Conrad Bladey's
Beuk O' Newcassel
Sangs The Tradition of
Northumbria
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Welcome!
During the last many decades
ye even centuries!, so great has been the
progress of education amongst the humbler
classes of society, that many of those
eccentricities so often seized upon by our local
poets as subjects of humorous satire, are
fast disappearing, and ere many more
years shall have elapsed, the Songs
of our Local Bards will be the only
memorials of the peculiar characteristics of
this ancient border town. Should an
occasional coarseness of language meet the
eye, let not the fastidious reader forget,
that such were the modes of expression
used by the parties described, and that elegance
of language would be as much out of place
as are the polished classical sentences of
Shenstone' s rustics, so often and so justly a
theme of censure .-Adapted
from the Newcastle Song Book or Tyne-Side
Songster, W.& T. Fordyce, Newcastle Upon
Tyne.
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"Weel may the keel Row!
The "Tyneside National Anthem", as it has been
called has been claimed- both melody and
words-as Scottish. Mr. John Stokoe, in the monthly
Chronicle, shows this claim to be
unfounded,
and proves, by an interesting reference to
William Shield, the famous Swalwell muscian
that "the
Keel Row was a popular Tyneside melody bofore
1700. Few melodies, he adds, are so identified
with
a district as our simple nad beautiful melody of
the "Keel Row" is associated with Norhumbria
a
nd Tyneside."
-Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside
Songs and Readings....,
Thomas and George Allan, NewcastleUpon Tyne,
1891
As I came thro' Sandgate, thro' Sandgate, thro'
Sandgate,
As I came thro' Sandgate, I heard a lassie sing
Weel may the keel row, the keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row that my laddie's in.
Oh, wha's like my Johnnie, sae leish, sae blighe, sae
bonny?
He's foremost 'mang the mony Keel lads o' coaly
Tyne.
He'll set and row sae tightly, or in the dance sae
sprightly
He'll cut and shuffle sightly; 'tis true - were he not
mine.
He wears a blue bonnet, blue bonnet, blue bonnet,
He wears a blue bonnet, a dimple in his chin;
And weel may the keel row, the keel row, the keel
row,
And weel may the keel row that my laddie's in.
My lad's ower bonnie, ower cannie, ower bonnie-
My lad's ower cannie, for the coal trade---
He's fitter for a merchant, a merchant, a
merchant,
He's fitter for a merchant, than a man-o'O-war's
blade.
Bright star of Heaton, your ay wour darling sweet
one,
May Heaven'sblessings leet on you, your lady, bairins,
and ye--
Weel may the keel row, &c.
(Last verse addressed to Sir Matthew White
Ridley, of Heaton
known as Canny Sir Matthew)
Last two verses found in: The Bishoprick Garland, London, Nichols and
Baldwin and Cradock, 1834, Graham, 1969.
-Source for 1st three verses: A Beuk o' Newcassel Sangs.
Joseph Cawhall,
1888
In Allan the source is
cited as Ritson's "Northumberland Garland," 1793.
Only the first and third
verses are present. In the first the words are-
"As I went up Sandgate" in
stead of thro'. This version is called the-
"Correct version" as
opposed to the "Street Version"
Street
Version The Keel Row
As aw was gawn thro'
San'get, thro' San'get, thro' San'get,
As aw was gawn throi'
San' get aw her'd th' lasses sing--
Weel may th' keel
row, th' keel row, th' keel row,
Weel may th' keel row
that maw lad's in!
He wears a blue
bonnet, a bunch of ribbons on it ;
He wears a blue
bonnet, a dimple in his chin:
And 'weel may th'
keel row, th' keel row, th' keel row.
an' weel may th' keel
row that may lad's in!
-Allan's
Illustrated
Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings....,
Thomas and George Allan, NewcastleUpon Tyne, 1891
Whe's like my Johnny,
Sae leish, sae blithe, sae bonny,
He's foremost 'mang the mony
Keel lads o' Coaly Tyne;
He'll set or row so tightly,
Or in the dance so sprightly,
He'll cu' and shuffle slightly,
'Tis true--were he not mine.
chorus:
Weel may the keel row,
The keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row,
That my laddie's in;
He wears a blue bonnet,
A bonnet, a bonnet,
He wears a blue bonnet,
A dimple in his chin.
He's ne mair learning,
Than tells his weekly earning,
Yet reet frae wrang discerning,
Tho' brave, ne bruiser he;
Thoi' he no worth a plack is,
His awn coat on his back is,
And nane can say that black is
The white o' Johhny's ee.
Each pay-day nearly,
He takes his quairt right dearly,
Then talks O, latin O,--cheerly,
Or mavies jaws away;
How caring not a feather,
Nelson and he together,
The springy French did lether,
And gar'd them shab away.
Were a' kings comparely,
In each I'd spy fairly,
An' ay wad Johnny barly,
He gets sic bonny bairns;
Go bon, the queen, or misses,
But wad for Johnny's kisses,
Luik upon as blisses,
Scrimp meals, caff beds, and dairns.
Wour lads, like their deddy,
To fight the French are ready,
But gie's a peache that's steady,
And breed cheap as lang syne;
May a' the press gangs perish,
Each lass her laddy cherish;
Lang may the Coal Trade flourish
Upon the dingy Tyne.
Breet Star o' Heaton,
Your ay wour darling sweet'en,
May heaveh's blessings leet on
Your leady, bairns, and ye;
God bless the King and Nation,
Each bravely fill his station,
Our canny Corporation,
Lang may they sing wi'me
-By TT, in: Bell also in Allan's Illustrated
Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings....,
Thomas and George Allan, NewcastleUpon Tyne, 1891 with
the note:
"The Oldest and by far the most popular, of all the
additions
to, or imitations of, the famous fragment, "The Keel
Row." To the old tune".
The author is listed as Thomas Thompson.
Keel Row III
Chorus-
Weel may the keel row,
the keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row, and better may she speed:
Weel may the keel row, the keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row, that gets athe bairns their
breed.
We teuk wor keel up to the dyke,
Up to the dyke, up to the dyke,
We teuk wor keel up to the dyke,
And there we gat her load;
Then sail'd away down to Shields,
Down to Shields, down to Shields,
Then sail'd away down to Shields,
And shipp'd wor coals abroad.
Then we row'd away up to the fest,
Up to the fest, up to the fest,
We row'd away up to the fest,
Cheerly every man;
Pat by wor gear and moor'd wor keel,
And moor'd wor keel, and Moor'd wor keel,
Pat by wor gear and moor'd wor keel,
Then went and drak wor can,
Our canny wives, our clean fireside,
Our bonny bairns, their parent's pride,
Sweet smiles that make life smoothly glide,
We find when we gan hyem:
They'll work for us when we get au'd,
The'll keep us frae the winter's cau'd;
As lifedeclines they'll us uphaud--
When young we uphaud them.
-T. Thompson (Listed as Keel Row "New" --In: The
Newcastle Song Book or Tyne-Side Songster., W&T Fordyce
Newcastle Upon Tyne.
One mornen wen aw went ta wark, th'seet wis most
exsiten.
Aw ard a noise en luckt aroond, en we de ye think
wis fiten?
Aw stud amaisd en at thim gaisd, te see thim in
such raiges,
For aw nivor seed e row like that between th'
Brockwil caiges.
Wor aud caige sais: "Cum over th' gaits, becaws
it's mei intenshin
To let th' see wethor too or me is th' best
invenshin."
Th' neuin been raised, teuk off his clais, then at
it thae went dabbin;
Th' blud wis runnen doon th' skeets an past th'
weimin's cabin.
Wor aud caige sais: "Let's heh me clais; thoo
thwot thit thoo cud flae me,
But if aw'd been is young is thoo, aw's certain aw
cud pae thee."
Th' patent knockt hees ankel off, en th' buaith ad
cutten fuaices.
Th' shifters rapt three for te ride, so th' buaith
went te thor plaices.
Wen gannen up en doon th' shaft, th' paitint
caige did threetin
For te tuaik wor audin's life if thae stopt it
meeten.
Wor aud caige bawld oot is thae passt: "Thoo nasty
dorty paitint,
Rub thee ies eguain th' skeets -aw think too's
ardly wakinit."
Th' patint te wor aud caige sais: "Altho aw be a
strangoer,
Aw kin work me wark is weel is thoo, an free th'
men freh daingor.
Noo, if th' rope shub brick we me, aud skinny
jaws, just watch us-
Thoo'll see me clag on te th' skeets, for aw's
full e springs en catches."
Wor aud caige te th' paitint sais: "Aw warned
thoo think thoo's clivor
Becaws thi'v polished thoo we paint, but thoo'l
not last for ivor.
The paint on thoo 'ill wer awae, an then thoo's
lost thei beuty;
Th' nivor painted me at aal, en still aw've deun
my deuty."
Th' braiksmin browt thim buaith te bank, th'
mischeef for te sattil,
Thae fit frae five o'clock te six, en th' paitint
won th' battle.
It teuk th' braiksmin half e shift te clag thim up
wi plaistors.
Wor aud caige sent hees noatece in, but just te
vex th' maistors.
The song was written by Tommy Armstrong
(1848-1919) of Tanfield, County Durham. The above
is as he wrote it, "Pitmatic" dialect and all, and is
taken from A.L Lloyd's Folk Song in
England. The song was set to a traditional
melody, used earlier by Alexander Rodger for Robin
Tamson's Smiddy.
Fresh aw cum frae Sandgate Street,
Dol-li, dol-li
Maw best freends here to meet,
Dol-li-a
Dol-li the dillen dol,
Dol-li, dol-li
Dol-li th dillen dol,
Dol-li-a
The Black Cuffs is gawn away,
Dol-li, dol-li,
An' that'll be a crying day
Dol-li-a
Dol-li the dillen dol,
Dol-li, dol-li
Dol-li th dillen dol,
Dol-li-a
Dolly Coxon's pawn'd her sark,
Do li, do li,
To ride upon the baggage cart.
Do li a, &c-*
The Green Cuffs is cummin' in,
Dol-li, dol-li,
An' that'll make the lasses sing
Dol-li-a
Dol-li the dillen dol,
Dol-li, dol-li
Dol-li th dillen dol,
Dol-li-a
-Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and
Readings....,
Thomas and George Allan, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 1891 with
the note:
"A song famous in Newcastle about the years 1792-3-4.
The "Black Cuffs",
the North York Militia, The "Green Cuffs", the 23rd
Ulster Dragoons.
From John Bell, Rhymes of Northern Bards 1812,
From:"A Song Sung in Newcastle in the year
1792-3-4" Newcastle Songster., J.
Marshall, Old Flesh Market, Newcastle upon Tyne.,
c.1812.
-Joyhn Bell, c. 1795. (Parody, contemporary with
earliest known original)
Mentioned on the same scrap page from Bell is a
theatre advertisement for "For the Benefit of Mr.
Wilson, On Wednesday Evening January 7, 1795....The
Peeping Tom and of Act second Do li A In the Character
of a Sandgate Lady!!!" Bell's inscription is curious:
"on part two of the three lines "Another set from
Topliff" then parallel to lyrics- "The Sedcond Set is
from Topliff's Select Melodies of Norhumberland and
Durham...published about 18 and is most probably the
correct one..." None the less one wonders what the first
one is and why they are together...
-could it originate from the word "douleia" italian or
greek.....
Note
that the famous arranger Topliff (yes correct is
without the e at the end...) was cited in later
collections.
Topliff, Robert
R. Topliff
Holborn ; London, C.1815 Selection of the most
popular melodies of the Tyne and the Wear consisting
of 24 original airs peculiar to the counties of Durham
and Northumberland, three of which are harmonized with
appropriate words, symphonies and accompaniments and
the remainder variously arranged for the piano forte.
Repectfully inscribed ... by ... Robert Topliff. The
original words given at the end.
The notation
first below is that from Bell who referenced topliff.
His notation is just above the key change
Where have ye been all the day, Billy Boy, Billy
Boy?
Where have ye been all the day, me Billy Boy?
I've been walking all the day
With me charming Nancy Grey.
Chorus And so me Nancy kittled me fancy,
Oh me charming Billy Boy.
Is she fit to be your wife, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Is she fit to be your wife, me Billy Boy?
She as fit to be my wife
As the fork is to the knife.
Chorus
Can she cook a bit o' steak, Billy Boy, Billy
Boy?
Can she cook a bit o' steak, me Billy Boy?
She can cook a bit o' steak,
Aye, and make a girdle cake.
Chorus
Can she make an Irish stew, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she make an Irish stew, me Billy Boy?
She can make an Irish stew,
Aye, and 'Singin' Hinnies' too.
When the Boat
comes in/Dance to thy Daddy
For notaton click here
For midi sound click here
Come here me little Jacky,
now ah've smoked me baccy,
let's hev a bit of cracky,
till the boat comes in.
Dance to thee Daddy, sing to thee Mammy,
dance to thee Daddy, to thee Mammy sing;
Thou shalt hev a fishy on a little dishy,
thou shalt hev a fishy when the boat comes in.
Here's thy mother humming,
like a canny woman;
Yonder comes thy fatha,
drunk - he cannat stand.
Dance to thee Daddy, sing to thee Mammy,
dance to thee Daddy, to thee Mammy sing;
Thou shalt hev a fishy on a little dishy,
thou shalt hev a haddock when the boat comes in
Our Tommy's always fuddling,
he's so fond of ale,
but he's kind to me,
I hope he'll never fail.
Dance to thee Daddy, sing to thee Mammy,
dance to thee Daddy, to thee Mammy sing;
Thou shalt hev a fishy on a little dishy,
thou shalt hev a Bloater when the boat comes in
I like a drop mesel',
when I can get it sly,
and thou, my bonny bairn,
will like't as well as I.
Dance to thee Daddy, sing to thee Mammy,
dance to thee Daddy, to thee Mammy sing;
Thou shalt hev a fishy on a little dishy,
thou shalt hev a Mackerel when the boat comes
in.
May we get a drop,
oft as we stand in need;
and weel may the keel row
that brings the bairns tha breed.
Dance to thee Daddy, sing to thee Mammy,
dance to thee Daddy, to thee Mammy sing;
Thou shalt hev a fishy on a little dishy,
thou shalt hev a Salmon when the boat comes in.
-In Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs
and Readings....,
Thomas and George Allan, NewcastleUpon Tyne, 1891.
Author lsited
as Watson and source: Fordyce's "Newcastle song
Book," 1842"
Wor Geordey an' Bob Jonsin byeth lay i'
one bed,
Iv a little lodgjin hoose that's doon
the shore,
Before Bob had been an' oor
asleep, a kick frae Geordey's fut
Myed him wakin up to roar instead o'
snore.
Korus.
"Keep yor feet still! Geordey, hinny,
let's bve happy for the neet,
For aw maynit be se happy throo the day.
So give us that bit cumfort, --keep yor
feet still, Geordey lad,
An' dinnet send maw bonny dreams away!"
Aw dreamt thor was a dancin held, an'
Mary Clark wes there;
An' aw thowt we tript it leetly on the
floor,
An' aw prest her heevin breest te mine
when walsin roond the room,
That's mair than aw dor ivor de before.
Ye'll knaw the lad that she gans with,
they call him Jimmy Green,
Aw thowt he tried te spoil us i' wor
fun,
But aw dreamt aw nail;'d him heavy, an'
blackt the big feul's eyes;
If aw'd slept it's hard to tell what aw
wad deun.
Aw thowt aw set her hyem that neet,
content we went alang.
Aw kiss'd her lips a hundred times or
mair,
An' aw wish'd the road wad nivor end, se
happy like wes aw,
Aw cud wlak'd a thoosind miles wi' Mary
there!
Aw dremt Jim Green had left the toon
an' left his luv te me,
An' aw thowt the hoose wis furnish'd wi'
the best,
An' aw dreamt aw just had left the
church wi' Mary be me side,
When yor clumsy feet completely spoil'd
the rest."
I went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the
ninth of June,
Eighteen hundred on sixty-two on a summer's
efternoon.
I tyuk the bus fra Balmbra's an' she was heavy
laden.
Away we went along Collingwood street that's on the
road to Blaydon.
Chorus -
Oh! lads ye shud of seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks along the road Just as they
wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads and lasses there, all wi'
smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road To see the Blaydon
Races.
We flew past Armstrong's factory and up
to the 'Robin Adair'
Just gannin doon te the railway bridge the bus
wheel flew off there.
The lassies lost their crinolines off, an' the
veils that hide their faces
An' aw got two black eyes an' a broken
nose in gan te Blaydon Races.
Chorus
When we gat the wheel put on, away we
went agyen,
But them that had their noses broke they cam back ower
hyem;
Sum went to the dispensary an' uthers to Dr.
Gibbs
An' sum sought out the Infirmary to mend their
broken ribs.
Chorus
Now when we got to Paradise thor wes bonny gam
begun;
There were fower-and-twenty on the 'bus, man, hoo
they danced and sung;
They called on me to sing a sang, I
sung them 'Paddy Fagan",
Aw danced a jig an' swung me twig the day I went
to Blaydon.
Chorus
We flew across the Chain Bridge reet into Blaydon
toon
The bellmen he was callin' there they called him
Jackey Brown;
Aw saw him talkin' to sum cheps, an' them he was
persuadin'
To gan an' see Geordy Ridley's show in the Mechanics
Hall at Blaydon.
Chorus:
The rain it poor'd all the day, an' myed the
groons quite muddy
'Coffy Johnny' had a white hat on-they war
shootin' "Whe stole the cuddy"
There wes spice stalls an' munkey shows, and an' aud
wives sellin ciders,
An' a chep wvi' a hapenny roond aboot shootin'
"Now, me boys, for
riders."
-In Allan's Illustrated Edition of
Tyneside Songs and Readings....,
Thomas and George Allan, NewcastleUpon Tyne,
1891.
With the Note: Ridley (Geordie) Author's Manuscript
1862.
-The Whisky Priests have used this tune for their song
"The Car-Boot Sale"
Earlier "Original Version"
BLAYDON RACES.
Tune—"Brighton."
1. Aw went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the
ninth of Joon,
Eiteen hundred an' sixty-two, on a summer's efternoon;
Aw tyuk the 'bus frae Balmbra's, an' she wis heavy
laden,
Away we went alang Collingwood Street, that's on the
road to Blaydon.
CHORUS: O lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor
stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi'
smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon
Races.
2. We flew past Airmstrang's factory, and up to the
"Robin Adair,"
Just gannin doon te the railway bridge, the 'bus wheel
flew off there.
The lasses lost their crinolines off, an' the veils
that hide their faces,
An' aw got two black eyes an' a broken nose in gan te
Blaydon Races.
3. When we gat the wheel put on away we went agyen,
But them that had their noses broke, they cam back
ower hyem;
Sum went to the dispensary, an' uthers to Doctor
Gibbs,
An' sum sought out the Infirmary to mend their broken
ribs.
4. Noo when we gat to Paradise thor wes bonny gam
begun;
Thor wes fower-and-twenty on the 'bus, man, hoo they
danced an' sung;
They called on me to sing a sang, aw sung them "Paddy
Fagan,"
Aw danced a jig an' swung my twig that day aw went to
Blaydon.
5. We flew across the Chain Bridge reet into Blaydon
toon,
The bellman he was callin' there—they call him Jackey
Brown;
Aw saw him talkin' to sum cheps, an' them he was
pursuadin'
To gan an' see Geordy Ridley's concert in the
Mechanics' Hall at Blaydon.
6. The rain it poor'd aw the day, an' myed the groons
quite muddy,
Coffy Johnny had a white hat on—they war shootin' "Whe
stole the cuddy."
There wes spice stalls an' munkey shows, an' aud wives
selling ciders,
An' a chep wiv a happeny roond aboot shootin' "Now, me
boys, for riders."
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There
are many directories of songs this is Part 1 for
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songs below
By Catcheside Warrington
