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18 May 16 - 01:29 PM (#3790946) Subject: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: GUEST,Jon Berger There's an English country dance tune called "The Health," and it's just occurred to me that it's the tune to a song I remember from a long-ago recording by Strawhead. Does anyone remember the full lyric? The only lines I remember are "Boney's a great commander," "as brave as Alexander" (which probably rhymed with the first one), and "we'll die before we yield" at the end of the A part of the tune. Can anyone remind me of the complete lyric? |
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19 May 16 - 01:30 AM (#3791001) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: Joe Offer I looked and looked, and found nothing. Anybody? |
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19 May 16 - 01:43 AM (#3791002) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: Long Firm Freddie This may be it, though it's about Marlborough rather than Bonaparte. It's from the notes to Strawhead's Fortunes of War album (1978). I can't help about the tune at the moment, as the computer is being sniffy about reading the mp3s on my copy of The Complete Strawhead. 5. Marlborough's Health A Health to Marlborough at the time of the Battle of Oudenarde collated from two versions in Pills to Purge Melancholy. It succeeds in proposing a toast, mentioning most of the main characters of the Battle and throwing in a mention of Almanza all in two verses - no mean achievement. Words and Tune: (Wit and Mirth or Pills to Purge Melancholy. Thomas D'Urfey 1719.) Marlborough's a brave commander He conducts us into the field As brave as Alexander He'll die before he'll yield Vendome drew out to spite him The household troops to fight him Princes of the blood Got off as they could And ne'er durst return to fight him This is the year of wonders The gendarmes gored With bullet and sword Quake when the general thunders Almanza was the word Sound the trumpet sound boys Let no man steal your ground boys Ne'er let us flinch Nor give back an inch So let his health go round boys LFF |
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19 May 16 - 02:10 AM (#3791005) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: Long Firm Freddie Got it! Here's a link to the song and lyrics in Pills to Purge All Melancholy: Marlborough LFF |
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19 May 16 - 04:08 AM (#3791015) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: Joe Offer Touché, Freddie!!! I think you've got it. -Joe- |
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19 May 16 - 05:29 AM (#3791021) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: GUEST,MG Compleat Strawhead available HERE |
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19 May 16 - 07:09 AM (#3791038) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: Long Firm Freddie Thanks, Joe. I wonder if Guest MG is Malcolm Gibbons of Strawhead? If so, thanks for all the music! The Compleat Strawhead is a great buy - over 300 tracks for £30. The accompanying booklet is great too. I don't think I'd put the disk in properly before, because it's working just fine now! LFF |
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19 May 16 - 04:23 PM (#3791167) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: GUEST,MG You're most welcome ! |
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19 May 16 - 06:41 PM (#3791188) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: GUEST That's the one. Thanks so much! Apparently I mis-remembered who the great commander was, but this is definitely the right song because the music matches the tune I was curious about. There's an English country dance to it, recently reconstructed (and I think not yet published) by Andrew Shaw. |
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20 May 16 - 04:58 AM (#3791255) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawhead: 'Boney's a great commander' From: Long Firm Freddie You're welcome, Jon. Joe, would it be worth changing the thread title now? LFF |
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22 May 16 - 01:19 AM (#3791469) Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH'S HEALTH From: Jim Dixon From Wit and Mirth: Or Pills to Purge Melancholy..., Vol. 4 (London: Printed by William Pearson and Sold by John Young, 1709), page 9: THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH'S HEALTH Marlborough's a brave Commander, He Conducts us into the Field; As bold as Alexander, He'll Dy before he'll yield: Sound the Trumpet Sound boys, Let each Man stand his Ground boys; Ne'er let us flinch, nor give back an inch, And so let his Health go round boys. [The following Stan. made to the foregoing Tune on the Battle of Audenarde by Mr. D'Urfey.] Sing mighty Marlborough's Story, Mars of the Field He passes the Scheld, And to increase his Glory, The French all fly or yeild: Vendosme drew out to spine him, Th' Houshold Troops to fright him, Princes o' th' Blood Got of as they cou'd, But ne'er durst return to Fight him. This is the year of Wonders, The Gen d'arms Gor'd With Bullet and Sword, Quake when the General Thunders, Almanza was the word: Sound the Trumpet Sound boys, This to his Health be crown'd boys, Circle his Brows With fresh Oaken boughs, And thus let the Glass go round boys. Now we have made a Motion, Eugene the brave A Second shall have, And could we tope an Ocean, His due we hardly give: Still there's one more must be boys, Hannover makes 'em up three boys, Three in a Hand, I'll drink to my Friend, And so let us all agree boys. |
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27 May 16 - 10:46 AM (#3792444) Subject: RE: req/ADD: Marlborough's Health (Strawhead) From: GUEST,Gervase Just forked out a very reasonable £30 for the collection - absolutely blooming brilliant! I can't recommend this highly enough. So great to hear some of these songs again, and to hear some I've never heard before. Over 300 tracks. That's less than two bob a song. Buy it! |