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27 Mar 99 - 06:14 AM (#66271) Subject: Lyr Add: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) From: Ian HP Could anyone tell me where I could find the tune to the below, either recorded or written? I found the words in Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of the Peasantry of England, ed. Robert Bell, though there is no tune there. It is not the shanty made popular by the Albion Band nor the song reconstructed by Martin Carthy. It is different from an Irish version of the song, so I am going on the assumption that the tune is different. Ballad: THE MUMMERS' SONG; OR, THE POOR OLD HORSE As sung by the Mummers in the Neighbourhood of Richmond, Yorkshire, at the merrie time of Christmas. [THE rustic actor who sings the following song is dressed as an old horse, and at the end of every verse the jaws are snapped in chorus. It is a very old composition, and is now printed for the first time. The 'old horse' is, probably, of Scandinavian origin, - a reminiscence of Odin's Sleipnor.] YOU gentlemen and sportsmen, And men of courage bold, All you that's got a good horse, Take care of him when he is old; Then put him in your stable, And keep him there so warm; Give him good corn and hay, Pray let him take no harm. Poor old horse! poor old horse! Once I had my clothing Of linsey-woolsey fine, My tail and mane of length, And my body it did shine; But now I'm growing old, And my nature does decay, My master frowns upon me, These words I heard him say, - Poor old horse! poor old horse! These pretty little shoulders, That once were plump and round, They are decayed and rotten, - I'm afraid they are not sound. Likewise these little nimble legs, That have run many miles, Over hedges, over ditches, Over valleys, gates, and stiles. Poor old horse! poor old horse! I used to be kept On the best corn and hay That in fields could be grown, Or in any meadows gay; But now, alas! it's not so, - There's no such food at all! I'm forced to nip the short grass That grows beneath your wall. Poor old horse! poor old horse! I used to be kept up All in a stable warm, To keep my tender body From any cold or harm; But now I'm turned out In the open fields to go, To face all kinds of weather, The wind, cold, frost, and snow. Poor old horse! poor old horse! My hide unto the huntsman So freely I would give, My body to the hounds, For I'd rather die than live: So shoot him, whip him, strip him, To the huntsman let him go; For he's neither fit to ride upon, Nor in any team to draw. Poor old horse! you must die! |
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27 Mar 99 - 11:51 AM (#66305) Subject: RE: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) - TUNE PLEASE From: AllisonA(Animaterra) As a long-time mummer I must say I've never seen this song and hope someone can oblige with a tune. It looks like a fun one- failing that- we'll have to write one ourselves! |
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27 Mar 99 - 02:15 PM (#66320) Subject: Tune Add: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) From: Bruce O. As far as I can tell there is no known tune for the one from Richmond given by Bell, = BSP in Margaret Dean-Smith's A Guide to English Folk Song Collections) There are other versions from a variety of locations in England.
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27 Mar 99 - 02:16 PM (#66321) Subject: RE: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) - TUNE PLEASE From: Ian HP Yes, Animaterra, I've done just that today. I'd still like to know the proper tune, though, if indeed one was ever notated. |
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30 Mar 99 - 12:46 PM (#66899) Subject: RE: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) - TUNE PLEASE From: Ian HP For anyone who's interested, I have just borrowed Cecil Sharp's 'English Folk Songs' (same contents as his One Hundred English Folk Songs'), as luck would have it, and in it is a Warwickshire version of Poor Old Horse. The words are quite similar to the above and scan the same (except there is only one "Poor old horse!" refrain at the end of the verse), and there is a tune included. The tune is a very close relative of one of the well-known 'Derby Ram' tunes. |
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30 Mar 99 - 04:25 PM (#66919) Subject: RE: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) - TUNE PLEASE From: Graham Pirt I've recorded the song with Cockersdale on "Wide Open Skies" Fellside FECD123. The tune you are looking for is in Songs of Northern England by John Stokoe 1893. Republished by Frank Graham ISBN 0 85983 040 3. My technology does not allow me to send a wave file yet. I might try later! |
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20 Apr 99 - 12:42 PM (#72194) Subject: RE: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) - TUNE PLEASE From: Rick Fielding I used to own an album on "Riverside" by one John Runge. He sang this (and other old songs on one side) and "songs from Shakespeare's (or Oxford's) plays on the other side. Please excuse what will probably be a VERY stupid question. Do we actually know what tunes were sung in the plays? If not, did someone at some point after the fact just write some?
Thanks, Rick |
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20 Apr 99 - 10:37 PM (#72326) Subject: RE: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) - TUNE PLEASE From: Margo I know I'm going to show my ignorance, but I thought that a mummer was another name for a mime. Is there another meaning? |
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21 Apr 99 - 05:18 PM (#72524) Subject: RE: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) - TUNE PLEASE From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Margarita, do a forum search using the word "mummer" and learn! |
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24 Dec 07 - 12:00 PM (#2221945) Subject: RE: Tune Req: POOR OLD HORSE (MUMMERS' SONG) From: GUEST,Stef O I have just seen tbis song performed by the Mummers in Richmond North Yorkshire. I was in Barclays Bank paying in some money, when suddenly a long black nose appeared through the bank door. This soon proved to be the nose of the Mummers Horse, followed by a company of huntsmen in full hunting costume. They sang the song in the bank whilst the horse followed customers around and generally caused much amusement. The poor old horse eventually died on the floor of the bank to the sympatyhetic noises of bank customers. It was a wonderful start to the Christmas celebrations and I would like to say thankyou to the Mummers who performed so well. We all enjoyed the performance. Does anyone know how long this tradition has been carried on in Richmond. I would like to know more about it. Stef |
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24 Dec 07 - 04:09 PM (#2222057) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Poor Old Horse (Mummer's Song) From: GUEST,squeezeboxhp look up Bradshaw Mummers on the UK net Margarita |
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19 Jan 13 - 07:07 AM (#3468442) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Poor Old Horse (Mummer's Song) From: Rozza This is one version of the "Poor Old Horse" tune that I recorded in South Yorkshire in 1974. X:1 T:Old Horse (Hoyland) M:4/4 L:1/4 Q:1/4=96 N:Played on the concertina O: George Palmer 28th July 1974 K:F C|FFGA|F2CC|BBAA|G3A/B/|! ccBG|F2EF|GFED|C2DE|F2GAF3|] |
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19 Jan 13 - 07:12 AM (#3468446) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Poor Old Horse (Mummer's Song) From: Rozza I see that there is also a video of a recent Richmond performance. Richmond "Old Hoss" video |
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19 Jan 13 - 06:58 PM (#3468736) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Poor Old Horse (Mummer's Song) From: Jim I There's a version here: http://aliverpoolfolksongaweek.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=poor+old+horse |
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20 Jan 13 - 04:34 AM (#3468858) Subject: RE: Tune Req: Poor Old Horse (Mummer's Song) From: Phil Edwards Another one here (paired with The Man in the Moon, just because it seemed to fit): Poor Old Horse |