FTX-138 - WHAT'S THE LIFE OF A MAN?

SONGS, DANCES & CAROLS: JIM SMALL

South of Bristol, nestling into the Mendip Hills, famous for its caves and farmhouse cheese, Cheddar is also proud of their folksinger and dance-musician, who, with his harmonica-playing, was the musician for the local Morris and Country Dance Team. This tape features both his singing and his mouth-organ for dance music and then Jim remembers the old Cheddar Carols that were sung over 50 years ago. (This CD now includes items originally on cassette #327)

1. THREE JOLLY SHEEPSKINS/ THE STAFFORDSHIRE HORNPIPE (collected by Mrs. Leather, Herefordshire from a gypsy fiddler) - 2'13"

2. WHAT'S THE LIFE OF A MAN? talk before - 3'08"

3. HENRY, MY SON (Child #12) talk before - 2'08"

4. THE FOGGY FOGGY DEW talk before - 2'07"

5. THE OLD GREY DUCK talk before - 2'05"

6. THE SHEPTON MALLET HORNPIPE (harmonica) - 1'51"

7. FATHER'S OLD WALTZ talk before about music & harmonica - 2'20"

8. FATHER'S OLD STEP-DANCE TUNE talk before - 1'19"

9. WATCHING THE WHEAT (Country Dance) talk before about "vamping" technique - 1'34"

10. Hornpipe: HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE - 0'57"

11. "ROUND BRITAIN" COUNTRY WALTZ MEDLEY (talk before) incl "My Lodging"/ "Sweet Jenny Jones"/ "Drink to me only" & "Come o'er the stream, Charlie" - 3'23"

12. Talk about the 5 local Cheddar Carols - 2'52"

13. NEAR BETHLEHEM - 3'46"

14. COME BEHOLD THE BLISSFUL MORNING talk before - 4'31"

15. YE PEOPLE ALL IN GOD REJOICE - 3'22"

16. SEE THE ANGELIC HOST APPEAR - 4'33"

17. WHEN RIGHTEOUS (JOSEPH AND MARY) - 1'54"

18. RUFTY TUFTY (Playford Country Dance) - 2'54"

19. JENNY PLUCK PEARS (as previous) - 1'35"

20. BONNETS SO BLUE (Traditional Country Dance) - 1'17"

21. THE TRIUMPH or FOLLOW YOUR LOVERS (as previous) - 1'43"

22. HASTE TO THE WEDDING (as previous) - 1'36"

23. HUNT THE SQUIRREL/ THE GEUD MAN OF BALLANGIGH (Playford) - 1'44"

24. THE BUTTERFLY (Country Dance) - 1'31"

25. FLAMBOROUGH SWORD DANCE - 2'17"

26. ROXBURGH CASTLE for THE FOOL'S JIG (as previous) - 1'28"

27. LADIES PLEASURE (Morris jig) - 1'27"

28. THE BLUE-EYED STRANGER (Morris Set Dance) - 1'32"

29. GALOPEDE or THE PERSIAN DANCE - 1'45"

30. THE HUNTSMAN'S CHORUS (Tune: OWD TOWLER) - 1'23"

31. THE LONG DANCE (Tune: THE PERFECT CURE) - 1'41"

32. THE MORPETH RANT (Traditional) - 1'25"

33. THE KING OF THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS & CAPTAIN WHITE (Jigs) - 2'02"

Interviewer: Andy Rennie. Rec by Dave Byrne & John Colley, Bristol, May, 1980. Re-recorded & edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax Cassettes 1980.

JIM SMALL was born Sept. 24th. 1913, in Hannah More's cottage, in which the first school was started by her in 1789. He went to the National School next door at the age of 3. He remembers seeing the first German prisoners of War being marched back to Axbridge, the nearby market town, where they were interned in the old Workhouse. He learned to play the harmonica from his father and his first contact with folk-dancing was through the headmistress, Mrs. Wood. Later W.S.Woodgate took over and Jim played for the School Morris team until he left in 1928.

During the Second World War Jim worked on the railway and it was then he became active again playing for local concerts and camp-raising funds. After the war he took part in broadcasts with Peter Kennedy at Bristol, and, before he finally retired, he worked as a guide at Gough's Caves.

Jim can be seen singing "What's the life of a man?" and "Henry, my son" on Folktrax DVD #2205.