The Song Page
GUY FAWKES	A BALLYNURE BALLAD	Devil and the Washerwoman	Contemporary Pop/Rock Songs About  Fawkes/ The Plot
DIESEL AND SHALE	SPENCER THE ROVER	Slap Bang Here we are Again-A song from 19th century Lewes, Sussex Bonfire processions	An Early Fawkes Song

GUY FAWKES (for Latest research click here)

Chorus- Bow, wow, wow
              Tol lol de riddle lol de rol lol de ray.

He straightway came from Lambeth side, and wish’d the State was undone,
And crossing over Vauxhall Bridge, that way com’d into London;
That is- he would have come that way to perpetrate his guilt, sirs,
But a little thing prevented him- the bridge it was not built, sirs.

Then searching through the dreary vaults, with portable gas-light, sirs,
About to touch the powder train, at witching hour of night, sirs,
That is—I mean, he would have used the gas, but was prevented,
‘Cause gas, you see, in James’s time, it had not been invented

And when they caught him int the fact, so very near the Crown’s end,
They straightway sent to Bow Street for that brave old runner Townshend;
That is—they would have sent for him—for fear he is no starter at—
But Townshend wasn’t living then-he wasn’t born till arter that.

So then they put poor Guy to death, for ages to remember,
And boys now kill him once a-year, in dreary, dark November;
That is—I mean his effigy, for truth is strong and steady—
Poor Guy they cannot kill again, because he’s dead already.

Then bless her Gracious Majesty, and bless her Royal Son, sirs—
And may he never get blown up, if to the Throne he comes, sirs;
And if he lives, I’m sure he’ll reign, so prophesies my song, sirs—
And if he don’t, why then he won’t, and so I can’t be wrong, sirs.-

 -Bodleian Library:  Guy Fawkes,Johnson Ballads 2539 , Guy Fawkes and the Parliament, Harting b 112706 (1819-44),Guy Fawkes, Harting b11863 1819-44,Guy Fawkes Harting b 363, Harting B 36 3,  Found in The Meltonians,Peake, R.B., Dec.1837, also: Third Edition Guy Fawkes a C Comic Song written and Composed A Wag.,London, Metzler and Co..(Undated with inscription date 1866) also found in:A Match for a King, April-May 1849, A.R. Smith.

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Fawkes song from mudcat no origin

 I’ll sing a doleful ditty, Guy Fawkes the prince of Sinisters 
Who once blew up the house, the King, and all his ministers. 
That is he would have blown them up & folk will neer forget him. 
His will was good to do the deed, that is if they had let him. 
 

 He straitway came from Lambeth Marsh & wish’d the state undone 
Then coming over Vauxhall bridge that way came into London 
That is he would have come that way, to perpetrate his guilt Sir
 But a little thing prevented him, the Bridge it was not built Sir. 
 

Then searching thro the dreary vault, at witching hour of night Sir 
About to touch the powder train with portable gas light Sir 
That is I mean he’d have used the gas, but was prewented
 Cause Gas you see in James time it hadn’t been inwented.

And when they caught him in the act & saw what he was bent for
 Immediately to Scotland Yard the new Police was sent for 
That is they would have sent for them, for fear of Guy’s resistance 
Only that the new Police they were not in existence. 
 

So then they put poor Guy to death for ages to remember 
And boys now kill him once a year in dreary dark November 
That is I mean his effigy, for truth is strong & steady 
Poor Guy they cannot kill again because he’s dead already. 
 

That Mr. Fawkes was ill advis’d there cannot be a doubt Sir
 For if he’d left them to themselves, his wish might come about Sir 
That is if he’d gone in the house & listen’d to the pother 
He’d soon have seen the members try to blow up one another. 
 -The Meltonians R. B. Peake 1837, London,.Act Two, Scene I. 
 

Guy Fawkes An Old Song Re-Sung
(The Musical Rights Rserved)

I sing the doleful tragedy,
Guy Fawkes, that Prince of Sinisters,
Who once blew up the Parliament,
The king and all his ministers;
That is, he would have, if he could,
For he had all the effrontery
To send each single Member back
In that way to the Countery.

He sneaked into the dreary vault
At the witching time o'night, Sir,
Resolved to fire his devilish train
Of Yankee dynamite, Sir;
That is, he would ha' used that stuff,
And solely was prevented,
'Cause dynamite in Jame's time,
You see, was not invented.

But a little bird let drop a word
To James, that very sly fox;
So he bade them search the aforesaid vault,
And there they found poor Guy Fawkes;
A score or more of lively squibs
Were peeping from his pockets,
And a Catherine's wheel was round his ribs,
And a brace of big sky-rockets.

But Sergeant Cox he collared him,
Combustibles and all, Sir,
And ran him safely into quod
Right down Westminster Hall, Sir;
That is, he would ha' done that deed
Of gunpowder and glory;
But Cox, do you see, he didn't live
Till the reign of Queen Victori',

For trial they committed Guy
Remandin' and remandin' him
For more conclusive evidence,
Till there wasn't any standin' 'em;
And they'd not ha' found the missin' link
They wanted to convict him,
If he hadn't coughed the time-fuze up
That by swallowin' down he'd tricked 'em,

The Judges he sentenced him to death,
But they sent him a reprieve, Sir,
and in ten years' time they let Guy out
On a quiet ticket-of-leave, Sir,
That is, they would ha' done all that
Just some odd centuries later;
But, as it was, they went and took
And hung him for a traitor.

-Spectator

Source: Littell's Living Age, October, 1885,167,2154,pg.2.

The Russian Guy Fawkes

Air-"Popular."

I sing a Northern autocrat, old Nick the prince of Sinisters,
Who made away with Turkey once, the Sultan and his Ministers:
That is, he would have made away with them, but was prevented,
For France and England stopped the way, and Nick was circumvented..

Chorus- Bow, wow, wow!
The Russian Bear is going to the dogs I trow.

A flimsy quarrel to hush up he so was at no loss you see,
And being out of temper said, "I'm fighting for the Cross you see."
Most piously upon his sword he then invoked a blessing,
And vowed that with its naked edge he'd give the Turks a dressing.

Bow, wow, wow, &c.

With coolness quite cucumbrian, despising all formalities,
He sent his army to invade the neutral Principalities:
Then passing o'er the Danube he besieged Constantinople,
At least he has not done so yet, and never, we may home, will.

Bow, wow, wow, &c

By sea his arms with victory not long were unrewarded:
Sinope's famous triumph stands in history recorded;
And yet opinions differ-no two men think the same now,
For what he calls a victory we've quite another name now.

Bow, wow, wow, &c

Another drubbing soon he gave the Turks at Oltenitza,
And made them run with holy gun, and holier howitzer:
'Twas so at last his version ran-to horse-marines and Prussians,
But according to the Turkish tale the rush was by the Russians.

Bow, wow, wow, &c

At Cronstadt too great stones he sank, with powder each well loaded,
And thus blew up the British fleet, and all our hopes exploded;
That is, he means to blow them up-the papers clearly show it,
But now the trick itself is blown we think he'll hardly do it.

Bow, wow, wow, &c

His pledged "parole de gentleman" he never once has broken,
Nor crooked policy has shown, but upright and plainspoken:
Upright, at least, he might have proved, but in truth there's no denying
The attitude he has preserved towards us has been lying.

Bow, wow, wow, &c

They say his fleet outnumbers ours, but it must not be forgotten
That recent travelers have found out one half his ships are rotten;
If his forces are his weakness, he can't be very strong now,
So we hope to make short work of him; it will not take us long now.

Bow, wow, wow,
The Russian Bear is going to
the dogs I trow.

Punch.

-"The Russian Guy Fawkes", In: Littell's Living Age., 1854,5,527, p. 601, Note: "Punch".* 
 
 
 

Other versions/sources: 
 -Bodleian Library:  Guy Fawkes,Johnson Ballads 2539 , Guy Fawkes and the Parliament, Harting b 112706 (1819-44),Guy Fawkes, Harting b11863 1819-44,Guy Fawkes Harting b 363, Harting B 36 3,  Found in The Meltonians,Peake, R.B., Dec.1837, also: Third Edition Guy Fawkes a C Comic Song written and Composed A Wag.,London, Metzler and Co..(Undated with inscription date 1866) also found in:A Match for a King, April-May 1849, A.R. Smith. Louise Pound, "American Ballads and Songs"  Noted in :Robert B. (Robert Barnabas) Brough, 1828-1860 / William Brough, 1826-1870(1828-1860 / 1826-1870) The Second Calender; And The Queen of Beauty, who had the Fight with the Genie. an Extravaganza, in Two Acts, By the Brothers Brough ... As Performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. Correctly Printed from the Prompter's Copy, with the Cast of Characters, Scenic Arrangement Sides of Entrance and Exit, and Relative Positions of the Dramatis Personæ. Illustrated with an Engraving by Mr. Wall, Taken during the Representation of the Piece  London  National Acting Drama Office [1853] Alluded to.....

1825- Thomas Hudson wrote lyrics  Source: Moffat, Alfred,  English Songs of the Georgian Period., London, Bayley and Ferguson, 1900 p.74.*
 

The song appears here: C. 1825-1826,Guy Faux, Universal Songster, George, and Robert Cruikshank, John Fairburn, Routledge and Jones, Publisher.. On Page 64 in volume 3 of US, last song on the page is ascribed to H. Powell-so is he: H.P.?  
 

The New Guy Fawkes, H. Wace
 
Letters to the Editor
The new Guy fawkes
To the editor of the Times
Sir,-Mr. Lloyd George's speech at the National Liberal Club recalls to my mind an old song, of which the first verse, with slight variants, seems exactly to sketch the situation:--

I sing a shocking tragedy,
Lloyd George, the prince of Sinisters,
Who once blew up the House of Lords,
The Dukes and Tory Ministers:
That is, he would have blown them up,
And folks should ne'er forget him:
But a little thing prevented him,
Which was, they wouldn't let him.
Bow, wow, wow, &c.
It might serve as a chorus in meetings of the right sort.

Faithfully yours, 
Canterbury, Dec. 4. H. Wace.The London Times, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1909, pg.10 issue 29136, col A
 
 

Devil and the Washerwomen

Last Guy Fawkes day as I've hear say,

The devil about did roam,

For at night he thought to see a sight,

He never could see at home,

Dress'd like a Bond-street swell,

Quite smart from top to toe,

And not a soul he met could tell

He came from down below,

Tol lo &c

His face none seemed to gaze on,

As onward he dig jog,

But when he arrived at Iwllington,

There came on a tremendous fog,

But soon ill luck befell

As he stepped out by gosh,

For slap down in a kitchen he fell,

'Mong a lot of women at wash.

 

Tol lol, &c.

 

When he looked around he wished himself,

In some far distant lands,

The Women grinned and said he couldn't

Have fallen in better hands,

His clothes the mud reveals,

So they said they'd give him a scrub,

Then seized him by the neck and heels,

And pitched him into the tub

 

Tol, Lol, &c.

 

His tail was spied by Mother Brown,

Who sung out pretty quick,

Keep him down girls keep him down,

I'm blessed if it ain't old Nick,

From 'neath his four-and-nine,

His horns were seen to shoot,

They then pull'd off his Wellington,

There was his cloven foot.

 

tol lol, &c.

 

Mother Jones began to scrub his horns,

Mother Brown his feet did assail,

And Mother Higgs blue bagg'd his face

And Mother White soap'd his tail,

A whacking copper stick

Was used by Mrs. Judds,

Who stirred him up while he did kick

And filled him well with suds.

 

Tol lol &c.

 

Says Mother White how he does foam,

Souse him well I would,

He has so much fire and smoke at home

The water will do him good,

You've heard of scalding pigs,

Well this was such a slaughter

For Mother Brown sung out to Higgs,

Bring more scalding water.

 

Tol lol &c.

 

You'd laughed if you'd seen the mess

The poor old Devil was in,

They wouldn't let him out unless

He stood a pint of gin,

Says he I'll stand a score,

To get out of this scrape,

Then he threw some on the floor,

While he made his escape.

 

Tol lol &c.

 

Then out of the window he gave a jump

While they his money did find

But mark he'd only got a stump

 For he'd left his tail behind,

The gin was quickly fetched

And each a glass did drink

And the tail at night when he went home

Served all of 'em for a link!

 

Tol lol, &c.

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A BALLYNURE BALLAD

As I was goin' along the road
When homeward I was walking,
I heard a wee lad behind a ditch-a
To his wee lass talking,
With a ma-ring-----etc.

Said the wee lad to the wee lass
"It's will ye let me kiss ye,
For it's I have the cordial eye
That far exceeds the whiskey,"
With a ma-ring-----etc.

This cordial that ye talk about
There's very few o' them gets it,
For there's nothin' now but crooked combs
And muslin gowns can catch it.
With a ma-ring-----etc.

Repeat second verse

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DIESEL AND SHALE

Well, when I protested: 'I'm no volunteer',
He said: 'We ain't had one in many a year,
But that's a wee secret between you and me;
There's many a pressed man down under the sea,
With the diesel and shale, diesel and shale,
Down under the sea with the diesel and shale.'

'Oh doctor, dear doctor, I don't think I'm well.'
'Well, never mind, sonny, we'll very soon tell.
Try holding your breath while I count up to three.
There, that proves that you're fit to go down in (under) the sea,'
With the diesel and shale, diesel and shale,
To go down in the sea with the diesel and shale.'

I went to the storeroom to gather me rig
They gave me a sweater ten sizes too big,
I crawled down the boat like an old polar bear,
And I says to meself: 'There's a smell in the air,
And it's diesel and shale, diesel and shale ,
There's smell in the air and it's diesel and shale.'

A push on the klaxon and a ring on the gongs,
And then I was down where no mortal belongs,
Where the air's going bad and the bread's getting stale,
And they mix you a nightcap of diesel and shale,
Diesel and shale, diesel and shale,
They mix you a nightcap of diesel and shale.

Keep walking, keep walking, you foolish young man,
You know that I never would give you my hand.
Your hair is too thin and your face is too pale,
Cause you spend too much time with your diesel and shale,
Diesel and shale, diesel and shale,
You spend too much time with your diesel and shale.

We circled the Med. for a summer or two,
Where the sun is so warm and the water so blue.
Well, that's what they tell me, but I wouldn't know,
'Cause the view ain't so good when you're stuck down below,
With the diesel and shale, diesel and shale,
When you're stuck down below with the diesel and shale.

Then the big man at Dolphin he told me at last:
'lt's time you went back to a ship with a mast.'
I feel like a Jonah a-leaving the whale
Cause l'm saying goodbye to the diesel and shale,
The diesel and shale, diesel and shale,
I'm saying goodbye to the diesel and shale.

Oh Crabby, dear Crabby, I bid you adieu,
And Synagogue Dick and The Black Mamba too.
l'll do all me traveling by road and by rail,
And you know what to do with your diesel and shale,
Diesel and shale, diesel and shale,
You know what to do with your diesel and shale.

Note: verses above from Oxford Book of Sea Songs. Tom Lewis sings the following additional:

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SPENCER THE ROVER

In Yorkshire, near Rotherham, he had been on his rambles
Being weary of traveling, he sat down to rest
At the foot of yonder mountain there runs a clear fountain
With bread and cold water he himself did refresh

It tasted more sweeter than the gold he had wasted
More sweeter than honey and gave more content
But the thoughts of his babies, lamenting their father
Brought tears to his eyes which made him lament

The night fast approaching, to the woods he resorted
With woodbine and ivy his bed for to make
There he dreamt about sighing, lamenting and crying
Go home to your family and wandering forsake

On the fifth of November, I've a reason to remember
When first he arrived home to his family and wife
They stood so surprised, when first he arrived
To behold such a stranger once more in their sight

His children came around him with their prittle prattling stories
With their prittle prattling stories to drive care away
Now they are united, like birds of one feather
Like bees in one hive, contented they'll be

So now he is a living in his cottage contented
With woodbine and roses growing all around his door
He's as happy as those who have thousands of riches
Contented he'll stay and go a rambling no more

recorded by the Copper Family and John and Tony 

 

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Jolly Dogs

We're All Jolly Dogs

Such Jolly Dogs Are We

or

Slap Bang

Here we are Again.

1878-

The first tune for each society was: "Slap, bang, here we are again" Rule Britannia was played for the effigy burning. Each society closed activities with God Save the Queen. Borough costume: Afghan, Waterloo tableau: "Britannia in the middle and in each corner the heads of the Ameere of Afghanistan, a Zulu king and the heads of two well known criminals." -In: Etherington, p.153-4, 266,302.

 

 

For midi Sound slap.mid

London

M O'alcorn 8 Rathbone Place Oxford St. W.

 

Slap Bang, Here We Are Again or

The School of Jolly Dogs

 

Written by Harry Copeland

 

There is a school of jolly dogs,

I've lately come across

They're game for any mortal thing, From this (sparing attitude) to pitch and  toss.

 

Chorus

 

And they always seem so Jolly oh; so jolly oh: so jolly oh:

They always seem so jolly oh! where ever they may be.

They dance they sing

 

They laugh ha ha

They laugh ha ha they dance they sing

 

What jolly dogs are we

 

Fal la la, fal la la

fal la la

fal la la, fal la la, fal la la.

Fal de the ral, de the ral lal ti da,

 

Slap bang here we are again

 here we are again here we are again.

 

Slap bang here we are again,

What jolly dogs are we.

 

2

They meet each night at six o'clock,

And then sit down to dine,

They get the courses out of sight,

And then they take their wine

And they always seem so jolly, oh!

So Jolly Oh! so jolly oh!

 

3.

At eight o'clock they sally forth,

Because you know its dark;

"Follow my leader" cries the chief,

To night we'll have a lark;

And they always seem so jolly, oh!

So Jolly Oh! so jolly oh!

 

 

4

To halls or hops of course they go.

And each man does his weed;

They stick by one another

As they've previously agreed,

And they always seem so jolly, oh!

So Jolly Oh! so jolly oh!

 

 

5.

 

Spring heel Jack and all his pals

With their nocturnal larks,

I'm sure were not a patch upon

This school of modern sparks,

And they always seem so jolly, oh!

So Jolly Oh! so jolly oh!

 

 

-This popular Melody may also be had arranged as a March by the great Vance

-Just Published The Ladies version of this popular song: We are all Jolly Girles

 

40^Th Edition

Sung by the

Great Vance

Crystal Palace & The Strand Music Hall

 

___________________________________________

End Broadside version

 

 

Notes:

Written by Harry Copeland, it seems, c.1865; and *performed* by "the Great Vance" (but also by Frank Hall and Tom MacLagan). See Kilgarriff, 'Sing Us One of the Old Songs' for references, and the Lester Levy Sheet Music Collection for sheet music.

 

 

Slap Bang, Here We Are Again by Alfred Vance

Alfred Vance (real name Alfred Peck Stevens, 1839±88)

 

from the book allusions in Ulysses-p396

…a music hall song entitled slap bang here we are again by Sheridan….

"Chorus: Slap bang! here we are again

Here we are again here we are a gain

slap bang here we are again

what jolly dogs are we

(cited in Christopehr Pulling in They were singing briefly mentioned)

 

another annotated notes on Ulysses:

 

1866 by Sheridan

 

First verse and chorus-

 

Long live our British gentlemen

Who like a bit of sport,

Who smoke their weed and swig their stout

And Won't have Gladstone's port

 

Chorus

For they always go a-rolling home

They always go a -rolling home,

A Jolly lot are they!

Tra, la, la, Tra, la la

Slap bang, here we are again

Slap bang, here we are again,

A jolly lot are we!

 

yet another citation similar book

 

is from another rousing song which the rakes of the turn of the century sang in their robust manliness one stanza of the twenty-four in the song will demonstrate the primitive qualities the lyrics espouse:

 

When you feel blue and worried too

And things are not just right,

Throw out your chest and try your best

To sing with all your might:

 

Chorus:

Slap Bang Here we are again!

Here we are again, boys, here we are again!

Slap!Bang! Here we are again,

A jolly bunch (gang) are we!

 

in the book maidenhood p 311

The three jolly dogs was the name of the tune "slap Bang here we are again was the refrain…. By Sara Anna MarshPublished 1867

 

referred to by priestly as the Great Vance (author)

By J. B. Priestley Published 2006 Read Country Books Literature / Classics / Criticism 320 pages ISBN 184664979X

 

3 separate broadsides by Forth of 

Hull, Glasgow Poet's Box (1865) and Fortey of London.

 

'The jolly Dogs Polka' which is based on 

Vance's 'Slap Bang'. it is dated 1864, music arranged by C.H.Marriott. It 

has a coloured litho on the cover and is dedicated to Vance. Published by 

Ashdown & Parry A&P 2397.

 

 

X: 2

T:Slap Bang, Here We Are Again

M:2/4

L:1/8

C:Harry Copeland

K:E

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% Output from ABC2Win  Version 2.1 i on 12/1/2006

 

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This list is always under construction! If you find others please let us know.
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List 2

1.      A Living Soundtrack\How To Grow A City\06 Guy Fawkes and Pol Pot Play Ring

46.   Witchsorrow\Witchsorrow\03 Hail to Guy Fawkes

A First List of Pop/Rock Songs 

Guy Fawkes Day
Paul Melancon/Slumberland/M.records/2000

 Mr. Guy Fawkes
A strange little song about the warmth of love and Guy Fawkes out on the town again.
Eire Apparent\Jimi Hendrix- Recorded 1968
The Dave Miller Set - 1969 (Formerly Dave Miller and the Byrds) Single

Song for Guy Fawkes
Wat Tyler- On the album: Tummy,Piano Instrumental, 1995.

Guy Fawkes
Krewmen, THE ADVENTURES OF THE KREWMEN (1986)

Guy Fawkes Night
Peter Astor and the Holy Road, 
Paradise   (Danceteria; ex Weather Prophets)
He met her on guyfawkes night...

Remember
John Lennon, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band,  1970.
(Remember Remember the Fifth of November is the last line)
 

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