A Map Of Derbyshire

FolkMonster

Pulling Down Song

(John Tams)

Pull down lads, pass the bevvy round lads
"Ta'ra" to Sylvie, "Ta'ra" to Jean,

we'll soon be on the road
Don't think on what you're leaving,

don't think on what you've found
Just tear off the tilt, pull out the chat,

we'll find another ground

Pull down lads, it wasn't a bad ground lads
We've made some brass, you've had a lass,

it's perhaps as well we're going
I know how it can hurt, lads,

to leave her standing here
For there's often fears and there's

always tears, but you'll be back next year

Pull down lads, the sets are cooling down lads
The ark's all packed and the dodgems

stacked, a bite of scran then go
We'll leave it as we found it,

they'll soon forget we've been
For we trade in fun and we go and come,

we're often scorned but seldom mourned
I hope you'll know what I mean.

This song was written in about 1970 on the top of a double decker bus, When John Tams first left school he had a job on a travelling fair ("all long greasy hair and leather jacket") and the song is set around the ritual of "pulling down" the rides after the fair is over. Thus the "tilt" is the canvas cover that covered the wagons; "scran" is a term for food, originating in prison slang; the "ark" refers to a ride he worked on; and the "chat"? "It's a thing. Usually clarified by pointing at what you're talking about."

Map Of Derbyshire front [click for larger image]

Tailer LER 2085, LP (1973),

Map Of Derbyshire. back [click for larger image]

Trailer LER 2085, LP (1973),