BSA Song Book
- Thread starter Mark
- Start date
bograt
Active member
Revised version;
Dwarf Cavers Lament
(Tune; The Streets of Laredo)
As I was out walking the streets of old Castleton,
As I was out walking down Castleton way
I met a young caver all dressed in a wetsuit
All wrapped in a polybag and covered in clay.
I see by your wetsuit that you are a caver
These words he did say as he watched me walk by,
Come sit down beside me I?ll tell my sad story,
Abandoned down Oxlow they left me to die.
?Twas once in this district I used to go caving,
?Twas once in this district I had my hey day,
Till press ganged by Eldon to dig the connection
Twixt Oxlow and Nettle through tons of wet clay.
I first met the Eldon while practising caving
While practising caving down Perryfoot Way
Standing just over four feet in wellies and helmet
And impressed by my thinness they dragged me away.
They dressed me in wetsuit and fed me bacardi
Direction of Oxlow we headed one day
They set me to dig at the top of East Chamber
Saying ?we?ll ladder Nettle you can come out that way?.
Now when one is digging one loses direction
And in up the wrong passage its easy to go,
And so that was how after eight hours digging
I?d dug a great circle and was back in Oxlow.
?You cad sir, you cad sir, you?ve let us down bad sir,
Direction of Nettle an idiot should know,
For that you can stay here no booze and no water,
And what ever happens no DCRO.
Any more edits ? never seen it written down before so would this be the 'official' version now?
Dwarf Cavers Lament
(Tune; The Streets of Laredo)
As I was out walking the streets of old Castleton,
As I was out walking down Castleton way
I met a young caver all dressed in a wetsuit
All wrapped in a polybag and covered in clay.
I see by your wetsuit that you are a caver
These words he did say as he watched me walk by,
Come sit down beside me I?ll tell my sad story,
Abandoned down Oxlow they left me to die.
?Twas once in this district I used to go caving,
?Twas once in this district I had my hey day,
Till press ganged by Eldon to dig the connection
Twixt Oxlow and Nettle through tons of wet clay.
I first met the Eldon while practising caving
While practising caving down Perryfoot Way
Standing just over four feet in wellies and helmet
And impressed by my thinness they dragged me away.
They dressed me in wetsuit and fed me bacardi
Direction of Oxlow we headed one day
They set me to dig at the top of East Chamber
Saying ?we?ll ladder Nettle you can come out that way?.
Now when one is digging one loses direction
And in up the wrong passage its easy to go,
And so that was how after eight hours digging
I?d dug a great circle and was back in Oxlow.
?You cad sir, you cad sir, you?ve let us down bad sir,
Direction of Nettle an idiot should know,
For that you can stay here no booze and no water,
And what ever happens no DCRO.
Any more edits ? never seen it written down before so would this be the 'official' version now?
bograt
Active member
An adaptation of an old ramblers classic, as rendered by cavers;
Bar Room Mountaineers
In Castleton so fair and fine
There stands a house that sells good wine
It's full of whisky, wine and beer
And so are the bar room mountaineers
We're the bar room mountaineers
You can come and look us over
We are very seldom sober
But when we?ve had enough for four
You'll never find us on the floor
Its up to the bar to ask for more
We?re the bar room mountaineers
We?ve never been down Gaping Gill
And we pray to God we never will
Till of good beer we?ve had our fill
We?re the bar room mountaineers
If you hear tally ho, tally ho, tally ho
In the middle of the night
In the middle of the night
Draw tight your blinds no need for fears
For its only the bar room mountaineers
We?re the bar room mountaineers.
Corrections and regional variations welcome.
Bar Room Mountaineers
In Castleton so fair and fine
There stands a house that sells good wine
It's full of whisky, wine and beer
And so are the bar room mountaineers
We're the bar room mountaineers
You can come and look us over
We are very seldom sober
But when we?ve had enough for four
You'll never find us on the floor
Its up to the bar to ask for more
We?re the bar room mountaineers
We?ve never been down Gaping Gill
And we pray to God we never will
Till of good beer we?ve had our fill
We?re the bar room mountaineers
If you hear tally ho, tally ho, tally ho
In the middle of the night
In the middle of the night
Draw tight your blinds no need for fears
For its only the bar room mountaineers
We?re the bar room mountaineers.
Corrections and regional variations welcome.
andys
Well-known member
Just got to include this classic.....
I'm Off Caving!
Packed up all my gear tonight, my wetsuit, boots and light,
Refrain: I?m off caving!
Said goodbye to mum and dad, down the pub, meet the lads,
I?m off caving!
My girlfriend doesn?t seem to understand me,
Trouble?s where it always seem to land me,
I?m off with the (*insert club name here*) crew, silly cow stay home and stew,
Refrain: Caving for me!
All inside a minivan, all the gear that we can,
Ingleton is getting near, time to pop in for a beer,
We only meant to pop in for a quicky,
A pint or two and then time for a quick pee,
But we had nine or ten, didn?t get on the road again,
Getting close to closing time, eleven-o?clock?s a bloody crime,
But we stayed locked in the pub, before we crept back to the hut,
I crawled into the cottage to my bunk bed,
Got put in the drag sheet instead,
Tied me in, couldn?t get free, I just had to have a pee,
Couldn?t hold out, what a dreg, wet and sticky down my leg,
And as you, may foretell, I threw up in there as well,
I woke up next morning, I was covered,
Felt ill and just wanted to be mothered,
Stayed in bed, all that day, I felt in a bad way,
Opening time came that night, then I felt quite alright,
Had a pint to get the taste, then two more, then we raced,
Inside the pub we had another session,
Thought by now I should have learnt my lesson,
Still I got out of my brain, then I felt good again,
I'm Off Caving!
Packed up all my gear tonight, my wetsuit, boots and light,
Refrain: I?m off caving!
Said goodbye to mum and dad, down the pub, meet the lads,
I?m off caving!
My girlfriend doesn?t seem to understand me,
Trouble?s where it always seem to land me,
I?m off with the (*insert club name here*) crew, silly cow stay home and stew,
Refrain: Caving for me!
All inside a minivan, all the gear that we can,
Ingleton is getting near, time to pop in for a beer,
We only meant to pop in for a quicky,
A pint or two and then time for a quick pee,
But we had nine or ten, didn?t get on the road again,
Getting close to closing time, eleven-o?clock?s a bloody crime,
But we stayed locked in the pub, before we crept back to the hut,
I crawled into the cottage to my bunk bed,
Got put in the drag sheet instead,
Tied me in, couldn?t get free, I just had to have a pee,
Couldn?t hold out, what a dreg, wet and sticky down my leg,
And as you, may foretell, I threw up in there as well,
I woke up next morning, I was covered,
Felt ill and just wanted to be mothered,
Stayed in bed, all that day, I felt in a bad way,
Opening time came that night, then I felt quite alright,
Had a pint to get the taste, then two more, then we raced,
Inside the pub we had another session,
Thought by now I should have learnt my lesson,
Still I got out of my brain, then I felt good again,
Mrs Trellis
Well-known member
That can be taken two ways - as the actress said to the Bishop.
Mark Wright
Active member
The Cave Divers song to the tune of Sheffield Grinder.
Written by a 16 year old Derbyshire cave diver back in 1980 who should have been paying more attention to his college work.
To be a cave diver it is no easy task
you have to wear a wetsuit, an aqualung, a mask
you have to carry two bottles, 3 torches and a knife
and if you do not carry these then you may lose your life
Most divers in this country are over 21
and by the time they're 40 their diving life is done
but if they are still living they will have some tales to tell
about the epic push in Castletons Russet Well
There are sites around the country like Wookey, Peak and Keld
and in these submerged caverns records have been held
but not without misgivings and not without bad luck
for many of these divers lives have been took
And so we end our story with a few and humble lines
about these galant divers who suffer in hard times
good luck to their adventures and all their exploits too
there are few who brave the hardships as cave divers do
Mark
Written by a 16 year old Derbyshire cave diver back in 1980 who should have been paying more attention to his college work.
To be a cave diver it is no easy task
you have to wear a wetsuit, an aqualung, a mask
you have to carry two bottles, 3 torches and a knife
and if you do not carry these then you may lose your life
Most divers in this country are over 21
and by the time they're 40 their diving life is done
but if they are still living they will have some tales to tell
about the epic push in Castletons Russet Well
There are sites around the country like Wookey, Peak and Keld
and in these submerged caverns records have been held
but not without misgivings and not without bad luck
for many of these divers lives have been took
And so we end our story with a few and humble lines
about these galant divers who suffer in hard times
good luck to their adventures and all their exploits too
there are few who brave the hardships as cave divers do
Mark
bograt
Active member
I intend to compile these songs into a collection, most likely for internet release, if anyone objects, please say so, I have already copied the submissions by andys and Mark Wright, if anyone knows the composers please let me know so I can add acknowledgedments if required.
There are also many non-caving bawdy songs sung in cavers pub sessions, what do folk think about these being included?.
There are also many non-caving bawdy songs sung in cavers pub sessions, what do folk think about these being included?.
Mark Wright
Active member
Bograt,
The 16 year old was me.
The Lady of the Manor was dressing for the ball
when she spied the Irish tinker pissing up against a wall
etc etc etc,
Not a caving song as such but Fish Jeanmaire taught it to me and we used to sing it regularly in the Peak Hotel in Castleton as I'm sure you will remember.
I think this is a brilliant idea. It might be worth getting hold of whoever put 'They Word They Words They 'Orible Words' together although I doubt the book was in a digital format, it was a good while ago.
The Hunters Lodge back room boys I heard singing all these classics after Fish's funeral I'm sure will be up for it.
How about we record them all and sell the recording with all profits going to the GPF? I have some good friends who own a recording studio in Sheffield who could help with the production.
Mark
The 16 year old was me.
The Lady of the Manor was dressing for the ball
when she spied the Irish tinker pissing up against a wall
etc etc etc,
Not a caving song as such but Fish Jeanmaire taught it to me and we used to sing it regularly in the Peak Hotel in Castleton as I'm sure you will remember.
I think this is a brilliant idea. It might be worth getting hold of whoever put 'They Word They Words They 'Orible Words' together although I doubt the book was in a digital format, it was a good while ago.
The Hunters Lodge back room boys I heard singing all these classics after Fish's funeral I'm sure will be up for it.
How about we record them all and sell the recording with all profits going to the GPF? I have some good friends who own a recording studio in Sheffield who could help with the production.
Mark
Mrs Trellis
Well-known member
We made up a parody of the Wild Rover - the Wild Caver
"I went up to Giant's I used to frequent
I told Farmer Watson my money was spent
I asked him for credit, he answered me nay
he said cavers* like you I can get any day
and it's no nay never clap clap clap clap .....etc.
*other two syllable plural nouns may be substituted.
In Mendip they used to sing "Down Below" iirc
"I went up to Giant's I used to frequent
I told Farmer Watson my money was spent
I asked him for credit, he answered me nay
he said cavers* like you I can get any day
and it's no nay never clap clap clap clap .....etc.
*other two syllable plural nouns may be substituted.
In Mendip they used to sing "Down Below" iirc
Mark Wright
Active member
We could do a rendition of the favourites at Hidden Earth, save Les having to find a band.
Mark
Mark
Orpheus Caving Club published two songbooks as we had a long tradition (now sadly died out) of lengthy sing-songs in pubs.
Our first songbook was published in 1968 and included such memorable ditties as "The Derbyshire Caver" (sung to the tune of the Manchester Rambler), "The Universal Caver", "The Saga of Giants Hole", and many others. Quite a few of the songs were traditional Irish ballads and there were also many climbers songs. This first book sported a magnificent cover cartoon by Bill Whitehouse.
The second edition of the songbook, called "Sup up and Puke" was published in 1974 and included some of those from the first book as well as others.
Copies of both books are in the British Caving Library, enshrined in state along with other publications of the Orpheus Caving Club. It would be good to add to the collection at BCL
Our first songbook was published in 1968 and included such memorable ditties as "The Derbyshire Caver" (sung to the tune of the Manchester Rambler), "The Universal Caver", "The Saga of Giants Hole", and many others. Quite a few of the songs were traditional Irish ballads and there were also many climbers songs. This first book sported a magnificent cover cartoon by Bill Whitehouse.
The second edition of the songbook, called "Sup up and Puke" was published in 1974 and included some of those from the first book as well as others.
Copies of both books are in the British Caving Library, enshrined in state along with other publications of the Orpheus Caving Club. It would be good to add to the collection at BCL
bograt
Active member
Mark W.
Yup!, The Irish Tinker was one of Fish's favourites, that was one of the ones I was thinking about when I asked about bawdy songs
Not sure how my voice has held up over the last couple of decades for public performance
Mrs Trellis,
IIRC, there is more of 'The Wild Caver', doe's anyone remember it?
Jenny P.
Sad to hear the great Orpheus tradition has declined, we were very famous in the Ancient Brit and many other caving pubs we frequented, RIP Spud, Groins et al.
Are there any other song books in the library (e.g. 'They Words') it may be worth me making time to spend a couple of hours down there copying.
Anyone care to lend me any song books so I can transcribe them?, they will be returned as soon as I've done with them, it could be expensive if I have to buy them all, and I suspect some are no longer available. It would be a nice project for a decrepit like me on these long winter evenings.
Yup!, The Irish Tinker was one of Fish's favourites, that was one of the ones I was thinking about when I asked about bawdy songs
Not sure how my voice has held up over the last couple of decades for public performance
Mrs Trellis,
IIRC, there is more of 'The Wild Caver', doe's anyone remember it?
Jenny P.
Sad to hear the great Orpheus tradition has declined, we were very famous in the Ancient Brit and many other caving pubs we frequented, RIP Spud, Groins et al.
Are there any other song books in the library (e.g. 'They Words') it may be worth me making time to spend a couple of hours down there copying.
Anyone care to lend me any song books so I can transcribe them?, they will be returned as soon as I've done with them, it could be expensive if I have to buy them all, and I suspect some are no longer available. It would be a nice project for a decrepit like me on these long winter evenings.
shotlighter
Active member
A ditty sung on many Crewe trips long past, in order to increase the misery!
Here we are again,
Brassed off as can be,
Piss wet through & bloody poor company.
Traa la la la la
Traa la la la lee
Piss wet through & bloody poor company.
Repeat till all in party are utterly fed up
Here we are again,
Brassed off as can be,
Piss wet through & bloody poor company.
Traa la la la la
Traa la la la lee
Piss wet through & bloody poor company.
Repeat till all in party are utterly fed up
bograt
Active member
A page of ditties would be good, brought to mind a digging one we used to sing;
Gonna send it down,
fill it up,
fill a bucket full of sh*t,
pull it up,
tip it out,
send it down again -
----- ad nauseum.
Thinking about digging, any of the Big Dig team remember the Big Dig song;
'Big Dig mud gets everywhere,
gets up your nose,
between your toes
and in your hair'?
Gonna send it down,
fill it up,
fill a bucket full of sh*t,
pull it up,
tip it out,
send it down again -
----- ad nauseum.
Thinking about digging, any of the Big Dig team remember the Big Dig song;
'Big Dig mud gets everywhere,
gets up your nose,
between your toes
and in your hair'?
Judi Durber
Member
Here's one for the children, it's a round
Sounds good in the bottom of Goatchurch
I like the pot holes
I like the drippy rocks
I like the stalactites/mites
Don't mind the soggy socks
And I like to crawl around way down underground
Singing echoing and echoing and echoing and echoing ....
I like the drippy rocks
I like the stalactites/mites
Don't mind the soggy socks
And I like to crawl around way down underground
Singing echoing and echoing and echoing and echoing ....
Sounds good in the bottom of Goatchurch
Mark Wright
Active member
Bograt,
I find a couple or three pints of the special throat lubrication fluid and a couple of Bennies usually does the trick. You need to get some practice in. I'll be getting my weekly yawp in tomorrow night in Fagans in Sheffield.
I wouldn't get away with the Irish Tinker though, even if I have been a regular for the past 27 years.
I will probably be doing 'Touch her on the toe' which I got from the late Roy Sender from the Orpheus back in the 80's.
Mark
I find a couple or three pints of the special throat lubrication fluid and a couple of Bennies usually does the trick. You need to get some practice in. I'll be getting my weekly yawp in tomorrow night in Fagans in Sheffield.
I wouldn't get away with the Irish Tinker though, even if I have been a regular for the past 27 years.
I will probably be doing 'Touch her on the toe' which I got from the late Roy Sender from the Orpheus back in the 80's.
Mark
andys
Well-known member
bograt said:
I still have the old University of Bradford club (RIP!) song book - with a mix of stuff borrowed from other clubs and those originating from within, plus a fair mix of bawdy and trad songs. Many of these have found their way into current usage and happy to add more of them on here if wanted. It strikes me, though, just how many clubs came up with their own variant of Wild Rover - we certainly had one but its hardly PC these days! Then again, many trad folk songs you wouldn't get away with were they not just that - trad: who would dare compose the sea shanty "Johnny come down from hilo!" in current climes!