how d’you do Digital

The Moonrakers

A song about my home town of Middleton, near Manchester. The locals would hide their cheeses, in the banks of the river and pond, to avoid paying the tax. A practice also carried out in Wiltshire so I’m told:

The big full moon shines bright, gonna catch that moon tonight.
It’s Part of a plan, to avoid the excise man.

Chorus: we’re raking, raking, raking the moon, raking the moon.

The waters still and calm, surely there’s no harm.
To hide a cheese or two, avoid the excise due.

Chorus:

The bailiff he came by, stopped to question why.
You’re there rake in hand, you and your merry band.
Now by way of a reply, you look to the moon and sigh
Saying I’m but a simple man, gonna catch the moon if I can

Chorus:

This story is legend round here, and in the moonlight clear.
They still hide a cheese or two, avoid the excise due.

Chorus:

George Whitfield – Accordion
Paul – Guitars, Banjo, Mandolin & Vocals

Tommy’s Candle

A song for the fallen in World War One:

Light a candle dear, Tommy’s gone to war.
In that foreign land, the war will be over soon,
The war to end all wars.
Christmas came and went, the candle burned down low.
Tommy he’s not home, from the glorious war,
The war to end all wars.
Four more summers passed, the slaughter it was done.
Tommy and his pals, they had won the war,
The war to end all wars.
Peace came at last, so light a candle dear.
Tommy he’s not home, from the bloody war,
The war to end all wars.
So light a candle dear, Tommy went to war.
In that foreign land, Tommy’s laid to rest,
In an unmarked grave.

Paul: Guitars, Vocals, Keys, Mandolin.

Alice

My 2015 interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s book ‘The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland’. The book was first published 150 years ago in1865:

Alice she could dance and sing, tug on your heart strings.
Alice oh she could be wild, she was quite a spoilt child.

Chorus: Alice she went down, deep underground,
Alice she went down, down, down, down.

Alice could dance a minuet, steel the hearts of all she met.
Alice she was held in awe, gliding around the ballroom floor.

Chorus:

Alice how she would dream, in the meadow, in the woods, beside the stream.
Alice created in her thoughts, creatures, scenes of all sorts.
Alice took tea upon the green, it was quite the surreal scene.
Alice and all her friends were there, presiding was the mad March hare.

Chorus:

Alice now she has grown, her friends have all gone home.
Alice a charade is what you are, reality for you a step too far.

Chorus:

George: Whistle
David Jacob: Fiddles
Paul: Guitars, Banjo, Vocals

The Dark Eyed Sailor

A traditional broken token, folk song:

As I strode out one evening fair,
It being summertime to take the air,
I spied a maiden and a sailor gay,
And I stood to listen, oh I stood to listen,
To hear what they say.

He said fair lady why do you roam,
The night is on the day has gone,
She heaved a sigh and her tears did roll,
For my dark eyed sailor, oh my dark eyed sailor,
Who is young stout and bold.

Tis seven long years since he left this land,
The ring he took from his lily white hand.
One half of the ring’s still here with me,
the other’s rolling, oh the other’s rolling,
At the bottom of the sea.

He said you should put him out of your mind,
Some other young man you would surely find,
For love goes o’er and cold does grow,
Like the winter’s morning, oh the winter’s morning,
When the hills are white with snow.

She said I will never forsake my dear,
Though he’s been parted many a year,
Gentile was he not a rake like you,
Who’d induce a maiden, who’d induce a maiden,
To slight the jacket blue.

One half of the ring did young William show,
She ran distracted her tears did flow,
Oh William, oh William, I’ve gold in store,
For my dark eyed sailor, oh my dark eyed sailor,
He has proved his honour more.

There is a cottage by yonder lea,
This couple married and do agree,
Ye maids be loyal, when your loves at sea,
For the cloudy morning, oh the cloudy morning,
Brings on a sunny day.

David: Fiddles
Paul: Guitars, Banjo, Keys, Vocals, Bass

The Dumb Poet

No particular poet but a song for all creative people who often have to conquer difficulties. They are often posthumously proclaimed to be a genius:

He started out in life, with the aid of a surgeon’s knife.
The damage it was done, to this young mother’s son.
The words in his head, they would go unsaid.
Learn your lessons well.

They exclude him from school, a stupid young dumb fool.
Many hours he spent, in watchful intent.
Of the flowers and the bees, the birds in the trees.
Leaning his lessons well.

Meagre were his means, as he captured the scenes.
In the words that he wrote down, that stupid young dumb clown.
After he was dead, a genius they said.
Learn your lessons well.

The scholars and scribes, strain their minds and eyes.
Meaning for to find, just what lay behind.
The words that he chose, for the poems and prose.
Learn your lessons well.

Sue Oldreive: Vocals
David: Fiddles
George: Accordion
Paul: Guitars, Bass, Vocals

Merry Dance

A bit of a light hearted song for all pet lovers, particularly dog owners:

You were all I lived for, my one abiding joy,
Played some games together, just you me and a toy.
Now all that is over, we are history,
Those foolish ones are telling me now I’m free.

Chorus: You led me such a merry dance around the block with you
I don’t where I’m going, or what I’m going to do,
You led me such a merry dance around the block with you.

I preferred the times when you were all I had,
Though you were mischievous, you were never really bad.
You were always faithful, tried so hard to please,
Your face is so appealing, you you’re such a tease.

Chorus:

I’ve got a few mementoes; I keep them in a box,
I wish that you were here now, you wily cunning fox.
Therein lays my problem, the biggest one of all,
Should I get another dog to chase and fetch the ball.

Chorus:

Paul: Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Keys, Vocal.

Bonnie Dundee

John Graham 7th Laird of Claverhouse, and a supporter of Charles II of Scotland was given the title of Viscount Dundee in 1688, for his part in clearing the covenanters off the lands in Scotland. This traditional song is an abridged version of a lengthy poem written by Walter Scott in 1825, celebrating Claverhouse who was not as popular as the poem might suggest. Both the poem and the song contain many factual inaccuracies; but I like it anyway so here’s my version:

To the lords of convention, ‘twas Clavers who spoke,
‘Ere the king’s crown fall down, there’s crowns to be broke.
Come all cavaliers who love honour and me,
Come follow the bonnets of bonnie Dundee

Chorus: Fill up my cup, fill up my can,
Saddle your horses and call out your men.
Out the West port, let us go free,
And follow the bonnets of bonnie Dundee.

Clavers is mounted he rides down the street,
The bells are rung backwards, the drums they are beat.
The Provost douce man says just let him be,
This town is well ride of the devil Dundee.

Chorus:

There are hills beyond Pentland, lands beyond Forth,
Lords in the lowlands, Chiefs in the North.
There’s dunnie wassals, three thousand times three,
Crying eye for the bonnets of bonnie Dundee.

Chorus:

Then away to the hills, to the caves and the rocks,
Ere I a usurper I’ll crouch with the fox.
But tremble false Whigs in the midst of your glee,
You’ve not seen the last of my bonnets and me.

Chorus:

Paul: Guitars, Mandolin, Vocals.

The Black Dog

The black dog appears regularly throughout literature, often being a manifestation of the depression and despair associated with one or other character.

The black dog he’s prowling around your door,
He’s been there many times before.
The black dog he would take control,
Of your heart and your soul.

The black dog he is a fearsome foe,
He won’t ever let you go.
The black dog feeds you inner fear,
Down your cheek rolls a salty tear.

The black dog weaves the darkest spell,
Harbinger, the tolling bell.
The black dog you cannot fight,
Hold him, see him in a different light.

The black dog rent in two the veil,
Showed there’s a different way to sail.
The black dog now he is your friend,
By your side till the end.

David: Harp
Paul: Guitars, Bass, Vocals

One Misty, Moisty, Morning

Another traditional folk song. The first two verses are from a nursery rhyme celebrating leather, when leather was bling. As for the rest of the song…………….:

One misty, moisty morning, when cloudy was the weather,
I met with an old man clothed all in leather.
Clothed all in leather with a cap beneath his chin,

Chorus: How d’you do, how d’you do and how d’you again.
How d’you do, how d’you do and how d’you again.

This rustic was a thresher, as on his way he hide,
With a leather bottle, fast buckled by his side.
He wore no shirt upon his back, wool unto his skin,

Chorus:

I went a little further, and there I met a maid,
Going a milking, a milking Sir she said.
I began to complement, she began to sing,

Chorus:

This maid her name was Dolly, dressed in a cloak of grey,
Now being somewhat jolly I persuaded her to stay.
I fell into courting her, hoped her heart to win,

Chorus:

Now having time and leisure, I spent a vacant hour,
Telling of my treasure, sitting in the bower.
Fondle I embraced her, I stroked her double chin,

Chorus:

I said that I would married be, and she would be my bride,
No longer we should tarry and twenty things beside.
I would plough, reap and sow, she could sit and spin.

Chorus:

Her parents they consented, all parties were agreed,
Her portion thirty shillings, we married were with speed.
Will the piper he did play others dance and sing.

Chorus:

Then lusty Ralph and Robin with many a damsel gay,
Did ride on Rhone and Dobbin, to celebrate the day.
When they met together, their hats they of did fling.

Chorus:

George: Accordion
David: Fiddles
Paul: Banjo, Guitars, Mandolin, Vocals