Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song

03 Sep 01 - 05:21 PM (#540994)
Subject: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: McGrath of Harlow

For the last few months, like some others on the Mudcat, especially The Shambles, I've been posting away on discussions threads here (and in other places)about the way some councils in England are shutting down music sessions in pubs, because they say you need a special entertainment licence to sing or make music. Two current threads about this are here, and here.

Maybe if people won't listen to us talking and writing about it, we should try singing about it.

Anyway, while down at Fylde festival on Friday last, I wrote this song about it, on the interminable walk from the campsite to the town, and I sang it in a singaround when I got there. (And it was in the 4th, lunchtime edition of Penny Dreadful, the Fylde Festival newsletter, on Sunday.)

The tune is sort of "Sing a Song of Sixpence" or it might be "Marching Through Georgia" or some combination of the two. And thinking it over, the right to sing and make music that is under threat here is not just important in itself, which it is, but it represents other freedoms under attack or denied us, and I suppose this song is about that as well.

Singing in a pub one night,
drinking of a beer,
The landlord says "I'm sorry, lads,
you cannot sing in here,
The fella from the council,
he came on very strong,
I haven't got the licence
that will let you sing your songs."
So sing a song of freedom,
sing it while you may,
with their rules and regulations,
see them taking it away.
Sing a song of freedom,
but sing it very quiet.
If anyone should hear it,
then a licence is required.

"If I let you play your music,
I'll be sorry that I did.
They tell me I could face a fine
of twenty thousand quid.
Folk or jazz or rock-and-roll,
any kind of sound,
reggae, punk or Mozart,
you best not hang around.
One of you or two of you,
I'd let you sing a song -
But I'd be deep in trouble
if the others sang along.
(So if you) sing a song of freedom,
better sing it very quiet.
If anyone should hear it,
then a licence is required.

Land of Hope and Glory,
Mother of the Free -
if you keep your head down,
they just might let you be.
Land of Hope and Glory,
excuse me if I laugh -
if you want to sing a song,
best do it in your bath.
So sing a song of freedom,
sing it while you may,
with their rules and regulations,
see them taking it away.
Sing a song of freedom,
but sing it very quiet.
If anyone should hear it,
then a licence is required.

So sing a song of freedom,
sing it while you may,
though rules and regulations,
might be standing in the way
Sing a song of freedom,
sing it loud and clear.
Sing a song of freedom,
let them know that you are here..

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03 Sep 01 - 06:40 PM (#541046)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: running.hare

Hey thats great.

*up*

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03 Sep 01 - 07:07 PM (#541068)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: Gareth

The McGrath - Nice one, do yer mind if the Shambles n myself stick it in the collating website we is trying to write linking all sources etc on this sunject.

Gareth

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03 Sep 01 - 07:16 PM (#541079)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: McGrath of Harlow

Do that thing! Getting all the stuff together from the various thread will be a major enterprise.

Something that occurred to me - the Mudcat is in theory anyway an e-magazine as well as a forum plus the DT. So maybe an article in the Mudcat summing up all this (with links as appropriate) might be an appropriate format for bringing some of the information together. Easier to read, and it could even have pictures. That's if Max as Editor thinks it's a good idea.

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03 Sep 01 - 07:21 PM (#541082)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: Gareth

Lets try and get this Website up and running first. Ah well I had nothing planned for this week.

Gareth

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07 Sep 01 - 07:27 AM (#544326)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: McGrath of Harlow

I reckon this song works better with the Click go the Shears tune.

But be my guest, use any tune you like, if you feel like singing it.

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07 Sep 01 - 05:33 PM (#544770)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: GUEST,breezy

great scan.sixpence fits,i'll go and try shears now. come over to the bull redbourn herts one monday and lets hear the man do it.those who travel furthest get to sing most songs.j.b.

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09 Sep 01 - 07:27 PM (#545867)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: McGrath of Harlow

I'll try and do that soonish.

Tine and words keep changing every time I sing it, several times at Walton Folk Festival over the weekend for example. That's how it should be, the internalised folk process, making use of memory lapses. (It's what Sydney Carter used to do. It drove accompanists mad.) (But Click go the Shears seems to be winning - I'm doing it without the guitar, because that tends to pin down tunes prematurely. Not that the tune matters too much in this case, it's a vehicle for the words, which do.)

Anyway, here are the current words:

I walked into a public house,
And ordered up a beer.
The landlord says "I'm sorry, mate,
You cannot sing in here,
The fella from the council,
He came on very strong,
I haven't got the licence
That will let you sing your songs."
So sing a song of freedom,
Sing it while you may,
With their rules and regulations,
See them taking it away.
Sing a song of freedom,
But sing it very quiet.
If anyone joins the chorus,
Then a licence is required.

"One of you or two of you,
Well, that might be allowed -
But if anyone sang along with you,
Well, that would be a crowd.
If I let you play your music,
I'll be sorry that I did.
As landlord, I could face a fine
Of twenty thousand quid."
So sing a song of freedom,
Sing it while you may,
With their rules and regulations,
See them taking it away.
Sing a song of freedom,
But sing it very quiet.
If anyone joins the chorus,
Then a licence is required.

Football on the telly,
That can make the rafters ring,
But if you try to sing a song,
That's quite a different thing
Folk or jazz or rock-and-roll,
Any kind of sound,
Reggae, punk or Mozart,
They do not want you round.
(So if you) sing a song of freedom,
Better sing it very quiet.
If anyone joined the chorus,
Then a licence is required.

Land of Hope and Glory,
Mother of the Free -
If you keep your head down,
They just might let you be.
Land of Hope and Glory,
Excuse me if I laugh -
If you want to sing a song,
Best sing it in the bath.
So sing a song of freedom,
Sing it while you may,
With their rules and regulations,
See them taking it away.
Sing a song of freedom,
But sing it very quiet.
If anyone joins the chorus,
Then a licence is required.

So sing a song of freedom,
Sing it while you may,
Though rules and regulations,
Might be standing in the way
Sing a song of freedom,
Sing it loud and clear.
Sing a song of freedom,
Let them know that you are here.

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10 Sep 01 - 02:20 AM (#546012)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: The Shambles

Other songs that are suitable?

I woke up to Queen singing 'I want to break free'.

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06 Aug 02 - 12:07 PM (#760677)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: The Shambles

The tune is onr that the Yetties use for one of their songs about 'muck' - 'Fling it here. fling it there'. I must confess that I am struggling to remember the original song title. Can anyone help?

Sing it elswhere

Important to us, is to be able to sing
And thought by many, to be very fine thing
But councils officials, who can count up to three
Are making outlaws of you and me

Sing it here
Sing it there
For the sake of the landlord
Please sing it elsewhere

I bring you news of a terrible fact
Singing in pubs is a criminal act
At the moment you're safe if there's only two
But there's even worse news, in the Parliament due

Sing it here etc

The two in a bar rule is to be taken away
Now no one will be able to play
Folk songs from England or music from France
Without official permission sought well in advance

Sing it here etc

You can't sing, "pubic safety I'm afraid"
It would seem be fine, if your not paid?
It is only the Minister that understands
How the pub is unsafe, when 'money changes hands'

Sing it here etc

And the lads can crowd in, watch their team on TV
Need no, permission or a safe capacity
Can shout all they wish and nothing is wrong
Only, needing permission to burst into song

Sing it here etc

Football supporters with money to burn
Can wake up the neighbours, with no apparent concern
But you and the 'missus', you'd better beware
When you quietly burst into 'Scarborough Fair'

Sing it here etc

I would like you all to write your MP
Its time that they listened to you and to me
I don't know about you but I think this a farce
To hear politicians speak out of their (dispatch box)

Sing it here
Sing it there
For the sake of the landlord
Please sing it elsewhere

http://www.faxyourmp.com/>

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06 Aug 02 - 03:29 PM (#760832)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: The Shambles

The tune to the above (Dave Bryant reliably informs me) is "Villikins and his Dinah".

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09 Feb 03 - 06:49 AM (#885973)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: PEL 'Freedom to sing' song
From: harlowpoet

Here's my own PEL song.anti-copywrite.

Anyone who wants to buy a ticket for the anti-music licensing gig on 17.5.03 at Gerschwins Bar, Harlow Playhouse,Harlow Essex featuring Robb Johnson, Doodleoak and guests, contact myself either on mudcat or at [e-mail] £5.00. Excellent value. Excellent accoustics.

The Music Won't Be Stopping

Well they say you'll need a licence
For to sing or play a tune
Wherever people gather
Not a dance will be immune
If you make your entertainment
Then the councils want their cut
All the length of Wales and England
Or they'll make the place shut

       Chorus
       And the music won't be stopping
       They will always hear us sing
       Whatever laws and red tape
       The politicians bring
       You can have your legislation
       We will not pay it regard
       So beware with what you're doing
       We've completely marked your card

If you're crooning happy birthday
To somebody in the bar
Or upon the football terrace
If you become a singing star
If you're playing in a session
With no licence in the zone
There will only be one racket
Its the governments alone

They're taking all our rights today
It wasn't worth the task
Forgive us when we take them back
We will not beg or ask
We will never finish singing
We will never cease to play
And with it, not a penny
Will we ever put their way

NB: Kim Howells has become the first minister of culture to be offically banned from Waltham Abbey Folk Club.

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