|
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | I had to do it.
I usually don't do "songs," per se...I usually do what more likely would be classified as "free jazz;" kind of an improv on the guitar, where I more or less make it up as I go along.
So, of course, someone said to me - -and rightly so -- "Why don't you do songs?"
So, I figured I'd take a hack at this old American folk song -- "Drill Ye Tarriers Drill."
I had to do this under somewhat ummm... straitened circumstances: In my two-bedroom condo, I have neighbors to either side. A nice old lady and a not-so-nice middle-aged lady.
Well, the point is, to keep relatively quiet I had practically to "talk" the vocals. Hence, the vocals're none too good, but I DID hit a note or two. It's when I MISSED them that it got funny!
In the end, it's just me and my FUD... a beautiful FD-14.
The song is here: Drill Ye Tarriers Drill
Comments, criticism, ridicule, opprobrium, excoriation, derision, vitperation are all welcome...and expected. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | I played your new song on "low" so I wouldn't disturb your neighbors. Hope you appreciate my looking out for you like that. Damn, I wish I could play guitar like that. Nice job. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Speaking of old folk songs, does anyone have chords for "St. James Infirmary"? (at least I think that's the correct name). It's an old folk blues song.
Jim |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15673
Location: SoCal | http://www.fretplay.com/tabs/m/misc_traditional/st_james_infirmary-... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by stellarjim:
I played your new song on "low" so I wouldn't disturb your neighbors. Hope you appreciate my looking out for you like that. Damn, I wish I could play guitar like that. Nice job. Thanks, Jim! Hey, didn't I buy the FD-14 from you? I LOVE that guitar! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Alan:
It didn't sound that good when I owned it...dammit. Something must have happened to it during shipment. LOL All I can say is that if I could play like that, my neighbors wouldn't mind my loud playing. Today, they call the police...or maybe it was my wife that called!?!
Glad to see (and hear) the FD 14 is working out so well for you! Great job.
Jim |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Hey Moody...thanks for the link. I've only heard this song twice but it stuck with me as a classic. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Josh White did a great version of St. James Infirmary. Chords are slightly different though. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by stellarjim:
Alan:
It didn't sound that good when I owned it...dammit. Something must have happened to it during shipment. LOL All I can say is that if I could play like that, my neighbors wouldn't mind my loud playing. Today, they call the police...or maybe it was my wife that called!?!
Glad to see (and hear) the FD 14 is working out so well for you! Great job.
Jim Thanks for your very kind words, Jim. I'll bet you're being overly modest, though. I'll bet it sounded just great when you were playing it! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Hey, we have a Fox Tarrier, but I've never asked her to do any manual labor. I don't need anything drilled, but would it be to much to get her to vacuum the house every once in a while? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I don't understand what the song is about.
can you explain it please? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1127
Location: NW Washington State | My tarrier works on guitars.
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Ouch. That looks like a Taylor headstock.
Good Dog. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 109
Location: Alabama | Bill Frissell does a cool version of St James Infirmary. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by dark bar:
Hey, we have a Fox Tarrier, but I've never asked her to do any manual labor. I don't need anything drilled, but would it be to much to get her to vacuum the house every once in a while? Lol!
Just to clarify, I believe that the songwriter was referring to "tarriers." ... those who tarry, ie laze about without working hard.
Said shirkers are, I believe, drilling on, and trying to demolish a rock behind the railway sometime back in the mid-1800's.
Likely a construction project of some sort. The song, I think, laments the lamentable conditions under which such workers toiled at the time.
On the other hand, Fox Terriers truly ought to do at least the vacuuming, and thereby contribute a bit for their room and board. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by alpep:
I don't understand what the song is about.
can you explain it please? Hi, Al! Please refer to the response to dark bar. I think that tells what the song is about. If, that is, I've correctly understood it. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Every morning about seven o'clock
There were twenty tarriers drilling at the rock
The boss comes along and he says, "Keep still
And bear down heavy on the cast iron drill."
Chorus
And drill, ye tarriers, drill
Drill, ye tarriers, drill
For it's work all day for the sugar in you tay
Down beyond the railway
And drill, ye tarriers, drill
And blast, and fire.
The boss was a fine man down to the ground
And he married a lady six feet 'round
She baked good bread and she baked it well
But she baked it harder than the hobs of Hell.
The foreman's name was John McCann
By God, he was a blamed mean man
Last week a premature blast went off
And a mile in the air went big Jim Goff.
And when next payday came around
Jim Goff a dollar short was found
When he asked, "What for?" came this reply
"You were docked for the time you were up in the sky."
Tarriers live on work and sweat
There ain't no tarrier got rich yet
Sleep and work, then work some more
And we'll drill right through to the devil's door." |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Dear god ... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | "Dear God" - XTC |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 119
Location: everywhere | Ecstasy is EXACTLY what I'd need to listen to this dreck for more than 30 seconds |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | CR some may interpret this as a personal attack.
if you did not like the tune fine. give some constructive criticism, pointers, etc. post your version of the tune etc but there is no need for this type of reaction
one more and you get a vacation (and you just got off of one) |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Glad I could be of help. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by PsychoBunny:
Glad I could be of help. Thanks for hunting down the lyrics, PB...I was doing it from memory and obviously remembered it poorly in quite a few places (as well as being just a bad singer!).
From the lyrics, it seems that "tarrier" is a term for a certain classification of manual laborer in days of yore. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4230
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | From the urban dictionary...
tarrier
Disaffectionate name for a glasgow catholic of Irish descent.
From Wikipedia...
"Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill" is an American folk song first published in 1888 and attributed to Thomas Casey (words) and much later Charles Connolly (music). The song is a work song, and makes references to the construction of the American railroads in the mid-19th century. The tarriers of the title refers to Irish workers, drilling holes in rock to blast out railroad tunnels. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| I would think "tarrier" is the noun derived from the verb tarry, meaning to delay (doing), to wait idly. Our modern term for a tarrier would be "slacker." So the line "Drill, ye tarriers" would be interpreted as an admonition by the foreman to all the slackers in his crew to get to work. |
|
| |
Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill
