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Raffles Merrie Nite

from Borrowdale Johnny by Striding Edge

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about

''Come listen I'll tell you a story, eh, man what a rare do we've hed. Last neet at Bob Robson's at Raffles I declare I've not yet been a bed."

Time has passed on the long dusty road and finally Johnny has arrived at Raffles in Carlisle. He lands up at a an illegal drinking-den run by notorious local character Bob Raffles. He is hence inducted into city life with a wild night of revelry that really kicks off when the boys blow out the candles and the lasses start to yell, the fiddle is smashed, the windows are put out, and the landlord is not best pleased.

The song was adapted from an anarchic lyric Mike discovered in 'Songs and Ballads of Cumberland and the Lake Country' 18th C. Carolyn Francis sourced the tune from the collection of John Barnes of Abbeytown, nr. Wigton, a punk tune of the same era!

lyrics

Raffles Merrie Nite

Come listen I'll tell you a story
Eh, man, what a rare du we've hed
Last neet at Bob Robson's at t'Raffles
I declare I've not yet been a' bed
Theer were fwoks from all parts of the cuntry
Frae Newby, frae Wharton an' Bow
Up from the Lakes com Johnny
And from Carlisle a canny gay few!
 
The lads at last blew out candles
The lasses then raised a great yell!
Lonnie the smith got weel hammered
For things it wad nit du to tell
The landlord com in i' the meantime,
As wild as any march hare
Swore he wad whang a' aboot him,
But to fin' them he cudden't tell where
The fiddle was a brokken to splinters
The windows went out with a smash
The Glass was 'a brokken to pieces
Theer wasn't a yell pane in the sash
The fwoks raised a whally ba-lurrly
The landlord was crazy an' mad
The landlady stuid ahint t'teable
Her luiks wer' beath solemn an' sad!

Lyrics Anon. 1780, from 'Songs And Ballads Of Cumberland And The West Country'

credits

from Borrowdale Johnny, released September 21, 2007
The Old Wife Pist And Paddled In't (trad.)/ Raffles Merrie Nite (lyrics Anon.1780/additional lyrics: Willoughby)

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Striding Edge Cumbria, UK

Striding Edge are now into their nineteenth year of playing ceilidh dances and concerts across Cumbria, North Lancashire and beyond.

As ever, their combination of thrilling traditional music and clear and concise dance calling is proving a huge hit with audiences:

"The ceilidh was a roaring success, loved by everyone young and old, your calling was spot on and the band were brilliant!" ... more

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