Alphabet song lyrics

[Custards]

Hi everyone!

I recently came to the shock horror discovery I'd been preaching Aberystwyth club history incorrectly.

In the constitution there is a point made that 'in the event of a rescue, the alphabet song will be sung ad infinitum'. I was under the impression that the alphabet song in question was the traditional primary school ballard of 'a, b, c, d, e (etc)' to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle little star. That was until the other day however where I heard another alphabet song starting with 'A is for Aven up which we all climb' and going on through each letter.

Unfortunately in my moment of shock realisation (and maybe due to a particularly tasty bottle of black cherry liqueur) I can't remember many other lyrics. If you could fill me in it'd be much appreciated!

I believe the chorus ended with 'give a caver his mars bar and all will be fine'? If you need more clues to what on earth I'm talking about hahaha!

Thanks .

 

[ChrisB]

I think this is it:

but there's a different version in here.

 

[Custards]

That's the one! Brilliant, thanks
!

 

[Graigwen]

"The Cavers Alphabet" is just one of innumerable occupational versions of a traditional song I first came across in the 1950s as "The Sailors Alphabet" . It has been kicking around since at least the mid 19th century. It has been the subject of some academic study and is allocated a number in the Roud list of English language folksongs, it is ROUD 21100. More information can be found here and here . Many good traditional versions have been recorded, some are available on You Tube here is a link to one.

The last three letters are often skipped with the excuse that they can't be made to rhyme, but a version of "The Miners' Alphabet" sung near Aberystwyth included "X marks the spot where the ______can be got" (insert metal of choice). I have heard rumours of "The Prostitutes Alphabet" but never actually heard it sung.

Regarding the Aberystwyth caving repertoire of song, in my experience this did not include "The Cavers Alphabet" in the 1960s, but I have fond memories of striding across the moor to P8 in 1967 singing "The Engineers Song" and "The Thrashing Machine". The keeper of the Aber caving song tradition in the club's early days is still going strong. I will not name him, but he does post on this forum under the user name of "Mrs Trellis".

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[Badlad]

What was H for again

 

[Badlad]

and G is for Gour pools we like to wash in!!! I think we are going to have to ban this song on conservation grounds

 

[Graigwen]

What was H for again

Helictite.

....but you can just make up your own, there is no "right" version. I think helmet is sometimes used.
.

 

[mikem]

I have fond memories of striding across the moor to P8 in 1967 singing "The Engineers Song" and "The Thrashing Machine". The keeper of the Aber caving song tradition in the club's early days is still going strong. I will not name him, but he does post on this forum under the user name of "Mrs Trellis".

That'll be the Wurzels' Threshing machine

 

[JasonC]

When I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought of the Alphabet Song from the Rugby Songs book, which I remember chortling over many years ago when I were but a lad. Sung to the tune of Beautiful Dreamer (ie not as above), the highly-offensive words begin...
A is the ****hole all covered in hair, B is the Bu***r who wishes he was there, C is the **** all dripping with piss, D is the Drunkard who gave it a kiss...
and so on. Apologies for lowering the tone...

 

[Graigwen]

That'll be the Wurzels' Threshing machine

The song goes back a long time before the Wurzels, probably to the 1830s. It does of course have its own Roud number, it is ROUD 1491, see this and this. It was clearly a popular song with many variants to the lyrics. It was often collected by researchers, but because of the words it was rarely published by respectable middle class folksong collectors. Even in the 1960s, when sung in pubs the landlords would sometimes object. (There was no problem in the back bar of the Angel, Aberystwyth.)

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