| Author | Topic: Add: The Shepherd and His Dog | |
| dmcg | Posted - 28 May 11 - 07:44 am | |
There once was a shepherd who lived on his own, Away on the hills in a hut built of stone. He guarded his sheep, and they kept to the trail, So the shepherd whistled gaily and the dog wagged his tail. In spring-time watched how the lambs in their play All kicked up their hooves then darted away. The dog fetched them back if they strayed to the dale, So the shepherd whistled gaily and the dog wagged his tail. In winter he sheltered away from the cold With his dog by the fire, while the flock in the fold Lay safe from the blustering, buffeting gale, So the shepherd whistled gaily while the dog wagged his tail. Source: Singing Together, BBC Broadcasts to Schools, Spring Term, 1959 Notes: Welsh Traditional Tune 'Twll Bach y Clo' Words by Barbara Kluge This tune is very widespread and is probably best known - outside Wales! - for the Australian song "Click go the Shears" Chorus sung after each verse Click go the shears boys, click, click, click, Wide is his blow and his hands move quick, The ringer looks around and is beaten by a blow, And curses the old snagger with the bare-bellied joe. Verse 1 Out on the board the old shearer stands, Grasping his shears in his thin bony hands Fixed is his gaze on a bare-bellied yoe, Glory if he gets her, won't he make the ringer go. Verse 2 In the middle of the floor in his cane bottomed chair Sits the boss of the board with his eyes everywhere, Notes well each fleece as it comes to the screen, Paying strict attention that it's taken off clean. Verse 3 The colonial experience man, he is there of course, With his shiny legging's on, just got off his horse, Gazes all around him like a real connoisseur, Scented soap and brilliantine and smelling like a whore. Verse 4 The tar-boy is there waiting in demand With his blackened tar-pot in his tarry hand, Spies one old sheep with a cut upon its back Hears what he's waiting for it's "Tar here Jack" Verse 5 Now the shearing is all over, we've all got our cheques, So roll up your swags and it's off down the trace, The first pub we come to it's there we'll have a spree, And everyone that comes along it's 'Have a drink on me.' Verse 6 There we leave him standing shouting for all hands, Whilst all around him every 'shouter' stands, His eye is on the keg which now is lowering fast, He works hard, he drinks hard, and goes to Hell at last. | ||
| masato sakurai | Posted - 30 May 11 - 05:21 pm | |
Originally, the tune to "Click Go the Shears" was American. It borrows from Henry Clay Work's "Ring the Bell, Watchman." Title: Ring the Bell, Watchman! Song and Chorus. Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Words and Music by Henry Clay Work. Publication: Chicago : Root & Cady Date: 1865 http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/levy-cgi/datastream.cgi?id=089.153;type=pdf | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 30 May 11 - 10:35 pm | |
Thank you, masato. Do you know approximately when the 'Twll Bach y Clo' tune began to be used for 'Click go the Shears'? Oddly enough, one of the other songs I know to this tune seems to be a sailing version of the Henry Clay song, with the chorus Strike the bell, second mate, let us go below! Look well to windward, you can see it's going to blow! Look at the glass, you can see that it is fell, Oh, we wish that he would hurry up and strike, strike the bell! | ||
| Mr Happy | Posted - 05 Jun 11 - 12:28 pm | |
In the other two songs, there's a B part chorus tune which doesn't occur in the 'Shepherd'. Does it occur in the orig. Welsh tune/song? | ||