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03 Aug 22 - 07:58 AM (#4149126) Subject: Fred Jordans Boots From: The Sandman To be sung to the tune of the long black veil. Fred Jordans boots, to be sung to the tune long black veil... FRED JORDAN'S BOOTS Some years ago, on a cold dark night Some boots did sing, 'neath the town hall light There were few at the scene, but they all said That the boots that they saw, looked a lot like Freds The voice that they heard, had a Shropshire twang the Outlandish Knight, was the first they sang I spoke not a word, but listened entranced When the song did end, the Boots did a dance They walks the hills of the long white cloud They visits the town when the night winds howl Nobody knows, nobody sees Nobody knows but me the, voice sounds good and the diction clear the boots tap the ground and shed not a tear But late at night, when the north wind blows In the long white cloud they sing loud and slow they walks these hills of the long white cloud they visits the sea when the night winds howl Nobody knows, nobody sees Nobody knows but me Freds Boots are in New Zealand the land of the long white cloud |
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03 Aug 22 - 08:53 AM (#4149133) Subject: RE: Fred Jordans Boots From: Daniel Kelly Colum Sands also wrote a great song about Fred's Boots. |
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03 Aug 22 - 09:25 AM (#4149139) Subject: RE: Fred Jordans Boots From: GUEST,groovy Jordan's! Fred's! |
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03 Aug 22 - 01:58 PM (#4149155) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: The Sandman quite right, incorrect use of apostrophe, thanks |
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03 Aug 22 - 02:07 PM (#4149156) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: Joe Offer There are two complete albums of Fred Jordan recordings at YouTube, but nothing about his boots. Not even a picture of his boots. Somebody, tell me about his boots. Did you write the song, Dick? Should I correct the apostrophes and add your name to the song? -Joe- |
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03 Aug 22 - 02:29 PM (#4149158) Subject: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots (Dick Miles) From: The Sandman well the tune is the long black veil, the words are mine, so correct apostrophes and add my name to it but here are some improvements FRED JORDAN'S BOOTS (Dick Miles) - melody: Long Black Veil Many years ago, on a cold dark night Some boots did sing, 'neath the town hall light There were few at the scene, but they all said That the boots that they saw, looked a lot like Fred's CHORUS They walk the hills of the long white cloud They visits the town when the night winds howl Nobody knows, nobody sees Nobody knows just you and me The voice that they heard, had a Shropshire ring the Outlandish Knight, was the first they did sing I spoke not a word, but listened entranced When the song did end, the Boots did a dance They walks the hills of the long white cloud They visits the town when the night winds howl Nobody knows, nobody sees Nobody knows just you n me The voice sounds strong the vibrato clear the boots tap the ground and shed not a tear [or fear] But late at night, when the north wind blows In the long white cloud they sing loud and slow they walk these hills of the long white cloud they visit the sea when the night winds howl Nobody knows, nobody sees Nobody knows just you n me unbeknown to me there is a completely different song by Colum Sands on the same subject his boots were farm worker's boots and they were taken to new zealand by roger giles[the long white cloud is the maori name for new zealand FredJordan always sang in his farm workers clothes which included leggings to stop the rodents running up his trousers and boots if i have that wrong please correct me, but that is how i remeber him |
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03 Aug 22 - 06:28 PM (#4149174) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey I am sure that somewhere on Mudcat are the full details of (the late) Roger Giles involvement as young man with Fred and how he became the owner of Fred's boots after Fred died. Perhaps someone with more time to investigate can find the relevant reference. An obituary thread on Roger may be the place to start. |
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04 Aug 22 - 01:34 AM (#4149221) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: The Sandman if the song reminds people of Fred, and his singing and traditional songs that he sang,IMO that is a good thing. IMO getting people intersted in traditional songs is something i feel is worthwhile |
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04 Aug 22 - 03:23 AM (#4149229) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: The Sandman Fred Jordan Farm worker who became a folk circuit favourite Derek Schofield Thu 8 Aug 2002 02.12 BST Fred Jordan, who has died aged 80, was a Shropshire-born folk singer and one of the last survivors of a way of life long since disappeared. A frequent performer at folk music festivals, he was awarded the English Folk Dance and Song Society's highest honour, the gold badge, for services to folk music, in 1996. Fred was born in Ludlow, Shropshire, the youngest of five children. He made his singing debut at the age of six on the stage of Ludlow's town hall with The Gypsy's Warning and won a pound. Always top of the class, he nevertheless left school at 14 and became a farm labourer, living in at the farms where he worked, generally looking after the horses, then still a feature of farm life in the county. His songs were learned from his parents, fellow workers and the Gypsies who travelled up and down Corve Dale, and he was welcome in the pub sing-songs on a Saturday night. This encouraged him to learn new songs. Fred's youth and willingness to sing soon led to him being invited to Birmingham, where he sang on the BBC radio folk dance programmes in the mid-50s. An appearance at an English Folk Dance and Song Society festival in London led to further invitations from the newly emerging folk clubs in the 50s and 60s. A tour of Scotland brought him into contact with the poet Hamish Henderson in Edinburgh and he sang at concerts at Manchester's Free Trade Hall and the Royal Festival Hall in London. When the folk festival scene took off in the 1960s, Fred was a favourite performer, especially at the legendary Keele Festival, which continues as the National Folk Music Festival. He also appeared at festivals in Cambridge, Bromyard, Sidmouth, Redcar and Whitby. By then he was working as a casual farm worker, where his jobs included fencing, hedging, ditching and harvesting. This allowed him time to travel and sing. Fred's unaccompanied singing was first available commercially in the US on a series of albums compiled by Peter Kennedy and Alan Lomax, and released here by Topic Records in the late 1960s. It was Topic which issued two solo albums - Songs Of A Shropshire Farm Worker (1966) and When The Frost Is On The Pumpkin (1974) - and several of his songs were included on the acclaimed Voice of the People series of 20 CDs. His songs included The Banks Of The Sweet Primroses, with which he invariably started his performances, and the classic ballads The Outlandish Knight and Barbara Allan, as well as his "signature song" The Farmer's Boy. He continued to learn songs from the singers he met in the folk clubs and festivals, and they were all sung in his distinctive style, with a slight vibrato in his voice and a subtle and skilful use of melodic ornament. In performance, he sang with a dead-pan expression and rarely talked between songs, a deliberate ploy which forced the audience to listen carefully to the words and story - he certainly saw himself as a story-teller through song. He had little or no interest in the trappings of a materialistic society - he owned neither a television nor a radio, but he was well-informed about current affairs - although he faithfully polished his large collection of horse brasses every week. He frequently turned up for concert and festival appearances in his working clothes, including hob-nail boots and cloth cap. In 1991, the English Folk Dance and Song Society released a new recording of his singing, In Course of Time. · Fred Jordan, folk singer and farm worker, born January 5 1922; died July 30 2002 |
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04 Aug 22 - 05:20 PM (#4149309) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: GUEST,henryp Thank you, Dick. It was Whitby Folk Week and we set off for a concert at the Sailing Club. At the top of the narrow flight of stairs stood Fred Jordan. Stay there, boy! he ordered. He came down the stairs and gripped my arms tightly. Looking me in the eyes, he said, 'Tis unlucky to pass on the stairs! I thought it would be unlucky to pass Fred anywhere. When I took my shirt off that night, there were five bruises on each arm. They were there for ten days. |
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05 Aug 22 - 09:10 AM (#4149371) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: Vic Smith I remember the sound of those boots clumping across the floor in the room above me at the Keele Folk Festival in 1970, very early on the Saturday and Sunday mornings of that weekend. Fred was in the room above me in the student accommodation. |
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05 Aug 22 - 09:23 AM (#4149372) Subject: RE: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots From: Splott Man When Dame Pattie and I visited Roger Giles and Hilary a few years ago, the boots were under the bed in the guest bedroom. They were brought out and ceremoniously placed on the grate in the living room for the duration of our stay. Colum Sands told us that he was given the same hospitality and was subsequently inspired to write his song of the same name. Splott Man |
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05 Aug 22 - 08:36 PM (#4149446) Subject: ADD: Fred Jordan's Boots (Colum Sands) From: Joe Offer FRED JORDAN'S BOOTS (Colum Sands) There are monuments raised to men of the sword Who conquered on many's a shore But to read of their deeds and the flags they have planted I don't stop to look anymore For no roots grow on flagpoles nor flowers upon flags And they all fade away before long So I'm singing tonight for a labouring man Who planted a garden of song
And it's one step and two we're following you Down by the banks where the primroses grew One step and two we're following you The songs you once carried now carrying you It's a right step from Auckland to Fred Jordan's house Ten thousand miles, maybe more But here as we sip by the volcano's lip The memories pour in by the score There's a black-and-white photograph up on the wall Says Roger, "I’ll show you some more" And back in he comes with the heart of this song The boots that Fred Jordan wore. CHORUS These boots they were made for a labouring man A man who could carry a song From the fields around Ludlow to many's the stage These boots carried Fred Jordan on And when time overtook him he sensed the last verse But his song wasn't ready to end And Roger, he knew as he gave them to you Saying kick out these boots, my old friend. CHORUS And here in this house where the volcanoes sleep There are places and spaces to dream A song for the morning, a drink for the night And stories for times in between There's food on the table a fire on the hearth And a welcome for those on the roam In Takarunga this night I know in my heart That Fred Jordan's boots are at home
FRED JORDAN'S BOOTS (Colum Sands) There are (C)monuments (G)raised to (G7)men of the (Am)sword Who (C)conquered on many's a (G)shore But to (C)read of their (G)deeds and the (G7)flags they have (Am)planted I (C)don't stop to (G)look any(C)more For no (Gm)roots grow on flagpoles nor (F)flowers upon flags And they (C)all fade away before (G)long So I'm (C)singing to(G)night for a (C)labouring (F)man Who (C)planted a (G)garden of (C)song CHORUS And it's (C)one step and (G)two we're (G7)following (Am)you (C)Down by the banks where the (F)primroses (G)grew (C)One step and (G)two we're (G7)following (Am)you - Am The (C)songs you once (G)carried now (G7)carrying (C)you -C-G-G7-C It's a (C)right step from (G)Auckland to (G7)Fred Jordan's (Am)house (C)Ten thousand miles, maybe (G)more But (C)here as we (G)sip by the (G7)volcano's (Am)lip The (C)memories (G)pour in by the (C)score There's a (Gm)black-and-white photograph (F)up on the wall Says (C)Roger, "I’ll show you some (G)more" And (C)back in he (G)comes with the (C)heart of this (F)song The (C)boots that (G)Fred Jordan (C)wore. CHORUS These (C)boots they were (G)made for a (G7)labouring (Am)man A (C)man who could carry a (G)song From the (C)fields around (G)Ludlow to (G7)many's the (Am)stage These (C)boots carried (G)Fred Jordan (C)on And when (Gm)time overtook him he (F)sensed the last verse But his (C)song wasn't ready to (G)end And (C)Roger, he (G)knew as he (C)gave them to (F)you Saying (C)kick out these (G)boots, my old (C)friend. CHORUS And (C)here in this (G)house where the (G7)volcanoes (Am)sleep There are p(C)laces and spaces to (G)dream A (C)song for the (G)morning, a (G7)drink for the (Am)night And (C)stories for (G)times in bet(C)ween There's (Gm)food on the table a (F)fire on the hearth And a (C)welcome for those on the (G)roam In Taka(C)runga this (G)night I (C)know in my (F)heart That (C)Fred Jordan's (G)boots are at (C)home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0QMUx6Quis |