Owl illustration from Crumbling Ghost II (by Hannah Cheesbrough)
4 colour CMYK screen print on 'Natural' colour Westford Mill tote bags (screen printed by Giant Iron Face)
ships out within 3 days
£5GBPor more
T-Shirt/Apparel
Owl illustration from Crumbling Ghost II (by Hannah Cheesbrough)
4 colour CMYK screen print on 'Natural' colour Gildan Heavy Cotton T-Shirts (screen printed by Giant Iron Face)
ships out within 3 days
2 remaining
£10GBPor more
about
This song features on Mike Waterson’s
eponymous album released in 1977.
Mike commented that he learned it
from a recording by Phil Tanner of Llangennith,
South Wales entitled ‘Swansea Barracks’.
Tanner recorded the song in 1949 and it was
subsequently released by Topic Records as
part of their ‘Folk Songs of Britain’ series.
In the sleeve notes of Tanner’s 2003 anthology ‘
The Gower Nightingale’ Roy Palmer
explains that when songs were printed a blank
was often inserted, as in ‘The Lass of _____ Town’
so that singers could choose to sing about
their preferred locality.
This implies that different interpretations
of the song have concerned a number of different places.
lyrics
It was down by Swansea barracks I alone one morning strayed;
I met a very pretty girl whilst viewing the parade.
And her hair it was as black as jet, her beauty did astound;
She was the blooming rose of South Wales and the lass of Swansea Town.
Her hair it was as black as jet, her beauty did astound.
Search the universe all over and her equal can’t be found,
She's the blooming rose of South Wales and the lass of Swansea Town.
And I said, “My charming creature what makes you wander here?”
She says, “Kind sir I'm waiting for my bonny soldier dear.
Eight years ago he left me whence Bermuda he was bound,
And he promised he'd prove faithful to his lass of Swansea Town.”
And I say, “My charming creature sad news I have to tell,
Your lover was my comrade and in the battle fell.
A cannonball led him to fall and it gave him his death wound
And he asked me to protect his blooming rose of Swansea Town.”
And it's on the ground in agony this pretty girl did fall,
Saying, “I'll never rest till in my breast there strikes some cannonball.
For eight years ago he left me whence Bermuda he was bound
And he promised he'd prove faithful to his lass of Swansea Town.”
“Fear not my charming creature, don't be in great alarm,
I'm your long lost William boy safe from the wars returned.
Eight years ago I left you whence Bermuda I was bound;
Now I've late returned to claim my blooming rose of Swansea Town.”
For your hair it is as black as jet, Your beauty does astound.
Search the universe all over and no equal can be found,
You're the blooming rose of South Wales and the lass of Swansea Town.
credits
from Five Songs,
released April 1, 2016
(Trad, Arr. Crumbling Ghost)
Phenomenal Sabbath-esque riffing with amazing tones on both bass and guitar, insane drumming and powerful vocals make this band a complete sonic titan! Wolf Moon
Brighton, UK band leaven surging hard rock with spaced-out stoner-doom on their second LP, recorded in an old chapel on the English coast. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 9, 2022
The surprisingly comical new video from roaring metal group Red Fang is a tip of the hat to the original “Predator.” Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 12, 2016
