After The Brawl was Over

AFTER THE BRAWL WAS OVER Ah! Yes... the end of another season. We finished ours at our home base, 'The Greyhound' in Aldbury by the traditional dancing of Bonny Green Garters over the band and into the bar, leaving a trail of devastation. For some reason, which quite is beyond understanding, the Landlord had uncharitably bolted the door. It took considerable coaxing by four of us resorting to using the Fool as a battering ram to gain entry.
Once in the bar we got round to discussing Christmas activities and inevitably the subject turned to the CD [Aprés Morris] which we made in 2000. Oh! How we laughed. Everyone we knew, plus a few we didn't, got one. "Well!" Said the Squire, "What shall we foist upon the unsuspecting public this yuletide?" A nude calendar was suggested - No... we couldn't be that insensitive, anyway it's been done before. What about another CD? Could we get away with it? We all felt our doting public expected and indeed deserved another. The formula to be similar to Aprés Morris : Songs from the revival, new material, musica obscura and the odd novelty number, but again no Morris tunes or dances - after all it was to be 'After the Brawl was Over'. So here it is.... Ignore your best instincts.... Buy it in your thousands, enrich your relatives lives all around the World.
Click on the title for a short mp3 rendition of each track. All downloads about 150Kb and of lower than CD quality. Price £9 + p&p To order please email Lester
ROW BULLIES ROW. An old favourite from the folk revival to get us under way.A traditional arrangement. POLLY ON THE SHORE. An unusual arrangement, simple but effective version of another traditional song LES MORISQUES / HORSES BRANLE. Two French dance tunes from Thoinot Arbeau's Orchesography published in 1589. BELLRINGING. A song I first heard by the late West Country singer, Tony Rose. Three of our Morris team, when they are not beating three shades of eye shadow out of each other, are enthusiastic bell ringers, and wherever our summer tours take us they move in on the local belfries, and wheedle their way in for some campanology. SAILORS LIFE. Real title is 'The Last Shanty' written by Tom Lewis of Gosport based on his experiences upon joining the Royal Navy only to discover that Navy life was not as tough as he had imagined. SONG OF THE CHANTER / RAMBLING SAILOR. Lester's current favourite tune, which fits quite naturally with one of my favourite songs that I learned from the singing of Bert Lloyd. It's a Ratcliffe Highway song of a poor misguided sailor HARD TIMES. Written by Stephen C. Foster of Pennsylvania in 1854. He also wrote, among other all time favourites, 'Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair' and 'Beautiful Dreamer'. WHITE WINE. A modern song from the singing of Louden Wainwright CHILDGROVE. Barry goes glassy eyed and trying to hold back the dribble with a tune he likes for quiet occasions, the hidden corners of National Trust gardens and ruined piles. ROVER CALYPSO. This is one of those songs that have the words of one song sung to the tune of another. It was a toss up between this one and 'The Unquiet Grave' to the tune of 'I've got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts SAM JONES. From the singing of Richard Thompson, a song which gets straight to the bones of the subject. SUN GLORY. From the singing of Muckram Wakes. The escapades of an inexperienced crew on a holiday cruise on the Norfolk Broads. Written, I believe, By Gerald Short AWAYDAY. One of the lesser-known spoofs of the Kipper Family. Good choice for a Christmas recording. MISS THOMPSON'S. Jonathans chance to shine on his own, instead of decorating the efforts of others, decorated by two of the others. THREE JOLLY SHEEPSKINS/SPEED THE PLOUGH. Two traditional English dance tunes. THE CUNNING OLD TRAITOR. A song from a collection compiled by the Holme Valley Beagle Hunt in West Yorkshire. A traditional song where the fox outwits the hounds, makes fools of the huntsmen and continues his cunning raids on local Farms. This, of course, never happens to the Holme Valley as they only hunt hares. ROLLING HOME. Written by John Tams.A popular last request on our pub evenings, after the lights are out and the Landlord has taken to his bed.
Recorded and Mastered by Vale Audio, Engineer: Gary Thomas. At Ley Hill School.