TRADITIONAL AIRS and GRACES

Many of the old British songs are described as “traditional airs”, their origin, authors and composers lost somewhere in the mists of history. Yet often the old songs are the best. When I was a wee boy in short trousers over 60 years ago, I recall at my prep-school having singing sessions presided over by the Headmaster’s wife, Elsie Nock, (with her pursed-lipped smile a dead ringer for the older Queen Victoria!) who tinkled the piano keys swaying energetically while the school assembly sang some old favourites out of The Community Song Book. These songs are every bit as much part of our heritage as wet summers and Eccles cakes and I earnestly hope, please agree Mr Gove, that they are still passed on diligently at schools the length of the land. Well, I am going to celebrate about a dozen of them anyway.

The BBC used to start its morning radio broadcast at about 5.30am by playing the splendid UK Theme, an orchestral medley of traditional songs from the 4 home countries arranged by Fritz Spiegl, a 1930s refugee from Germany. In its wisdom, this cherished music was predictably axed by the BBC in 2006 in the name of modernity or multi-culturalism or whatever fad upsets its despised listeners the most. The medley started with the charming 18^th century folk-song Early One Morning

Early one morning,
Just as the sun was rising,
I heard a young maid sing,
In the valley below.

Oh, don't deceive me,
Oh, never leave me,
How could you use
A poor maiden so?

In due course you come to the haunting and stirring Irish patriotic classic The Minstrel Boy composed by Thomas Moore in the early 19^th century:

 The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death you'll find him;
His father's sword he has girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Though all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

I recall as an 11 year old having to sing Robert Burns’ Ye Banks and Braes o’ bonnie Doon at a house solo singing contest. I was doing fine until I forgot my words (you had to know them by rote) at the 6th line (I sadly did not win the contest!)

Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair?
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae weary fu' o' care!
Thou'll break my heart, thou warbling bird,
That wantons thro' the flowering thorn:
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed never to return.

To cheer us up in Austerity Britain we also much enjoyed singing The British Grenadiers, our chests swelling with pride:

Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these.
But of all the world’s great heroes, there’s none that can compare.
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadiers. 

The Welsh are very musical and their choirs are deservedly renowned. Who could not cheer at the tuneful martial beauty of Men of Harlech?

Men of Harlech, march to glory,
Victory is hov'ring o'er ye,
Bright-eyed freedom stands before ye,
Hear ye not her call?
At your sloth she seems to wonder;
Rend the sluggish bonds asunder,
Let the war-cry's deaf'ning thunder
Every foe appal.

There were gentler songs too; Ben Jonson’s romantic Drink to me only with thine Eyes was often repeated:

Drink to me only with thine eyes,
     And I will pledge with mine,
Or leave a kiss within the cup
     And I'll not ask for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
     Doth ask a drink divine;
But might I of Jove's nectar sip,
     I would not change for thine.

More devotional was the lovely tune accompanying a translated French carol, Whence is that Goodly Fragrance flowing?

Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing,
Stealing our senses all away,
Never the like did come a-blowing,
Shepherds, in flow'ry fields of May,
Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing,
Stealing our senses all away.

Certainly one of my all-time favourites was The Londonderry Air:

In Derry Vale, amidst the Foyle’s dark waters

so oft' I strayed, ah, many years ago,

and culled at morn the golden daffodillies

that came with spring to set the world aglow.

Oh, Derry Vale, my thoughts are ever turning

to your broad stream and fairy-circled lee.

For your green isles my exiled heart is yearning,

so far away across the sea.

There are hundreds of great songs and I cannot mention them all but we included Do you ken John Peel (with his coat so grey), Yorkshire’s On Ilkla Moor bar t’at (On Ilkley Moor without your hat) and The Ash Grove (Down yonder green valley where streamlets meander). 

Cynics will say that these songs are hopelessly cliché-ridden and dated - singing them is somehow twee and precious. My response is a loud raspberry and a patriotic double broadside:

Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever, Scotland the brave.

Rounding off with Thomas Arne’s

Rule Britannia!

Britannia rule the waves

Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

Yes, Scotland remains brave and Britannia once did indeed rule the waves, as the songs say, and the world is a better place for both.

SMD

27.01.14

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2014

Links

Early one morning         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd1tSv7p16A

The Minstrel Boy             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgwQcUhKceg

Ye Banks and Braes         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5XG0T0NyNc

British Grenadier             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIPgJMn8cll

Men of Harlech                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz9_ELpil9w          

Drink to me only              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoKrw-0dze0

That goodly fragrance    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbeuzquHO_s

Londonderry Air               http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmp6VcUIFMg

Scotland the Brave          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSH0eRKq1lE

Rule Britannia                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgd9nYqVz2s

SCOTLAND LAUGHS

Scotland has grown a very healthy crop of comedians, greatly tickling the funny-bones of the locals, but since much of their humour revolves around their language, impenetrable Scots accents and very odd syntax, their appeal often did not stretch to an English audience. Well, bad luck on those English who have not taken the trouble to attune themselves to lilting or raucous Caledonian intonation, as they are missing many a laugh.

Perhaps the most talented of the post-war generation was Stanley Baxter (1926- ), happily still with us. His TV show made him a British star, his outrageous outfits and deadly accurate impersonations were hilarious.

Stanley as Her Majesty

Stanley Baxter as Himself

Stanley tried manfully to educate the non-Scots audience as he politely presided over the TV language class Parliamo Glasgow explaining the meaning of common Glasgow expressions; thus “Whissamattamurra?” (What’s the matter, mother?) “A’mfairstappit” (I have eaten sufficiently) or

“swannakickyeupthejaxi”  (I want to assist you to leave).

At one stage Stanley was partnered by Jimmy Logan (1926-2001) in the long-running series of revues called Five past Eight, which toured the leading Scottish theatres for many years. Jimmy came from a well-known theatrical family with Aunt, Mother, Father and siblings treading the boards. Jimmy first performed when he was 12 and was active for the next 60 years. 

Jimmy Logan

His career had its ups and downs – he was 4 times married – and his attempt to be an impresario himself ended in expensive failure. Yet he bounced back, his comic patter was highly amusing with his catchphrases “sausages is the boys!” and “If you want me thingummy, ring me”; he was much treasured.

From the same generation came gravelly-voiced but very droll Rikki Fulton (1924-2004). He initially found fame in pantomime at the Glasgow Alhambra in 1956, but he had acted in rep and with his slicked-back hair and hooded eyes he was a sinisterly effective “heavy”. He really struck gold in 1958 when he started his Francie and Josie cross-talking act with Jack Milroy (1915-2001) in riotous Glaswegian patois. Then he made us laugh with Scotch and Wry and latterly he enlivened many a Hogmanay TV show as the Rev I M Jolly with his lugubrious cod Thought for the New Year.

Rikki Fulton as the Rev I M Jolly

All the above comedians hailed from Glasgow, a fertile nursery for funny men, but the North East had its comics too. Harry Gordon (1893-1957), known as The Laird of Inversnecky, a wholly fictitious location based on Banchory, built up a loyal following in Aberdeen, packing out the Beach Pavilion, the Tivoli and His Majesty’s Theatre for a generation. He often told his jokes in broad Doric, the dialect of the North East, singing all manner of comic songs like The Auldest Aiberdonian

Aberdeen's Harry Gordon

Rather later, Andy Stewart (1933-93), a native of Arbroath, ploughed the same furrow. He was a national Scots star, much in evidence at Hogmanay singing on TV the likes of Donald, Where’s your Troosers but I reckon he was most in his element in the 1960-70s at our then family-owned His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen as a “Buchan Loon”, a farm labourer, outwitting the townies, declaiming wildly in broad Doric too and singing with infectious energy The Muckin o’ Geordie’s Byre.

A young Andy Stewart

Certain theatres were associated with the resident comic. Risqué Lex McLean’s (1908-75) seasons at the Pavilion,Glasgow drew large crowds and raucous Johnny Victory was the toast of Dundee, packing them out at the Palace. I enjoyed Chaplinesque Dave Willis, a Glaswegian, at the Beach Pavilion Aberdeen during the 1950s and another veteran Glasgow comic was Jack Radcliffe. A famous sketch saw Jack on his death-bed being tended by his wife who asked him pitifully if he had one final wish. “Aye, Jessie, I’d like to have a slice of that lovely ham on the side-board.” No, Jack, you canna have that” was her reply “We’re keeping it for the funeral!”

Rab Nesbitt tempted by Jamesie Cotter

Scots comedy lives on lustily for a rather younger generation. Hugely enjoyable is the TV sit-com Rab C Nesbitt played wonderfully well by Gregor Fisher with his string vest, scruffy headband and booze-slurred speech. His recent philosophical take on the independence debate was the question “Is it any better to be marginalised by Holyrood than by Westminster?” Rab is well fortified by his self-proclaimed “scumbag” friend Jamesie Cotter (Tony Roper), whose own wife describes him as "a slippery-lookin' article, about 93-year-old, wearing crusty jeans, with the eyes of an unemployed rapist". Rab’s long-suffering wife Mary-Doll (Elaine C Smith) is always charmed into forgiving Rab after his many scrapes. The whole show is a brilliant creation.

Ronnie Corbett of The Two Ronnies fame is a very comic veteran Scotsman from Edinburgh but he has seldom performed in Scotland itself and so I will not feature him here. No piece about Scottish comedians would be complete without giving a big place to Billy Connolly, now 71, who became a comedian after working in the Glasgow shipyards and forming a folk-singing duo. His performances and his CDs have been a sell-out in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and now in the USA. His act is a high energy one with funny walks, vulgar (many profusely illustrated jokes about farts), scabrous and in doubtful taste (those suffering from prostate problems should avert their eyes), foul-mouthed but it is all delivered with highly entertaining aplomb triumphing over often initially horrified audiences. Slowing down now, he remains a national treasure, continuing the proud heritage of Laughter in Scotland.

The Big Yin, Billy Connolly

SMD

24.01.14
Copyright Sidney Donald 2014