This was the first 'live' album release by Adge Cutler & The Wurzels. It was originally released on March 1st 1967 as a 12" vinyl LP on the Columbia record label, initially in mono only (catalogue number SX6126). It was subsequently repressed in mono between 1973 and 1979 with a stereo pressing issued in 1976 (SCX6126). The stereo pressing was accompanied by a cassette tape version. In 2009 the album was released on CD. Song Lyrics Collectors' Extras
This, the first 'live' album by Adge Cutler & The Wurzels, was released following the successful issue of a 7" single in the previous December and an EP in February. The tracks for all three releases were recorded at the same session (2nd November 1966) and so they all have the same line-up supporting Adge Cutler - namely Brian Walker, Reg Chant, Reg Quantrill and John Macey. By the time this album was released Brian Walker had left the band (although the exact date of his last gig isn't known, it was within a week or so prior to the release of this LP).
This album came from the very first commercial recording session made by Adge Cutler & The Wurzels - recorded in front of an audience in the upstairs room of the Royal Oak pub, Nailsea, in Zummerzet (as it says on the album cover!), on the 2nd November 1966. Adge's debut single 'Drink Up Thy Zider' and the subsequent 'Scrumpy & Western' EP were both taken from this recording session and both released prior to the album. EMI were probably testing the water with the first single release before going to the expense of putting the EP and album into production. The band had managed to secure a recording contract with EMI in the autumn of 1966 when their manager, John Miles, persuaded Bob Barratt of EMI to give them a trial at the EMI studios in London. Such was the impression made that not only did a record contract ensue but the ambitious and risky decision was made to bring the entire recording team down to Somerset to make a 'live' recording in a 'real' Somerset pub. The recording session, widely reported in the local press and on local TV news, was a wild and noisy night of entertainment with plenty of cider flowing, but a significant number of tracks were laid down, most in a single take. Adge's brother, the late Dave Cutler, remembered that the only track that took several takes was 'Twice Daily' for reasons he couldn't remember! It is interesting to note that all twelve tracks on the album were Adge Cutler compositions - an impressive showcase of Adge' songwriting prowess - but a feat that wasn't quite achieved in his later album releases. On the evening of the recording the audience were given duplicated copies of the choruses to several songs to allow them to sing-along - 'your ancient and modern sheets' as Adge refers to them on the album - and one song in particular stands out namely 'Swansea Susie': The recording of this song didn't make it onto any albums unfortunately but was resurrected with slightly different words on their 2nd LP as 'Avonmouth Mary'. As for reviews - there were plenty of positive reviews in papers and magazines - a good example being this from 'The Gramophone' magazine: You could never accuse Adge Cutler of failing to underline the implications of his modern rustic songs. Winks as loud as the slamming of a door, nudges that would fell a tree, are all carefully placed in case you should miss anything. But there’s a long tradition behind it all – the English music hall, and because of this Adge Cutler (once Acker Bilk’s road manager) may well succeed where others have failed. Anyway, his new LP, Columbia SX 6126, will most certainly have at least a short vogue. Some of the songs: When the Common Market Comes To Stanton Drew / Twice Daily / Drink up thy Zider / Mabel, Mabel. They were all recorded live (extremely) in a pub in Nailsea, Somerset Commercially the album was a success - entering the UK album charts on March 11th and staying in the charts for four weeks - enabling EMI to confidently start talking about followup material.
Adge had been writing songs and song lyrics for many years and his notebooks and diaries give an interesting insight into his methods - collecting phrases he heard around him, making up comical sentences and potential titles for songs: He then seemed to put them altogether into lyrics or for use as fillers in his stage shows.
Adge's 1965 diary in particular has scribbled notes referring to several of the song titles in this album: Thee Cassen't Kill Cooch, The Champion Dung Spreader (Adge's homage to Lonnie Donegan's 1960 UK hit 'My Old Man's A Dustman'), Drink Up Thy Zider (Possibly Adge's earliest song and is known to date from at least 1958 when he did a demo recording of it in Bristol with Acker Bilk), Pill Pill, Mabel Mabel, The Chew Magna Cha-Cha and Hark At 'Ee Jacko . Draft lyrics are there in the same diary for Twice Daily, When The Common Market Comes to Stanton Drew and Tanglefoot Twitch. Adge of course was already singing many of these songs long before the Wurzels were formed to accompany him and this particular diary even records that he went to BBC Glasgow in December 1965 to perform on their local radio station. By the time this album was recorded all these titles were part of the normal repertoire of the band.The remaining two songs on the album were The Mixer Man's Lament (reputedly composed by Adge in the late '50s whilst working at a North Wales power station) and 'Virtute Et Industrial ' (written for the Bristol Old Vic Company performing 'Bristol Fashion' in May 1966 with credit given to 'A J Cutler'). The single and EP referred to previously comprised tracks lifted directly from the album, albeit with slightly different inter-track chat.
This LP was originally released on the Columbia blue/black label in mono. There were several further mono repressings of the album between 1969 and 1979 with a stereo pressing made in 1976.The examples below and the associated statistics are taken from the collection of Professor Wurzel and represent what a collector should expect to find. For more information on references to matrix information (including information on acetates), vinyl tax codes , album sleeves, singles sleeves, and Columbia album labels, then refer to the Vinyl Collecting Guides on the main menu.
Image Ref. 1 1967 first mono pressing of SX6126, Columbia blue-black label with the XAX3311 and XAX3312 matrix. This pressing used a second mother on side 2. Numbers pressed weren't excessively high which suggests a problem with the first mother after a few pressings. This disc comes in a triple flipback sleeve (1963-1971 style) and normally the crimson EMI advertising inner sleeve type F but can also be found in the previous styles A to E. This pressing's vinyl weight is a very good 174g giving it excellent stability and tone. The luxury goods tax code 'KT' can be seen embossed onto the vinyl on side 2. This example is different from others here in that the font used on the label is very fine
Image Ref. 2 1967 first mono pressing of SX6126, Columbia blue-black label with the XAX3311 and XAX3312 matrix. This pressing had a first mother on both sides - see previous example. This disc comes in a triple flipback sleeve (1963-1971 style) and normally the crimson EMI advertising inner sleeve type F but can also be found in the previous styles A to E. This pressing's vinyl weight is a good 150g giving very good stability and tone. The luxury goods tax code 'KT' can be seen embossed onto the vinyl on side 2. This example differs from Ref. 1 in that the 1967 publishing date has shifted across to the right-hand side of the label.
Image Ref. 3 Mono pressing of SX6126, Columbia blue-black label with the XAX3311 and XAX3312 matrix. This pressing used a second mother on side 2 - refer to Image Ref. 1. With no tax code this disc was pressed post December 31st 1968. This disc comes in a triple flipback sleeve (1963-1971 style) and normally the crimson EMI advertising inner sleeve type F but can also be found in the previous styles A to E. This pressing's vinyl weight is a good 152g giving very good stability and tone. This example is at variance to the previous two. It refers to Adge Cutler 'AND' the Wurzels as opposed to '& '. Also, the layout of the tracks on the label on side 1 is quite different.
Image Ref. 4Early 1969 second mono pressing of SX6126, silver and black single box Columbia EMI label with the XAX3311 and XAX3312 matrix. Again, this pressing used a second mother on side 2. This disc comes in a triple flipback sleeve (1963-1971 style) and an inner sleeve type C or F. This pressing's vinyl weight is mid-range at 139g
Image Ref. 5 1969-1971 third mono pressing of SX6126, silver and black single box Columbia EMI label with the XAX3311 and XAX3312 matrix. Both sides were produced with a first mother. This disc can be found in the triple flipback sleeve (1963-1971 style) or double flipback sleeve (1970-1973 style) and normally the crimson EMI advertising inner sleeve type either F or G . This pressing's vinyl weight is mid-range at 147g.
Image Ref. 6 1971-1973 fourth mono pressing of SX6126, silver and black two box Columbia EMI label with the XAX3311 and XAX3312 matrix. Both sides were produced with a first mother. This disc can be found in the triple flipback sleeve (1963-1971 style), the double flipback sleeve (1970-1973 style) or the wrap-round sleeve (1973 onwards) - and a crimson EMI advertising inner sleeve type G or the EMI company sleeves H or J. This pressing's vinyl weight is 134g.
Image Ref. 7 1971-1973 fourth mono pressing of SX6126, silver and black two box Columbia EMI label with the XAX3311 and XAX3312 matrix. This example was produced with a first mother on side 1, second mother on side 2. This disc can be found in the triple flipback sleeve (1963-1971 style), the double flipback sleeve (1970-1973 style) or the wrap-round sleeve (1973 onwards) - and a crimson EMI advertising inner sleeve type G or the EMI company sleeves H or J. When compared to the previous example it can be seen that the layout of the spacing of the track credits is slightly different on side 1. This pressing's vinyl weight is good at 150g
Image Ref. 8 1971-1973 fourth mono pressing of SX6126, silver and black two box Columbia EMI label with the XAX3311 and XAX33312 matrix. This example was produced with a first mother on side 1, second mother on side 2. This example is a wrap-around sleeve (1973 onwards). This pressing's vinyl weight at 116g is very light and is a later pressing (1973-1974) as indicated by the sleeve.
Image Ref. 9 1973 onwards fifth and last mono pressing of SX6126, silver and black two box Columbia EMI label with the XAX3311 and XAX33312 matrix. This example was produced with a first mother on side 1, second mother on side 2. The outer sleeve is of the new wrap-around design (1973 onwards). This sleeve design resulted in the loss of the information previously appearing on the flaps, so the 'filing' information (previously 'File under STANDARD' and 'Humorous Records' ) and the printer and catalogue reference information (Garrod & Lofthouse etc etc) did not appear. The words 'Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd' only were printed along the bottom edge of the sleeve. The inner sleeve can be of type G to L covering 1973 - 1980. This pressing's vinyl weight at 124g is light.
1976 saw a huge resurgence in the popularity of The Wurzels both in chart successes and TV appearances. As a result EMI saw fit to re-release Adge's first two mono albums 'electronically reprocessed to give a stereo effect'. As 'The Gramophone Magazine' reported in December 1976: "Recent feats by The Wurzels in the hit parade seem to have stimulated a revival of material dating from 1966 and 1967 when they were led by the late Adge Cutler, and “Adge Cutler And The Wurzels” (Columbia SCX 6126; TC-SCX 6126) and “Adge Cutler’s Family Album” (Columbia SCX 6165; TC-SCX 6165) were both recorded at the Royal Oak in Nailsea, the heart of Somerset’s Wurzel country. Both contain liberal helpings of what producer Bob Barratt rightly says is “not really pop and not really comedy”, but surely is some latter-day West Country folk music preserving much of the bucolic charm and traditions of the past. Therefore much credit belongs to the memory of Adge Cutler because he wrote all of the songs in the first album and half of those in the second"
Image Ref. 10 1976 first stereo pressing of SX6126, silver and black two box Columbia EMI label with the YAX5153 and XAX5154 matrix. No pressings with a master or mother code other than '1' have been found to date. The outer sleeve is of the new wrap-around design (1973 onwards) - design change consequences as above. The inner sleeve can be of type G to L. This pressing's vinyl weight at 120g is light making the record rather flimsy and prone to warping. The vinyl has the letters 'HTM' in the run-off on both sides. This refers to Harry T Moss. Harry was a respected and long-served mastering/cutting engineer for EMI for many years. He mastered many of the Beatles records and began to include his initials in the lacquer around 1973. His work was greatly admired around the world and produced some very high quality records.
Image Ref. 111976 first stereo pressing of SX6126, silver and black two box Columbia EMI label with the YAX5153 and XAX5154 matrix. No pressings with a master or mother code other than '1' have been found to date. The outer sleeve is of the new wrap-around design (1973 onwards) - design change consequences as above. The inner sleeve can be of type G to L. This pressing's vinyl weight at 120g is light making the record rather flimsy and prone to warping. The vinyl has the letters 'HTM' in the run-off on both sides, see previous example. This example is almost identical to the previous for the very slight difference in the label where the tracks details have a much larger spacing to the lower box.
Version 1: Triple-flipback album sleeve 1967-1970 with laminated front and flaps, mono version of original album release. Spine text ' Adge Cutler and The Wurzels '
Version 2: Triple-flipback album sleeve 1967-1970 with laminated front and flaps, mono version of original album release.
Spine text ' Adge Cutler and The Wurzels '
This version, which can be found in equal numbers to version 1, has a printing plate error whereby the tops of some letters in the 'Recorded LIVE at The Royal Oak, Nailsea, Zummerzet' line are missing (also see Version 3).
Version 3: Double flipback album sleeve 1970-1973, laminated front and flaps, mono repressing.
Spine text 'Adge Cutler and The Wurzels'
Version 4: Wrap-around album sleeve 1973 onwards with laminated front, mono repressing.
Version 5: Wrap-around EMI album sleeve 1973 onwards, laminated front, first stereo pressing 1976.
Spine text ' ADGE CUTLER AND THE WURZELS SCX6126 '
Top Edge text ' ADGE CUTLER AND THE WURZELS SCX6126
This new stereo version of the album (the tracks had now been 'electronically reprocessed') had a few minor changes to the sleeve compared to earlier ones - the back of the sleeve was now a shade of yellow instead of white card, the notes were changed to reflect the fact that Adge had died in 1974 and the EMI logo on the front was updated to match that of other EMI albums of the time. The artwork date was change to 7607 (rear bottom right corner) indicating that it was at the typesetters in July 1976.
This release also had a revised EMI logo - top left of cover (compare with the image at the top of this page)
Well-loved copy of this album autographed by Adge, along with a personal dedication, when he visited the home of his longtime friend and fan John Tucker. He dedicated it to John's young children Carol and Colin. Thanks to Carol and John for this image.
Nice clean example in near-mint condition of a factory sample copy of this self-titled LP, this being from the 1976 stereo re-issue. It comes in the revised sleeve shown previously with the yellow tinted back.Thanks to Peter May for providing these images.
Relatively rare copy of Adge's first album nicely autographed by Adge - a clear and good sized autograph in blue biro. The album itself is a 1967 first mono pressing of SX6126 in a triple-flap sleeve.
Interesting collector's item - this sleeve from Adge's first album came from Bob Barratt's family. Adge's long-time friend and record producer, Bob has marked up this sleeve in biro in preparation to produce an amended set of sleeve notes for the 1976 stereo release of this album in 1976.
Side 1, Track 1 - Twice Daily When I were a lad, I were so glad to go out in the daytime With me fork and a bottle and a cork, to help out in the hay time While tossing hay upon the mound, met young Lucy Bailey Said "My dear, are you often here?" she said "Yes Sir, twice daily" We had such fun in the summer sun, Lucy were so thrilling Sweet and pure, but I weren't sure, that young maid were willing Till one day among the hay, we was working gaily She ups and slips, and zummat rips, and I went there twice daily (Oh arr, oh I did too!) She said "Dear, I do feel queer, think I oughta tell 'ee T'aint new bread," she sadly said, "The swelling of me belly" Ordered go to Dr Joe, off she went so gaily He gave her a dollop of gurt big jollup, said "Take this twice daily" ('Orrible stuff t'were!) Now Lucy's Dad were very mad, chased I round the hay mound Said "My son, you've had your fun, the time has come to pay now My girl you'll wed," the old man said, as he waved his shotgun gaily "If you don't" he said, "I'll put some lead, and you won't go there twice daily!" (Oooh painful that!) Well the very next day in the month of May, held the ceremony Paid off the vicar with a gallon of liquor, rode to church on a pony And the village folks from miles around, waved and shouted gaily There's no doubt you'll get caught out, if you go there twice daily (They was right, too - I did!) Now to Lucy's joy, she had a boy, what a little darling Round and fat as a Cheshire cat, perky as a starling Skin were smooth as a cider jar, and they called him Buster Bailey Fed him on swedes and charlock weeds and a pint of scrump twice daily (Fat little *x*x* he were too!) Now we'em old, our story's told, been forty years together And we often stray where we tossed the hay in that old-time summer weather Kids we've got full ten or more, we goes on quite gaily Though I'm old and grey when I gets me way, urrgghh, I still goes there twice daily Side 1, Track 2 - Tanglefoot Twitch There's a new dance and I'm going to tell 'ee That's really caught on from Doynton to Delhi So, jerk up thee veet, wriggle thee belly We'em off with the tanglefoot twitch Some say it started in downtown Manhattan Some in a field between Nailsea and Yatton But if they’re a thin 'un or if they’re a fat 'un All do the tanglefoot twitch Any old dog or bitch, can do the tanglefoot twitch T'is simple to do, no need to go sprawling T'is just halfway between standing and falling Then t'is a cross between jumping and crawling Squirm with the tanglefoot twitch Even the Yankees and Russians all prize it They even say that old Wilson tries it Shan't be surprised if they nationalise it Vote for the tanglefoot twitch Any old dog or bitch, can do the tanglefoot twitch All of they scientist chaps be reporting Young couples do it when they go courting They reckon it makes lovemaking more sporting Doing the tanglefoot twitch Striptease girls do it, while they'm undressing Our vicar do say, he finds it distressing The Bishop of Bath and Wells gives his blessing So on with the tanglefoot twitch Any old dog or bitch, can do the tanglefoot twitch Lighthouse men, leprechauns, Indian waiters Sodbury sewerage men, even dictators Grumble and grunt and girdle their gators And gurp with the tanglefoot twitch Here they come staggering, rolling and pitching To get with TT, everyone's itching We've got the whole darn countryside twitching Along with the tanglefoot twitch Any old dog or bitch, can do the tanglefoot twitch Side 1, Track 3 - When The Common Market Comes To Stanton Drew Folks say nowadays, that we've got to change our ways Well the papers say so, so I spose t'is true! And we gotta take a chance, with Germany and France And live like all they foreign people do Oh, I wonder if they'll build the Eiffel Tower on Harptree Hill Gondolas down on the River Chew Shall us all drive on the right, and drink up all the night When the Common Market comes to Stanton Drew Some folks seem to think, that they'm gonna change the drink Well there's rumours flying, and they may be right They say they've seen a tank of Portuguese vin blanc Jammed in Pensford High Street t'other night Oh, they say that port and brandy 'll sell for a bob a quart And the Druid's Arms won't shut till vernigh two And we'll all drink caviar, from a gurt big gallon jar When the Common Market comes to Stanton Drew Now as for what we eat, well we must export more meat Send 'em all our best prime beef and ham While we do stuff our guts, with Transylvanian nuts And garlic flavoured processed German spam! When George comes home from milking, he'll get a big surprise When he sits down expecting Irish stew When his wife says "George I'll get 'ee, a gurt dollop of spaghetti Cos the Common Market's come to Stanton Drew!" When market time comes round, down the pub they'll all be found Jamming up the public bar all day And you won't get through the doors, for monsieurs and senors Arguing o'er the price of summer hay With Bristol full of Belgians, Dorset full of Dutch Oh, the Fareham farmers won't know what to do! And we might see old de Gaulle, wi' a wagon load of straw When the Common Market comes to Stanton Drew Evening times I spose, we'll sup up our vin rose Just like they do in the Argentine And watch they foreign blokes, with gurt big hats and cloaks Flamingoing down on the village green! Oh, we'll have to watch the wenches, when they dark eyed lads comes here And the village boys 'll have to form a queue They'll say "Oooh la la oui oui!" instead of "How bist thee" When the Common Market comes to Stanton Drew Side 1, Track 4 - Thee Cassen’t Kill Cooch Blow me boys I'm knocking on sixty, I'm very spry (very spry) Thee oosen’t find a man who's tried his luck more times than I (more times than I) For years I've looked around, for an ooman with a few spare pound Though I can't find her, I don't care, and I'll tell thee why Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, t’will never die (t’will never die) Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, no matter just how much thee's try When things go wrong boys, don't cuss nor fret For thee cassen’t kill cooch, and I'll get there yet Once I were courting a pretty little girl up on Harptree Hill (Harptree Hill) Not just because her father had a farm and a cider mill (cider mill) Till one day he said "John, now is time to hurry on For thee's love that little brown jug better than thee's love our Jill" Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, t’will never die (t’will never die) Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, no matter just how much we try When things go wrong boys, don't cuss nor fret For thee cassen’t kill cooch, and I'll get there yet Then I were courting a pretty little widow down in Congresbury (Congresbury) Sunday afternoons she'd ask I round fer tea (round fer tea) Till one day she said "dear, oh you'd better get out of here For I know what thee'r after, and you bissent 'aving 'ee" Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, t’will never die (t’will never die) Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, no matter just how much thee's try When things go wrong boys, don't cuss nor fret For thee cassen’t kill cooch, and I'll get there yet Then there were Janey from Upton Cheney what a girl were she! (girl were she) Gurt fat legs like a couple of branches on a chestnut tree (chestnut tree) But she were just the same, she said "I know your game Bees go after honey, but I don't go for thee!" Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, t’will never die (t’will never die) Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, no matter just how much we's try When things go wrong boys, don't cuss nor fret For thee cassen’t kill cooch, and I'll get there yet So, me boys, me story's over and it's very true (very true) The sun is shining and thee's gotta make hay when the sun shines through (sun shines through) All dogs will have their day, and don't 'ee all forget While there's life there's hoping, and there's life in the old dog yet Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, t’will never die (t’will never die) Oh, thee cassen’t kill cooch, no matter just how much thee's try When things go wrong boys, don't cuss nor fret For thee cassen’t kill cooch, and I'll get there yet Side 1, Track 5 - The Champion Dung Spreader Now some folks like to boast, of their father's occupations Dustmen and the like, and other situations Not so, our old man, as working is his pride With his hob-nailed boots and gators, and his dung fork at his side Hey ho fiddle iddle-o, Chesterfield to Cheddar Hi ho, the folks all know, he's the champion dung spreader Now his aim is straight and true, and when his arms start flailing Oh, we all get out the way, when the gurt brown lumps go sailing Just leave our old man where the dung lies piled up thick And he'll make it fly for miles, wi' his gurt big blackthorn stick Hi ho, fiddle iddle-o, Chesterfield to Cheddar Hi ho the folks all know, he's the champion dung spreader Now many years ago, when Dad were in his power With a mighty two hand swipe, he hit the old church tower "Lord help us," said the vicar, "T'is the judgement come" "No chance," said the curate, "T'is a hundredweight of dung" Hi ho, fiddle iddle-o, Chesterfield to Cheddar Hi ho the folks all know, he's the champion dung spreader Now as you all can see, well me father's quite contented Got the finest job since working were invented And when our old man, lies him down to die There'll be a forty-acre field, with the dung piled six foot high Hi ho fiddle iddle-o, Chesterfield to Cheddar Hi ho the folks all know, he's the champion dung spreader Side 1, Track 6 - Drink Up Thy Zider Drink up thee cider George, pass us round the mug Drink up thee cider George, the garden's ver’ nigh dug Thy cheeks been gettin' redder, from Charterhouse to Cheddar And there's still more cider in the jug Drink up thee cider, drink up thee cider For tonight we'll merry be We'll knock the milk churns over, and roll ‘em in the clover Oh, the corn's half cut and so be we Drink up thee cider George, thee bissen’t going far Drink up thee cider George, gettin’ quite a star Well there's dung all over the taters, and halfway up thee gaiters Oh, there's still more cider in the jar Drink up thee cider, drink up thee cider For tonight we'll merry be We'll knock the milk churns over, and roll ‘em in the clover Oh, the corn's half cut and so be we Drink up thee cider George, get up off thit mat Drink up thee cider George, put on thy gurt big ‘at Oh, we’em off to Barrow Gurney, for to see my brother Ernie And there's still more cider in the vat Drink up thee cider, drink up thee cider For tonight we'll merry be We'll knock the milk churns over, and roll ‘em in the clover Oh, the corn's half cut and so be we Drink up thee cider George, get it off thy chest Drink up thee cider George, time thee ‘ad a rest There's nothing like good cider to make thy smile grow wider And there's still more cider in the West Drink up thee cider, drink up thee cider For tonight we'll merry be We'll knock the milk churns over, and roll ‘em in the clover Oh, the corn's half cut and so be we
Side 2, Track 1 - Pill, Pill When the nights are dark and stormy, and the bitter North wind blows Cross the fields from Shirehampton, where the muddy Avon flows Where the Pillites gaily ride, over on the ferry from the other side The boat starts swinging, you'll hear them singing, floating on the tide Pill, Pill I love thee still, oh even though I'm leaving Pill, Pill I love thee still, when the ferry boat starts heaving When the rain downpours, the thunder roars, the lightning flashes bright I'll be better by far in the Duke or the Star than on the old Pill ferry tonight Take me where it's warm and cosy, down there with those happy boys Where the cheeks are red and rosy, cobblers, hobblers, hobble-de-hoys When the stinging winter sleet, creeps along the riverside and chills your feet For miles around, you'll hear this sound, coming down Pill Street Pill, Pill I love thee still, oh even though I'm leaving Pill, Pill I love thee still, when the ferry boat starts heaving When the rain downpours, the thunder roars, the lightning flashes bright I'll be better by far in the Duke or the Star than on the old Pill ferry tonight On the seven seas I've wandered, back to Pill I shall return When the hard-earned cash is squandered, for the village lads I'll yearn Captain, captain carry me, steam her up the channel past Portbury Head her south, through Avonmouth, happy I shall be Pill, Pill I love thee still, even though I'm leaving Pill, Pill I love thee still, when the ferry boat starts heaving When the rain downpours, the thunder roars, the lightning flashes bright I'll be better by far in the Duke or the Star than on the old Pill ferry tonight Side 2, Track 2 - Mabel, Mabel Now Johnner Jones were a fine young feller Every night when the moon were meller Off he'd go to see our Mabel down by the old pigsty But our Mabel liked to play, she'd make the lad delay While she'd start fussing, he'd start cussing, here's what Johnner'd say Whoa Mabel, oh how thee able, to treat a poor boy so I'm stood here froze, since the lord only knows, because I love thee so If they pigs get stronger, I shan't bide longer, me veet be taking root For I'm standing here, with love in me heart and half a ton of dung on me boots Now crafty Mabel well she'd come down later Naughty Johnny boy he would take her Off to make love on the sly, down by the old pigsty But wi' all they porkers running around, she were nowhere to be found He'd start swearing, ranting and raring, then you'd hear this sound Oh Mabel, oh I aint able, to grab thee in the dark Mabel dear, come over here, so our true love can spark I'm stood ‘yer groping, and I'm hoping, to grab thee shortly now For I can't see, oh which one is thee, and which is the old fat sow Side 2, Track 3 - The Chew Magna Cha-Cha Now down on our farm nowadays All of the boys got the latest dancing craze They wriggle and giggle, shout oh arr It's the Chew Magna cha-cha cha No junta Tormarton tango Not a Farrington Gurney fandango It's the dance they do oh ah T'is the Chew Magna cha-cha cha Take her easy, not too hard Cha-cha slowly through the old farmyard And through the pigsty wi' a happy will Cha-cha through the old pig-swill You can see us country boys do it From Norton Malreward to Hinton Blewett T'is the dance they do oh ah T'is the Chew Magna cha-cha cha Take her easy, mind the cat Mind old George's Sunday milking hat And mind the cider barrels bung Don't fall head-virst in the dung All of the cows have got the sensation They say t'is better than artificial insemination T'is the dance they do oh ah T'is the Chew Magna cha-cha cha Take her easy, time to start Cha-cha slowly 'neath the old dung cart And not too fast, not too quick Cha-cha down to Stanton Wick No junta Tormarton tango Not a Farrington Gurney fandango It's the dance they do oh ah T'is the Chew Magna cha-cha cha Side 2, Track 4 - Hark At ‘Ee Jacko Down by the Rose and Crown, Not far from Clevedon town There lives a poacher, wi' a gurt big gun Oh, he fired a shot I do declare, Killed three rabbits and a gurt fat hare Two geese a fox and a pheasant just for fun (Chorus) Hark at 'ee, Jacko, t'is a yarn I heard T'other morning at the old White Lion Ver’ nigh word for word Hark at 'ee, Jacko, true as it can be Old Dannel Windle told I, and ee's a bigger liar than thee Down there by old Kenn Pier, They got a gurt steamer there Loaded with dolls eyes, binder twine and stew Weighs twenty thousand tons, Got forty-six-inch guns Sure, as I'm driving this canoe (Repeat Chorus) Frank Flowers had a cow, Uh to milk her, he didn't know how He cursed her, reversed her, till his Dad said “stop Lie her down on the floor, Lash her feet to the cowshed door Maybe you'll get the cream on top” (Repeat Chorus) Up there in Barrow Gurney, They got a bloke called Ernie Reading, and writing, all thit sort of stuff What good were all thit learning, He never could find the turning When he'd had three quarts of rough (Repeat Chorus) Side 2, Track 5 - The Mixer Man’s Lament (Chorus) Shovel of cement, shovel of sand, let the water flow Shovel and sling the chippings in, to make the mixer go Now I was on the chippings boys, Paddy on the sand Weasel on the mixer, we made a happy band And we'd swing our shiny shovels boys, swing 'em to and fro Work all night with all our might, to make the mixer go (Repeat Chorus) Our ganger's name was ___, when that fellow's dead We'll bury him in ferrocrete with a gauge box at his head A cement bag for a pillow, down in the earth so brown Twenty brawny Navvies boys to hold the blighter down (Repeat Chorus) Well we got the concrete pouring boys, right before our eyes Soon it seem that chimney stack, soon blot out the sky But when Thursday came around, boys what did we get Only five bob bonus, for a bucket full of sweat (Repeat Chorus) Come on lads, young Paddy said, the job is down the pan Throw your shovels in the air, jack up like a man! So, we threw our shovels in the air, jacked up with a cheer Spent nigh all our next week's wage on a belly full of beer (Repeat Chorus) The moral of this story boys, must be understood Don't go near a mixer where the bonus is no good For heaven they say is very nice, with angels at each hand Hell is full of Paddy gangers, mixers stones and sand (Repeat Chorus) Side 2, Track 6 - Virtute Et Industrial Now we be Bristol kiddies, oh we comes from Bristol city Where all the boys is ‘ansome, and all the girls is pretty Oh, we'em proud of our hometown, it never gets we down We've got a little motto, that we sings up Bedminster Down Oh! Virtute et industrial, three cheers for Nover's Hill If the City don't win Saturday, p'raps the Rovers will Virtute et industrial, shout it to thee neighbour Virtute et industrial and see thee down the Labour Praise the city fathers, cos they knows what they'm doing Don't listen to they moaners who says we'em going to ruin They talks of Portbury, but I ain’t kidding thee Who wants docks when all the locks on the lavatories be free Oh! Virtute et industrial, long live all the brewers Build more pubs and betting shops, don't waste the cash on sewers Virtute et industrial, let's have another drink Virtute et industrial, and never mind the stink Now we be living well, bad times is in the distance We lives it up like ‘ell, on the National Assistance T'ain’t that we do shirk, to do a bit of work But if thee cust live without it, then who's be such a berk Oh! Virtute et industrial, we be such sober people Bristol's like a gurt big church wi' a thousand-foot glass steeple Virtute et industrial, no drunks is ever seen Virtute et industrial, well thee's know what I mean Let progress be our watchword, hooray for all the planners They keeps the traffic moving, and never minds the tanners From Lulsgate thee cust tear, off to Paris now by air But the buses down Old Markets 'enough to make thee swear Oh! Virtute et industrial, Cardiff's now much nearer They'm gonna print the Evening Post in Welsh to make things clearer Virtute et industrial, sing nostar yakky dah Virtute et industrial, what's think of 'ee, oh ah With one-way streets and flyovers, we know which way we'em facing Uh seen our brand-new bridge, up there in Cumberland Basin, ha The cars go by like thunder, and up and round and under Just where they goes nobody knows, t'ain’t no bleeding wonder Oh! Virtute et industrial, our town'll last forever If we can't build the Concorde, we'll buy ‘ee on the never Virtute et industrial, who got ten million quid Virtue et industrial, well there thee bist then kid Oh, the best of Bristol luck, to the Mayor and corporation Just come back from France, a credit to the nation Mind ‘ee keep it dark, they says the old Town Clerk Brought back they Folies Bergeres, in exchange for Ashton Park Oh! Virtute et industrial, up the Downs on Sunday We've spent the rent on Saturday, down Nelson Street on Monday Virtute et industrial, may Bristol never fail Virtute et industrial, till we'em all down Arnos Lyrics Kindly transcribed by M.Pelling & E.Bryant, Verified by Professor Wurzel