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1st BATTALION
THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENT
REGIMENTAL
SONG BOOK
WEST COUNTRY SONGS
AND
NAUTICAL AIRS
•CONTENTS
WIDDECOMBE FAIR PAGE 1
THE FARMER'S BOY PAGE 2
WHERE BE YON BLACKBIRD PAGE 3
THE TIDDY OGGY SONG PAGE 4
DRINK UP THY ZIDER PAGE 5
HEART OF OAK PAGE 6
THE BAY OF BISCAY PAGE 7
THE DRUNKEN SAILOR PAGE 8
WIDDECOMBE FAIR
Tom Pearce, Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare.
All along, down along, out along, lee,
For I want for to go to Widdecombe Fair,
Wi' Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davey, Dan'l Whiddon Harry Hawke,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
And when again shall I see my grey mare?
All along, down along, out along, lee,
By Friday soon, or Saturday noon,
Wi' Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davey, Dan'l Whiddon Harry Hawke,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
So Tom Pearce's old mare, her took sick and died,
All along, down along, out along, lee,
And Tom he sat down on a stone, and he cried,
Wi' Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davey, Dan'l Whiddon Harry Hawke,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
When the wind whistles cold on the moor of a night,
All along, down along, out along, lee,
Tom Pearce's old mare doth appear ghastly white,
Wi' Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davey, Dan'l Whiddon Harry Hawke,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
And all the long night be heard skirling and groans,
All along, down along, out along, lee.
From Tom Pearce's old mare in her rattling bones,
And from Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davey, Dan'l Whiddon Harry Hawke,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
THE FARMERS BOY
The sun had set beyond yon hill across yon dreary moor,
When weary and lame a lad there came up to the farmers door.
Can you tell oi where oi might find someone who'll me employ?
To plow and sow and reap and mow and be a farmers boy—,
and be a farmers boy.
My fathers left my mother with ten children large and small,
And what is worse for my mother dear I'm the largest of them all.
Though little I am 1*11 labour hard if I could find employ.
To plow and sow and reap and mow and be a farmers boy—,
and be a farmers boy.
The farmers wife cried "Try the lad let him no longer seek",
"Yes father dear" the daughter cried as the tears rolled down her cheeks,
For those who seek tis hard to find labour or employ,
Don't let him go but make him stay and be a farmers boy—,
and be a farmers boy.
The farmers boy grew up a man, the dear old couple died,
They left the lad the farm they had and their daughter for his bride,
The lad that was the farm he has and he often thinks with joy,
And he blesses the day he came that way to be a farmers boy—,
to be a farmers boy.
WHERE BE YON BLACKBIRD TO
Where be yon Blackbird to,
I know where ee'll be
Ee'll be up yon sycamore tree,
And I be atter ee.
Ee see's oi and oi see's ee,
Bugger'd if I won't ave ee,
Wiv a bloody gert stick
Oi'll knock ee down,
Blackbird oi'll ave ee.
Forty odd years livin on a farm,
Oi know where ee be.
Ee be up yon sycamore tree,
And oi be atter ee.
Ee see's oi and oi see's ee,
Bugger'd if I won't ave ee,
Wiv a bloody gert stick
Oi'll knock ee down,
Blackbird oi'll ave ee.
THE TIPPY OGGY SONG
'Alf a pound of flour and lard makes a lovely batter.
Just enough for you and oi, Cor bugger Janner.
Oh how happy us will be when us gets back to the West Country,
Where Tiddy Oggies grow on trees, Cor bugger Janner,
You make fast, kiss my a**e,
Make fast the dinghy,
You make fast, kiss my
Make fast the dinghy.
For we'll all go back to Oggie land.
To Oggie land, to Oggie Land,
For we'll all go back to Oggie land,
Where they can't tell beans from
Tissue paper. Tissue Paper
Marmalade or Jam.
CHORUS:
Drink up thy zider, drink up thy zider,
For tonight we'll merry be.
We'll knock the milk churns over and roll 'em in the clover.
For the corn's half cut and so're we.
Drink up thy zider George, pass us round the jug
Drink up thy zider George, the garden's fair nigh dug.
Thee cheeks be getting redder, from Charterhouse to Cheddar,
And there's still more zider in the jug.
CHORUS:
Drink up thy zider George, thee bisn't goin' far,
Drink up thy zider George, got in quite a store.
Well the dungs all o'er the taters and halfway up thee gaiters.
And there's still more zider in the jar.
CHORUS:
Drink up thy zider George, get up off thic mat,
Drink up thy zider George, put on thy gert big hat.
Oh we'm off to Barrow Gurney to see my brovver Ernie,
And there still more zider in the vat.
CHORUS:
HEART OF OAK
Come cheer up my lads, 'tis to glory we steer,
To add something new to this wonderful year,
To honour we call you, not press you like slaves,
For who are so free as the sons of the waves
Chorus: Heart of oak are our ships,
Jolly tars are our men
We al-ways are ready,
Steady, boys, steady,
We'll fight and will conquer a-gain and a-gain
We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay,
They ne-ver see us but wish us away,
If they run, why we follow, and run them ashore
And if they won't fight us, we can-not do more.
Chorus: Heart of oak etc.
They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes,
They frighten our women, our children and beaus,
But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o'er,
Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore.
Chorus: Heart of oak etc.
THE BAY OF BISCAY
Loud roar'd the dreadful thunder,
The rain a deluge show'rs,
The clouds were rent asunder,
By light-ning's vivid pow'rs.
The night was drear and dark,
Our poor devoted bark,
Till next day there she lay,
In the Bay of Biscay O!
Now, dash'd upon the billow,
Her op'ning timbers creak,
Each fears a wat'ry pillow,
None stop the dreadful leak.
To cling to slipp'ry shrouds,
Each breathless sea-man crowds,
As she lay till next day
In the Bay of Biscay O!
Her yielding timbers sever,
Her pitchy seams are rent,
When Heav'n, all bounteous ever,
Its boundless mercy sent.
A sail in sight appears,
We hail her with three cheers,
Now we sail, with the gale,
From the Bay of Biscay O!
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE DRUNKEN SAILOR
What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor.
What shall we do with the drunken sailor.
Early in the morning?
Chorus:
Hooray and up she rises,
Hooray and up she rises,
Hooray and up she rises,
Early in the morning.
Put him in the longboat until he's sober.
Put him in the longboat until he's sober,
Put him in the longboat until he's sober,
Early in the morning.
Chorus: Hooray etc.
Pull out the plug and wet him all over,
Pull out the plug and wet him all over,
Pull out the plug and wet him all over,
Early in the morning.
Chorus: Hooray etc.
Put him in the scuppers with a hose-pipe on him
Put him in the scuppers with a hose-pipe on him
Put him in the scuppers with a hose-pipe on him
Early in the morning.
Chorus: Hooray etc.
Heave him by the leg in a running bowlin',
Heave him by the leg in a running bowlin',
Heave him by the leg in a running bowlin',
Early in the morning.
Chorus: Hooray etc.
Tie him on the taffrail when she's yard-arm under,
Tie him on the taffrail when she's yard-arm under,
Tie him on the taffrail when she's yard-arm under,
Early in the morning.
Chorus: Hooray etc.