Truro Agricultural Show

My version of "The Truro Agricultural Show", a traditional Cornish folk song, with a knocked about archtop guitar at Havering Folk Club last night, Wednesday 24th March 2010.

Interestingly four seperate people made enquiries to me about the origins of the song, having some sort of Cornish connections.

The lyrics are published earlier on the Andy Roberts music blog somewhere down there...

St Georges Day at Havering Folk Club

St Georges Day

St George is the patron saint of England who probably only ever existed in legend but since the pub chain owners decided to try and extend the increased sales seen during St Patrick's Day to other similarly themed events St George and his flag have seen quite a bit more attention in recent years.

Havering Folk Club

Havering Folk Club likes to celebrate these sort of regional calendar events too, hence mentions of St Pirans day last month although I don't recall making much fuss of St David but then what can you do.

So the Golden Lion pub in Romford where Havering Folk Club meets every Wednesday at eight had an enormous number of England flags up yesterday even though St Georges Day is actually today and the new landlord is Irish.

I've been enjoying playing my Chinese Lute or Ruan recently so I decided to take that instrument along for the second time. I'd been asked about it as well. I didn't really want to do an instrumental and I only know one or two songs but didn't let that deter me. Three chords is enough for thousands of folk songs!

Truro Agricultural Show

I've sung the Truro Agericultural song before, twice in fact but not on the Chinese lute so that's a late inclusion for St Piran's day on the day before St George's. I think I even managed to get all the right animals in the right order too.

When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease

When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease is a famous single by Roy Harper, the greatest Living Englishman. The Stormcock list decided that Roy Harper could wear that title , previously occupied by Vivian Stanshall before he died in a bizarre smoking in bed accident. Anyway I thought When an Old Cricketer sounded quite good with the underplayed gentle Ruan string melody in place of the usual twangy guitar sound.

Goodnight Irene

After the break there was just enough time for a few people to do a third song and my turn was squeezed in right at the end so I had little choice but to play Goodnight Irene Irene Goodnight - making the chords up as I went along but who cares at that time of night?

The Truro Agricultural Show (Agericultural)

The Bath and West of England Show visited Cornwall in 1861. The Royal Cornwall Show was merged with it and the combined event held at Truro. This must have been a HUGE event and the song seems to have been written as a kind of way to get the news out and gather in the crowds. A Nineteenth century equivalent to the youtube viral video.

The Truro Agericultural Show

Good people all who hear my voice, you now have reason to rejoice;
For off to Truro you may go, to see the Agricultural Show;
But don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show.

A motley crew you will see there, fat farmers and their wives so rare
Their bounc'n daughters neat & clean, wi' a porkpie hat &a crinoline
So don't go kissing the girls you know at Truro Agericultural Show.

From Newlyn east and Saint Columb too, there's Humpback'd Jim
and Carroty Joe; and a special train upon the rail,
to bring all the thieves from Bodmin Gaol.
So don't go kissing the girls you know at Truro Agericultural Show.

They've got a band from Plymouth down, the best that ever was in the town;
And all the gentry will be there -'tis most as pretty as Whitsun Fair!
But don't go kissing the girls you know at Truro Agericultural Show.

There's horses, ponies, cows and calves, for Truro don't do things by halves - there be Devon bulls, sheep, pigs, and geese;
You can see it all for a shilling a piece!
But don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show!

There's things up there that'll make you laugh,
there's a two-legg'd cow and a nine-legg'd calf;
A billiy-goat that comes from Wales, with 16 eyes & 17 tails.
So don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show!

Now all around I hear you say, "we'll see that show this very day..
So off we go, all in a row, to Truro Agericultural Show!"
And don't go kissing the girls you know, at Truro Agericultural Show