• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham songs

It isn't Brummie as my Nan's dad, Harry Bridgens, was from Brierly Hill....but he wrote his own songs. Nan had a little black book of them which 'went' when she re married. But as she used to sing them I can just remember one.
I had to Whistle For It. It was about going without and putting up with things, in life.
He went without a smoke, and a kiss and being alone with a lady and
I remember the chorus......
Oh I had to whistle for it,
I had to go without,
I Had to Whistle for it
In that there is not doubt,
I thought I'd get one but you see I didn't quite secure it,
And thought I was dyeing for that kiss/smoke,
I had to Whistle for It.
 
We're The Rotundas and we play social and industrial songs from Birmingham and the Black Country. Here's a link to The Penny Sit Up, a woeful tale of an itinerant and drunkard Digbeth broadside printer The Penny Sit Up and a link to our Soundcloud recordings The Rotundas
Thanks so much for that link. Nan used to sing, Clear the way for old Bob Tyler ''it im in'is bally an bost 'is biler.....to Men of Harlech. I have heard so many different versions to John's Brown's Body. The Battle hymn Of The Republic etc. My Teacher Mrs Jenkins who was Welsh sang John's Brown's Body's got a puncture in his tyre. My auntie who ran the Cheltenham boys' home taught me, John Brown's body's got a cold on his chest and they rubbed him with camphorated oil. Bt she was Brummie born.My mum who was from near Stourbridge sang, They scraped him off the tarmac like a pewnd (pound) of strawberry jam. There must be others?
I heard one in Dublin, Up went Nelson and The Pillar too.
 
William Pratt of 82 Digbeth was a printer of broadsides until 1861 then my 2xGt. Grandfather took over. I don't think he was a drunkard and he didn't leave his family, I hope the song isn't about him!!
rosie.
Don't think so Rosie! To be fair there were a few to choose from, and plenty of scope for dramatic license! Hope you enjoyed the song though?
 
We're The Rotundas and we play social and industrial songs from Birmingham and the Black Country. Here's a link to The Penny Sit Up, a woeful tale of an itinerant and drunkard Digbeth broadside printer The Penny Sit Up and a link to our Soundcloud recordings The Rotundas
Thanks Nico, we're always looking for songs, or snippets of songs, and tales we can turn into tunes! Do send us any we can adapt, extend or invent!? ;)
 
Thanks Nico, we're always looking for songs, or snippets of songs, and tales we can turn into tunes! Do send us any we can adapt, extend or invent!? ;)
My Cov Gran sang, "Oh the land, the land of Scotland, shooting peas up a nanny goat's bottom," to men of Harlech. I have CD of my dad's, The Spinners singing The D Day Dodgers to Lili Marlene.
I was asked to tweak some songs for 'around the campfire' 'lifting spirits' for my friend, one of the HS2 protesters to sing, in Crackley and Cubbington. So I changed the words to Nymphs and Shepherds, Oh Dr Beeching, The Teddy Bears Picnic, Liverpool Lou (becomes Oh Cubbington Pear,) a 250 year old tree they are trying to save. In My Liverpool Home becomes Save My Cubbington Pear, and Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be, Boris Johnson's locked in the Lavatory, my favourite. Birmingham History Forum is not a political site so if you want I will send you all the lyrics on a Private Message.
 
I originally tweaked Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be, before Victoria Wood penned hers. Mine was when our boss got locked in the lavatory at The Royal Show, Stoneleigh,the newspaper that we worked for used to sponsor it. Everybody had gone home and one of the photographers got her out.
 
My Cov Gran sang, "Oh the land, the land of Scotland, shooting peas up a nanny goat's bottom," to men of Harlech. I have CD of my dad's, The Spinners singing The D Day Dodgers to Lili Marlene.
I was asked to tweak some songs for 'around the campfire' 'lifting spirits' for my friend, one of the HS2 protesters to sing, in Crackley and Cubbington. So I changed the words to Nymphs and Shepherds, Oh Dr Beeching, The Teddy Bears Picnic, Liverpool Lou (becomes Oh Cubbington Pear,) a 250 year old tree they are trying to save. In My Liverpool Home becomes Save My Cubbington Pear, and Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be, Boris Johnson's locked in the Lavatory, my favourite. Birmingham History Forum is not a political site so if you want I will send you all the lyrics on a Private Message.
Hi Nico, thanks, please do send them as a PM or attach the files and we'll download if it's too large to send as a message. Look forward to reading them! Nick, Ian and Matt
 
Thanks Lyn, I've seen the song written down before but never heard it. Perhaps we can find some more recordings of songs about Brum. I'm going to investigate the ballads mentioned in Pedrocut's post #2.

I think what struck me about James Dobbs' song was that it's still as true today as it was 200 years ago.
Here's a couple of links to our songs about Brum and the Black Country and hope you enjoy them! Nick, Ian and Matt The Rotundas
 
Here's a couple of links to our songs about Brum and the Black Country and hope you enjoy them! Nick, Ian and Matt The Rotundas
I know the Bromsgrove Nailers as Jack of All Trades, a Dublin song, with different streets obviously. Lovely stuff. I used to go to folk pubs in Coventry and followed 3 Brummie Bands, Slip Jig and the Tommy Dempsey Band, both mainly Irish bands, and Fish and Chips. Then Rocky Road, Scartaglen and Mulliners Rough. They were Irish and one, the last one I think had a fiddler who wore a little multi coloured hat to play. I think he was of European descent. A chap calle Anthony Round played with Slip Jig.
 
Here's a couple of links to our songs about Brum and the Black Country and hope you enjoy them! Nick, Ian and Matt The Rotundas

Great thanks, can't beat folk music.

A couple sang your When Shall We Get Married, John? At my Nan's second wedding. It was about the only good thing about it as I couldn't stand her 2nd husband.They were both from Coventry, he was an ex comedian, but they called it, Where Shall we Go For The Wedding John? It was a slightly different tune, ending in Johnny, my own true Lover. I remember his reply sang in an ooo arrrr farming accent, something after the muck spreadin' Mary. She put on an old poke bonnet and cape for the rendition.

We used to sing in the office we shared with 2 other teams when the Newspaper Offices were getting whittled down. The boss of one of the other depts, Readers' Offers, used to tell us off. We sang anything and everything but folk wise it was Danny Boy. You Take the High Road and Comin Through The Rye. I used to go upstairs and Sing with a lady that Managed the Agricultural papers, Kevin Barry, in memory of her late brother of the same name.
 
This is one I played regularly in a previous life and still play it now and again today, The Hoochie Coochie Man From Kingstanding...



There is an actual video showing scenes around Kingstanding Shopping Centre here, but the sound quality is poor...

 
Last edited:
Back
Top