A Cob-Coaling Medley
THE COB-A-COALIN’ MEDLEY
Sung by the group
We come a cob-coalin’ for bonfire time,
Your coal an’ your money we hope you’ll enjoy.
Fol-a-day, Fol-a-day, Fol-a-diddle-eye-do-da.
Down in yon celler, there lives an’ old feller,
Wi’ not on it’s cornish but an old pepper-box
Pepper-box, pepper-box, mornin’ till night,
If you give us nowt, we’ll steal nowt, God bless you, good night.
Up a ladder down a wall a-cob-o’-coal ‘ll save us all,
If you haven’t got a penny a h’f-penny ‘ll do,
you haven’t got a h’f-penny, then God Bless You.
We knock at your knocker an’ ring at your bell,
To see what you’ll give us for singing so well, singing so well.
Reeves’s pony let a trump, knocked poor Reevesy off his chump,
Reevesy swore he’d punch his rump. Hoorah for Reeves’s pony.
Rosie apple, a lemon or a pear, gold an’ silver she must wear,
A silver bridle by her side, for she’s the one to be his bride.
Take her by the lily white hand, take her by the water,
Give her a shove an’ knock her out, for she’s the miller’s daughter.
The corporation muck-cart was filled up to the brim,
The corporation driver fell in an’ could not swim,
He sank right to the bottom, just like a little stone,
An’ then he started singing, “There’s no place like home - There’s no place like home.
Sung by the group
We come a cob-coalin’ for bonfire time,
Your coal an’ your money we hope you’ll enjoy.
Fol-a-day, Fol-a-day, Fol-a-diddle-eye-do-da.
Down in yon celler, there lives an’ old feller,
Wi’ not on it’s cornish but an old pepper-box
Pepper-box, pepper-box, mornin’ till night,
If you give us nowt, we’ll steal nowt, God bless you, good night.
Up a ladder down a wall a-cob-o’-coal ‘ll save us all,
If you haven’t got a penny a h’f-penny ‘ll do,
you haven’t got a h’f-penny, then God Bless You.
We knock at your knocker an’ ring at your bell,
To see what you’ll give us for singing so well, singing so well.
Reeves’s pony let a trump, knocked poor Reevesy off his chump,
Reevesy swore he’d punch his rump. Hoorah for Reeves’s pony.
Rosie apple, a lemon or a pear, gold an’ silver she must wear,
A silver bridle by her side, for she’s the one to be his bride.
Take her by the lily white hand, take her by the water,
Give her a shove an’ knock her out, for she’s the miller’s daughter.
The corporation muck-cart was filled up to the brim,
The corporation driver fell in an’ could not swim,
He sank right to the bottom, just like a little stone,
An’ then he started singing, “There’s no place like home - There’s no place like home.
A Cob - Coaling Medley
At one time, around Hallowe’en, great fire festivals associated with the cult of the dead took place all over England. Nowadays they’ve mostly died away or become ‘rationalised’ into Guy Fawkes celebrations. Lancashire in particular was a great area for ceremonial fires, and at the end of October, until some seventy years ago, huge fires could be seen on the hills all around the horizon. Fuel for the fires would be gathered by children, often disguised, who went in bands from door to door, some to wish luck, some to threaten slow givers, some for impish daftness. These are a tiny selection from a treasury that runs into scores of cob-coaling anthems.
At one time, around Hallowe’en, great fire festivals associated with the cult of the dead took place all over England. Nowadays they’ve mostly died away or become ‘rationalised’ into Guy Fawkes celebrations. Lancashire in particular was a great area for ceremonial fires, and at the end of October, until some seventy years ago, huge fires could be seen on the hills all around the horizon. Fuel for the fires would be gathered by children, often disguised, who went in bands from door to door, some to wish luck, some to threaten slow givers, some for impish daftness. These are a tiny selection from a treasury that runs into scores of cob-coaling anthems.
Best O’T’ Bunch LP 12TS237 STEREO
First published by Topic Records 1974
Recorded at Livingstone Studios
Produced by Tony Engle
Sleeve design by Ken Lees
Sleeve illustration by Jim Andrew
Notes by A L Lloyd and The Oldham Tinkers
Topic Records Limited
27 Nassington Road, London NW3 2TX
Re-released on CD by Pier Records in 2003. THE OLDHAM TINKERS “Best O’T’Bunch” PIERCD506
Released under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England
First published by Topic Records 1974
Recorded at Livingstone Studios
Produced by Tony Engle
Sleeve design by Ken Lees
Sleeve illustration by Jim Andrew
Notes by A L Lloyd and The Oldham Tinkers
Topic Records Limited
27 Nassington Road, London NW3 2TX
Re-released on CD by Pier Records in 2003. THE OLDHAM TINKERS “Best O’T’Bunch” PIERCD506
Released under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England