Canute
Kershaw/ Oldham Tinkers
Arrangement © Oldham Tinkers
Vocal and banjo John Howarth; Chorus and guitar Gerry Kearns; Chorus and mandolin Larry Kearns.
Yo’ may talk o’ yo’r hist’ry an’ legends tu boot,
But there’s nowt tu compare wi’ th’ tale o’ Canute,
Heaw he sat near tu t’ sea, wi’ tide comin’ in,
An’ thowt he could tell t’ waves tu ‘Hutch-up” for him.
He’d ordered his servents tu fotch him a cheer,
An’ place it on t’ beach, as t’ watter drew near,
Then he sat theer i’ state, wi’ his hond raised aboon,
As tho’ he were makin’ a grab for the moon.
“So far, but nu further. Neaw turn back” he growled,
He were talkin’ tu t’ waves but they wouldn’t be towd,
He myet just as well ha’ kept his meawth shut,
For t’ watter come forrard till it lapped o’er his foot.
Then he jumped tu his feet an’ trumpered wi’ rage,
But that made nu difference, for t’ sea weren’ his page,
Su he turned reawnd abeawt an’ gi’ sarvents a sheawt,
For he didn’t like th’ idea havin’ his feet weyshed for nowt.
When back in his castle, he fumed an’ he kicked,
But that didn’t au’ter th’ fact he’d been licked,
It just goes tu show ‘at even a king,
Wi’ ow his palaver, can’t boss everything.
There’s nobbut Britannia can rule eawr owd waves,
An’ hoo has a job on, at times wi some knaves,
Yo’ caunt bully nature wi’ threat’nin’s an’ rods,
For t’turnin’ o’ t’ tides in th’ lap o’ th’ Gods.
Harvey Kershaw
Arrangement © Oldham Tinkers
Vocal and banjo John Howarth; Chorus and guitar Gerry Kearns; Chorus and mandolin Larry Kearns.
Yo’ may talk o’ yo’r hist’ry an’ legends tu boot,
But there’s nowt tu compare wi’ th’ tale o’ Canute,
Heaw he sat near tu t’ sea, wi’ tide comin’ in,
An’ thowt he could tell t’ waves tu ‘Hutch-up” for him.
He’d ordered his servents tu fotch him a cheer,
An’ place it on t’ beach, as t’ watter drew near,
Then he sat theer i’ state, wi’ his hond raised aboon,
As tho’ he were makin’ a grab for the moon.
“So far, but nu further. Neaw turn back” he growled,
He were talkin’ tu t’ waves but they wouldn’t be towd,
He myet just as well ha’ kept his meawth shut,
For t’ watter come forrard till it lapped o’er his foot.
Then he jumped tu his feet an’ trumpered wi’ rage,
But that made nu difference, for t’ sea weren’ his page,
Su he turned reawnd abeawt an’ gi’ sarvents a sheawt,
For he didn’t like th’ idea havin’ his feet weyshed for nowt.
When back in his castle, he fumed an’ he kicked,
But that didn’t au’ter th’ fact he’d been licked,
It just goes tu show ‘at even a king,
Wi’ ow his palaver, can’t boss everything.
There’s nobbut Britannia can rule eawr owd waves,
An’ hoo has a job on, at times wi some knaves,
Yo’ caunt bully nature wi’ threat’nin’s an’ rods,
For t’turnin’ o’ t’ tides in th’ lap o’ th’ Gods.
Harvey Kershaw
Harvey Kershaw
Canute
‘Translating’ moralising stories from history or the bible, etc. into dialect, has long been a popular pastime in several regions of Britain, particularly in the North-East and in Lancashire and Yorkshire. These tales and verses create such images as Moses putting out his tab before talking to God, or Sam talking ‘matey-like’ to the Duke of Wellington.
Here we have an example, written by Harvey Kershaw, of dialect being used quite consciously to give a localized, homely effect to an ‘official’ story.
Canute
‘Translating’ moralising stories from history or the bible, etc. into dialect, has long been a popular pastime in several regions of Britain, particularly in the North-East and in Lancashire and Yorkshire. These tales and verses create such images as Moses putting out his tab before talking to God, or Sam talking ‘matey-like’ to the Duke of Wellington.
Here we have an example, written by Harvey Kershaw, of dialect being used quite consciously to give a localized, homely effect to an ‘official’ story.
Kershaw/ Oldham Tinkers
Arrangement © Oldham Tinkers
Vocal and banjo John Howarth; Chorus and guitar Gerry Kearns; Chorus and mandolin Larry Kearns.
First recorded for Topic Records on the L.P. “Owdham Edge” 12T204 by Sean Davies, and published by Topic Records in 1970.
Re-released on C.D. by Pier Records in 2000 on the album “That Lancashire Band” PIERCD 504
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Ltd label.
Arrangement © Oldham Tinkers
Vocal and banjo John Howarth; Chorus and guitar Gerry Kearns; Chorus and mandolin Larry Kearns.
First recorded for Topic Records on the L.P. “Owdham Edge” 12T204 by Sean Davies, and published by Topic Records in 1970.
Re-released on C.D. by Pier Records in 2000 on the album “That Lancashire Band” PIERCD 504
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Ltd label.