Author Topic: Add: Drum March for Guy Fawkes


dmcg

Posted - 20 Aug 04 - 02:17 pm

Guy Fawkes came to the Houses of Parliament,
With powder and tinder, for it was his intent
To blow up the Houses, the Houses of Parliament.
Bow! Wow! Wow! Bold Guy Fawkes and a Bow! Wow! Wow!

King's men came to the Houses of Parliament,
Seeking for Guy Fawes, for it was (etc)

Down in the Vaults of the Houses of Parliament
Lighted his tinder, for it was (etc)

The King's men found in the Houses of Parliament
Bold Mister Guy Fawkes, for it was (etc)

They marched Mister Fawkes from the Houses of Parliament
Shouting Guy! Guy!, for it was (etc)


Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1966, BBC Publications


Notes:

This was taken from Six Drum Carols for Days of Celebration (Augener/Galliard)




dmcg

Posted - 20 Aug 04 - 02:18 pm

This appears in Singing Together, Autumn 1966 edition.




Malcolm Douglas
Posted - 20 Aug 04 - 03:30 pm

Six Drum Carols for Days of Celebration was published in 1963. The songs were arranged by Desmond MacMahon, "For unison voices and P. F., with optional parts for recorders or other melodic instruments, percussion, bell-type instruments and plucked strings." [British Library F.260.t.(37.].

I don't know whether the lyric itself is any older than that, but it's set to the Bow Wow Wow tune (also used for The Barking Barber and other songs), as was the popular 19th century comic song Guy Fawkes and the Parliament, so perhaps it was based on that. The song began

I sing a doleful tragedy—Guy Fawkes, the Prince of Sinisters,
Who once blew up the House of Lords, the King, and all his Ministers;
That is—he would have blown them up, and folks will ne'er forget him—
His will was good to do the deed—That is, if they'd have let him!
Bow, wow, wow,
Tol lol de riddle lol de rol lol de ray.

It has been posted a number of times, and in various forms, at the Mudcat; mostly by Conrad Bladey. There are several broadside editions to be seen in the Bodleian collection.



Guest Account
Posted - 25 Feb 05 - 02:30 pm

From: Conrad Bladey

This is interesting- not seen it yet. Similar to the Prince of Sinisters song. (a favorite of Charles Dickens) I have a web page on the history of this song somewhere. The melody is not quite the same but somewhat like it.
Always looking for an earlier source.

For my guy fawkes gunpowder plot pages go to
http://wwww.cbladey.com
reference page section link on left

Conrad Bladey



nutty

Posted - 26 Feb 05 - 07:10 am

A look in the Bodleian Library shows that the Bow, wow, wow tune was popular from the late 1700's and was used for a variety of songs not just the ones about Guy Fawkes.


Guest Account
Posted - 09 Mar 05 - 05:15 am

From: Conrad Bladey

Yes- the tune is very popular over time.
There are a few variations of the words.

but not earlier than around 1820-50 estimate

CB



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