than commercial fair. But don't forget the Coke ads that simultaneously aired when the group released the non-coke version. And there is always the modern technique of viral advertising, will it be a song or an ad? Or most likely both. |
09 Jan 13 - 05:05 PM (#3463718) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Gallus Moll Thanks Tattie Bogle for the clicky to Frankie Miller / Caledonia / Tennents advert! |
10 Jan 13 - 10:53 AM (#3463962) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Soldier boy Roll out the barrel........ |
10 Jan 13 - 10:59 AM (#3463966) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Rusty Dobro "....delicious, but not as good as Adnam's brewed in Suffolk. Is there a song about Adnam's?" Jonwithoutan'h', the legendary keyboard player with the Trembling Wheelbarrows, NE Suffolk's premier comedy-rock band, performs the old Kinks favourite 'Dedicated Swallower of Adnams'. Other songs by the faded four also include references to the amber ambrosia. |
10 Jan 13 - 04:10 PM (#3464145) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: ripov alongside Nottingham and Jones's ales, Watkins ale seems still to be popular, though never advertised by name. |
13 Jan 13 - 04:09 PM (#3465603) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Nigel Parsons Having been put in mind of the old adverts I decided to try again for the Whitbread ones (Percy French parodies). Now the one I couldn't find in the past, and another, are on the net. From Here Now legend lampoons one old humpy galoon, Who loved Whitbread Best Bitter beer. But he got an eyeful of his canny rival One Abdul the Bulbul Ameer. Now that man with his can really shook poor Ivan Thinking drinking from tins irregular. If it's take home he needs let him take home this steed Reasoned Ivan Skavinsky Skavar Oh Abdul had this ploy of a female decoy Fooling Ivan who fools he rejects. Be it draught or in cans well we don't give a *** But the best best needs no etiquette. From Here From the old hist'ry books come two battling bazooks. Count Ivan and Abdul Ameer But on the dot of half five, they knock off feeling dry, And request Whitbread Best Bitter beer. Now Abdul likes his jug in the men only snug, Telling blue jokes not for ladies' ears. While Ivan's lip curls, "Whitbread's best with the girls." And I think the advantage is clear. So we now see Abdul break his 'men only' rule "But at Whitbread they say 'What the heck' Drink with ladies or gents" it makes no difference 'Cos the best best needs no etiquette. |
25 Mar 14 - 01:59 PM (#3612721) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,Chris Bealey I remember the John Smiths add: To the tune of jona lewie,stop the cavalry. Got my L.A shirt & my disco trousers all topped off with an Elvis quiff. The night is young & I smell like a surfer want some mates to go out with. Got a mate called brown & a mate called jones we're off to see a mate called smith. Could meet a bird by the name of lulu, moves like a zulu on a hot plate, she might seem keen & dance like a dream but nothing comes between me & my mate. For a great little mover that goes down smooth get yourself a mate called smith. Sad eh? |
25 Mar 14 - 02:59 PM (#3612743) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Big Al Whittle OBJ! OBJ! Finest drink in the world today! Lifts you up when you are down You will never wear a frown Oh Be Joyful! perhaps I imagined it. |
26 Mar 14 - 03:41 PM (#3612995) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST Going back to the original posting my memory of the Watneys Red Barrel song, sung to the tune of Roll Out the Barrel was Roll out Red Barrel, let's have a barrel of beer Roll out Red Barrel (can't remember this bit) Roll out Red Barrel, making us full of good cheer What we want is Watneys Red Barrel It's our favourite beer The bit I can't remember should be 'our taste buds are clearly queer' if you ever tasted the abomination that was Red Barrel but it was clever of them to get the 'What we want is Watneys slogan in at the end. In fact they replaced the stuff with Watneys Red because sales were so bad (slogan Join the Red Revolution). One pint was enough to persuade me and most people that it was no improvement. |
26 Mar 14 - 04:27 PM (#3613005) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,jim bainbridge I used to play music regularly at the Jolly Roger pub on Sherkin Island, West Cork in the 90s- a dangerous job but someone had to do it. I recall Monica & Geoff, lovely English people who ran an excellent pub telling me that in the first few weeks of their arrival, the locals bemoaned the beer & said it was much better before they arrived. Monica & Geoff were polite about it but while searching around the stuff left by the previous owners, they found a photo of them standing proudly in front of the beer pumps - Watneys Red Barrel and the dreaded Ind Coope- they produced it and heard not a word more... |
27 Mar 14 - 06:08 PM (#3613209) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,henryp Ask for Younger, Ask for Younger, Get Younger every day |
28 Mar 14 - 09:55 AM (#3613366) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Old Grey Wolf There was a brilliant ad on German TV for bottled beer in the 70s. I can't remember the beer but tune was unforgetable, pity it wasn't in English as well. I remember a german team singing it on the Nijmegan 4 Days Marches Do any of our German members remember it? |
28 Mar 14 - 12:48 PM (#3613403) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Tug the Cox Big Al, OBJ was the stand out product from Beesleys of Plumstead, sadly bought out by Courage. |
28 Mar 14 - 02:41 PM (#3613441) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST I used to play music regularly at the Jolly Roger pub on Sherkin Island, West Cork in the 90s- a dangerous job but someone had to do it." a Dangerous job? more like am exhausting job, I speak from experience. the Garda could be seen if they were coming from the mainland, so the hours of playing could be long,I SAW THE DAWN ON OCCASIONS. |
28 Mar 14 - 02:43 PM (#3613442) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,DickMiles BUT I NEVER SAW THE LIGHT |
28 Mar 14 - 05:48 PM (#3613483) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,henryp OBJ - Dutton's Brewery of Blackburn also brewed and bottled an old English ale OBJ: Oh Be Joyful. |
30 Dec 20 - 07:25 AM (#4085660) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: GUEST,Inkys68Dad Re :- watneys I recall an advert for Watneys Keg red barrel which was sung by a male voice choir and went thus: What's the beer that beats the rest Watneys keg red Barrel The splendid beer that beats the test, Watneys keg red barrel Drink Red barrel near or far In pub or club or any bar It's just as good wherever you are Trust Watneys Keg Red Barrel |
30 Dec 20 - 08:52 AM (#4085674) Subject: RE: Will old beer adverts become folksongs? From: Long Firm Freddie The Music Hall song "Down At The Old Bull and Bush" made famous in the UK by Florrie Forde was an adaptation of "Under the Anheuser Bush", a song promoting the products of the Anheuser Busch brewery. LFF |