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18 Jul 01 - 11:01 AM (#509564) Subject: Lyr Add: ALICE WHITE (Alan Bell) From: JudeL Last year at Towersey Susan asked for the lyrics of Alice White. I was not connected to the net at the time and all but forgot about it, but I just checked the DT and it's still not there so here goes: ALICE WHITE (Alan Bell) My name is Alice White, I'd have you all to know I left my father's farm, A long long time ago My mother called me a silly lass She said I'd rue the day That I followed on the heels Of the navvies My first man Dandy Jack Was handsome young and fine And we travelled throughout England As we trudged from line to line We lived in shanty houses Had lodgers and children three As I worked to fill the needs Of the navvies When Dandy Jack was killed Beneath a fall of stone I wept and cursed the day That ever I was born But the children needed feeding And many men looked at me so I took another man from the navvies Time came I was deserted When my children numbered five And I had to take another man Just to keep us all alive And now I've had so many men They call me Alice Free As I've lived my life away With the navvies And now I'm getting old And grey before my time With the work and the childbearing As we trudged from line to line I often think of poor Dandy Jack Lying so cold in his grave He's the only one I loved Of the navvies |
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18 Jul 01 - 11:05 AM (#509566) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White From: MMario tune? |
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18 Jul 01 - 11:24 AM (#509585) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White From: JudeL If I can work out how to use paltalk I can sing it to you |
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21 Aug 03 - 11:15 AM (#1005881) Subject: Lyr Add: Alice White From: Snuffy Surprised this hasn't been harvested. According to Folk North West the author is Alan Bell, who also wrote WINDMILL, WHEN FIRST WE MET, FAIR STOOD THE WIND and BREAD AND FISHES, all of which ARE in the DT. He has this to say of Alice White: Well the Taverners evolved in the early 60's - Big Pete Rodger, Stu Robinson, Brian and myself. We were touring throughout the UK making records and numerous radio and TV appearances, constantly asked to do songs from the North West and finding very little traditional material. I began with songs such as 'The Packman' and 'Windmills'. I also put together a radio ballad of the Settle and Carlisle railway for the BBC. It took about a year and then I was told the whole programme concept had gone away. The only remaining song today is 'Alice White'. All of these (except When First We Met) are on THE ALAN BELL BAND "With Bread and Fishes" Dragon Records DRGNCD942 |
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19 Dec 07 - 09:40 AM (#2218891) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White From: Ian Hendrie Does anyone have the chords or tune for this? |
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28 Jul 08 - 08:10 AM (#2399331) Subject: Lyr Add: ALICE WHITE (Alan Bell) From: Mark Dowding A few corrections to the words below. This was written for a play called "The Last Road North" by Alan and this song was to be sung by Marie Little. Alice White was a real person and she was 38 when she died. Although this song was written about the building of the railway, it has been taken up by the canal song fraternity for obvious reasons. ALICE WHITE My name is Alice White, I'd have you all to know. I left my father's farm a long time ago. My mother called me a silly lass and said I'd rue the day That I followed on the heels of the navvies. My first man, Dandy Jack, was handsome, young and fine, And I loved him right through England as we tramped from line to line. We lived in shanty houses with lodgers and children three As I worked to fill the needs of the navvies. When Dandy Jack was killed beneath a fall of stone, I wept and cursed the day that ever I was born; But the children needed feeding and many men looked at me, So I jumped the brush to stay with the navvies. Time came I was deserted when my children numbered five, So I got me yet another man for to keep us all alive; And so I've known so many men they call me Alice Free, As I've lived my life away with the navvies And now I'm getting old and grey before my time,; With the work and the childbearing as we tramped from line to line But I'll never forget poor Dandy Jack lying so cold in his grave. He's the only one I loved of the navvies. From Joe Offer: I've listened to the recording by a female singer on the CD Alan Bell: The Definitive Collection, and I hear a few things differently: ALICE WHITE (Alan Bell) My name is Alice White, I'd have you all to know. I left my father's farm a long time ago. My mother called me a silly lass and said I'd rue the day That I followed on the heels of the navvies. My first man, Dandy Jack, he was handsome, young and fine, And I loved him right through England as we tramped from line to line. We lived in shanty houses with lodgers and children three As I worked to fill the needs of the navvies. When Dandy Jack was killed beneath a fall of stone, Well, I wept and cursed the day that ever I was born; But the children needed feeding and many men looked at me, So I jumped the brush to stay with the navvies. Time came I was deserted when my children numbered five, So I took me yet another man for to keep us all alive; And now I've known so many men they called me Alice Free, As I've lived my life away with the navvies And now I'm getting old and grey before my time,; With the work and the childbearing as we tramped from line to line But I'll ne'er forget poor Dandy Jack lying so cold in his grave. He's the only one I loved of the navvies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhM4j6yavPA |
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06 Mar 13 - 11:15 PM (#3487361) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White (Alan Bell) From: GUEST Chords to this? |
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06 Mar 13 - 11:18 PM (#3487366) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White (Alan Bell) From: Semofolkie oops. What are the chords to this? |
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07 Mar 13 - 05:13 AM (#3487412) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White (Alan Bell) From: Sailor Ron Semofolkie,you could contact Alan Bell direct on the Fylde Folk Festival web site or E Mail him, I'm sure he couls answeer your question |
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07 Mar 13 - 05:27 AM (#3487416) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White (Alan Bell) From: GUEST,Swaleman Chords as in 'The Alan Bell Song Book' published by Tamlyn Music Ltd, 55 The Strand, Fleetwood Lancashire. Dm F C Dm My name is Alice White, I'd have you all to know. F C Dm I left my father's farm a long time ago. C Dm A7 My mother called me a silly lass and said I'd rue the day Dm C Dm That I followed on the heels of the navvies. Hope that helps. Swaleman. |
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07 Mar 13 - 05:35 AM (#3487420) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White (Alan Bell) From: GUEST,Swaleman The chords have moved from the positions when I submitted them and should read as follows: chords Line 1 Dm above name F above White C above have Dm above know line 2 F above farm C above long Dm above go line 3 C above silly Dm above said A7 above day Line 4 Dm above followed C above heels Dm above Navvies Hope that's clear. |
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29 Jul 17 - 05:53 AM (#3868950) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White (Alan Bell) From: GUEST,Ken of Sussex What does "jumped the brush" in the line "So I jumped the brush to stay with the navvies" mean? Is it like jumping the broom(-stick) in some ethnic marriage ceremonies? |
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29 Jul 17 - 06:31 AM (#3868951) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Alice White (Alan Bell) From: Snuffy That's exactly what it means. One woman's broom is another woman's brush |