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Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs

09 Mar 01 - 01:13 PM (#414135)
Subject: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C

Somewhere recently there was reference here (maybe in the Kipper family thread) to two parody songs that June Tabor sings. One is a parody of Bill Staines' lovely song "The Roseville Fair." The other is a "Broken Token" song in which the fair maid can't find the right token in her purse to match that of the particular long lost lover who is standing before her. I would very much appreciate the lyrics to either of the above.

09 Mar 01 - 02:02 PM (#414165)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: zander (inactive)

June usually sings songs like this with the ' Mrs. Ackroyd Band ' formed by Les Barker. Cheers, Dave

09 Mar 01 - 04:44 PM (#414238)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Snuffy

Les wrote a version of The January Man for her called The January June

09 Mar 01 - 10:52 PM (#414436)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)

That's the way to treat a banjo

10 Mar 01 - 03:44 AM (#414523)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Sarah the flute

There's a parody of one of the songs she sings The Plains of Waterloo entitled The trains of Waterloo !!!

10 Mar 01 - 10:41 AM (#414616)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C

Rich, thank you, thank, you, thank you...I can't even type without having hysterics.

10 Mar 01 - 12:19 PM (#414682)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Gervase

There's also a wicked parody of the King of Rome, as sung by Mike Gibson, about a marmalade cat falling foul of a loft-full of pigeons. Terrible taste, but wonderfully funny.
Now, if only I can persuade the bugger to give me the words...

11 Mar 01 - 07:06 AM (#415099)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Sooz

The broken token song is probably the Fair Maid of Melrose Town by Les Barker( in the book Beyond our Cairn ). The token by the way is an MFI wardrobe.

11 Mar 01 - 11:49 AM (#415200)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C

Sooz, do you have a verse or two to tease us with?

11 Mar 01 - 03:47 PM (#415361)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Bagpuss

I remember June singing a really funny version of "Johnny I hardly knew you", about John Major (when he was PM) called "Johnny you're so peculiar". Cant remember any of the lyrics though. And she did a paroday of "Yesterday" too which I have forgotten. Anyone know it?

Bagpuss

11 Mar 01 - 04:46 PM (#415403)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Morticia

Johnny you're so peculiar was also Les Barker, Bagpuss. I heard her do a splendidly vulgar and funny song regarding a sausage once.....does anyone know of it?

12 Mar 01 - 04:26 AM (#415676)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Wolfgang

January June

Wolfgang

14 Mar 01 - 03:03 PM (#417518)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF MELROSE TOWN (Les Barker)
From: Sooz

Sorry this took so long.......

THE MAID OF MELROSE TOWN (by Les Barker)

There is a maid in Melrose town
And she must grieve full sore
For her bold and handsome Willie
Says that he must go to war.
He has taken the king's shilling
And he has to go to Spain
And it's O I am unwilling
For it looks a bit like rain.

And it's O my dearest William,
Must ye gang awa to Spain
Let us split it all in twain.
On the day those halves unite,
Then so too shall we, my love;
And she gave him half a wardrobe
And the poor sod staggered off.

Willie's gone to be a soldier,
Willie's gone for quite a while
With a wardrobe on his shoulder
Down the M6 at Ca4isle;
Laden down with half a wardrobe,
All through England, France and Spain,
Where he found the war had finished
So he set off home again.

And he marched back into Melrose
And he took his token out,
But his fair, his dearest maiden
Told him war had broken out.
Brave Willie, you must go, she said,
And blew the sweetest kiss,
And she handed him his token,
Saying don't go without this.

So he marched to Barcelona
Where he found he'd been misled
For this war was in Sweden
And his true love hadn't said.
Poor brave Willie knew his duty
And he set off straight away,
But when he got to Stockholm
It had finished yesterday.

Willie met them Swedish girls,
And how poor Willie was enraged,
For when a man's got half a wardrobe
You can tell that he's engaged.
So he had an idea
That his half he'd maybe swop
And he went into Ikea ,
Changed his bottom for a top.

And he marched back into Melrose
Thinking soon he would be free
For we cannot make a wardrobe
And she'll think it isn't me.
But alas, his sweetest true love
Had been making other friends
And she had been to I
And had cunningly changed ends.

There is a maid in Melrose town,
On her face the widest grin,
For her bold and handsome Willie
Has returned from where he's been.
Who the hell are you? she says;
I don't think you're my love;
If your half don't fit on my half,
Well then, you can just sod off.

I'll go with that, said Willie,
For the boy had used his wits,
And he took his half a wardrobe
And then.. bloody hell, it fits!
There is a wife in Melrose town;
Some say that they are fools,
For she didn't want to marry;
Nor did he; but rules are rules.

14 Mar 01 - 04:18 PM (#417589)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C

Sooz, thanks very much for digging up the token song. As they say "The plot's so complex, it buggles the brain."

Maybe I'll use it back to back with the piano leg broken token song.

14 Mar 01 - 04:33 PM (#417604)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE CAT THAT ROAMED (Malcolm Austen)
From: Micca

Gervase ,you should have asked...
THE CAT THAT ROAMED

By Malcolm Austen

In the West End of Hayes lives a working man
He says I can't fly but me moggie can
He comes flying back to me
Lifted up by next-doors toe

There's a pigeon loft in next-doors yard
With locks and bars O entry was hard
But Charlie had a dream
Oh how he would scheme
Just to get amongst them for his tea

It was 1950, that's ten to eight
When the neighbour made his big mistake
Left the door open wide
Charlie got inside
Sometimes it seems your dreams come true

In the West End of Hayes life was hard
And so were those pigeons in next doors yard
Have you seen what beaks can do
It was far more peck than chew
Poor old Charlie how his fur did fly

The neighbour stormed out in a rage
To see Charlie fall out of that cage
He said cat you're going to fly
I'll lift you up so high
You'll think your never coming down

I was off with me mates for a pint or two
When I saw a bit of orange flash up in the blue
It's Charlie the cat that roamed
Flying back to his West End home
Come outside he's crashed upon the path

Get on up you flat moggie
And I'll fetch the vet to thee
Charlie I told you so
I warned you not to go
Now you'll need a lift just to reach me knee

In the West End of Hayes lives a working man
He says I can't fly but me moggie can
He comes flying back to me
Lifted up by next-doors toe

MAY1990

14 Mar 01 - 04:36 PM (#417610)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Micca

oops line 3+4 of verse 1 and 8 is missing should be
" and when my cat gets free

15 Mar 01 - 03:34 AM (#418003)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: GUEST,Sooze(at work)

What about the Les Barker parody of the King of Rome? Didn't mention it before because I don't think June sings it. Mind you, was the thread about parodies of songs sung by June or about songs sung by June which are parodies?

15 Mar 01 - 03:01 PM (#418383)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: GUEST,Roll&GO-C

I got all the goodies and then some that I was interested in when I started this thread. "The King of Rome" is already listed above. Now I just have to work on the songs and plot out who I want to ambush with them.

I am curious what an "MFI" wardrobe is a how one could purchase Les Barker's book Beyond our Cairn. I'm not adverse to paying money for good stuff. Any clues?

15 Mar 01 - 03:57 PM (#418454)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: June Tabor Parody Songs
From: Jeri

Charlie - lookie here.