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Show of Hands — Roots
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Isabeau
(sou' tex)
Posted: Apr 03, 2013 - 18:03
 
Like {#Yes}

coy
(san antonio)
Posted: Dec 30, 2012 - 14:50
 
sanctimonious 
seditious
i like it 

Art_Carnage
(DeepintheheartofTexas)
Posted: Oct 28, 2012 - 21:33
 
 oldsaxon wrote:

I see your point but disagree with it. This is undeniably a fine English folk song. It borrows brilliantly from traditional, but it is, like afro-Celts, who are mentioned in the lyric, a new, exciting and proud version of a wonderful tradition. Good song. I believe I gave it an 8....might be a nine....clever writing that
 
 
It's not about just singing English folk songs, but of using the old songs as a carrier of history of tradition. My point stands.

ballymuck
Posted: Sep 27, 2012 - 10:30
 
I am in sympathy with the lyrics, but the music itself totally undercuts the message.

"Why do the English turn their backs on their own folk music" the song seems to ask. Maybe because too much of it sounds like tired old sea shanties - a bit like this song.




Sloggydog
(UK)
Posted: Sep 27, 2012 - 10:09
 
I adore both songs but for the first time ever when listening to RP I would have to say ouch on that segway.

Ag3nt0rang3
(Canada)
Posted: Jul 26, 2012 - 11:58
 
I don't know, I'm torn about this song. On the one hand, it does a pretty good job of boosting national pride while downplaying the worst aspects of nationalism. On the other hand, I'm not English, so this doesn't really speak to me at all.

Egrey
(WASH, DC)
Posted: Jul 26, 2012 - 11:53
 
Just taking a moment out of my day to say that this song sux.  I'll take my preachin' in church thany you very much.

oldsaxon
(Wales via Vancouver, BC.)
Posted: Apr 22, 2012 - 12:02
 
 Art_Carnage wrote:
Ah, the irony of composing and recording a brand new song about how people don't listing to traditional music any more.
 
I see your point but disagree with it. This is undeniably a fine English folk song. It borrows brilliantly from traditional, but it is, like afro-Celts, who are mentioned in the lyric, a new, exciting and proud version of a wonderful tradition. Good song. I believe I gave it an 8....might be a nine....clever writing that
 

sajitjacob
(Christchurch NZ)
Posted: Mar 21, 2012 - 19:24
 
I have a sudden hankering for the Levellers

Pilgrim301
(Edmonton, AB)
Posted: Dec 17, 2011 - 14:34
 
Love love LOVE this song — thanks so much for putting it on your playlist!
:)

Art_Carnage
(DeepintheheartofTexas)
Posted: Aug 13, 2011 - 09:59
 
Ah, the irony of composing and recording a brand new song about how people don't listing to traditional music any more.

Hannio
(Austin, TX)
Posted: May 23, 2011 - 07:30
 
 Cynaera wrote:

Stingray - please just go away. You've gone from being a novelty to being an infant.  The problem is that some people here might actually read your comments and believe in you. (And may they go away, too.) I've reached my limit of troll-dom, so from now on, I won't hold back from vitriolic comments regarding trolls. Well, geez - target-practice as therapy is a good thing, right?

 

Careful.  If you respond to trolls you eventually become one yourself.  That's how they propagate.


bluematrix
(confluence of mississippi and missouri rivers)
Posted: May 23, 2011 - 07:09
 
thinks about the british music invasion and how the beatles, the stones, the who etc. really dominated the american music landscape for quite awhile.

fredriley
(Nottingham, UK)
Posted: May 23, 2011 - 07:00
 
 Stingray wrote:
Is being more ridiculous
possible at all...?


PS
for a real cynical laugh scroll down and read.

Am I crazy, stupid and have no clue?
Or are some folks just kidding me with their
banana-comments ("...shivers down my timbers?"
Whaaat...?)
 
It's difficult to be more ridiculous than you, O Troll. And yes, you have no clue as to what you're ranting about, as usual. This song talks to all in the UK, and specifically England, in these highly-charged days of progressive Scottish and Welsh nationalism and reactionary English nationalism. It's a plea for a progressive English culture, for English folk to recover their radical roots (Wat Tyler, Levellers, Tolpuddle Martyrs, Poll Tax riots, etc, etc), reclaim nationalism from the nazis and fascists (just like the ones in your homeland these days, mate) and White Van Men, and recover pride in themselves as the Welsh and Scottish have already done.

Try listening and understanding rather than just slagging off reflexively. The lyrics are quoted below by Cynaera, so you don't even have to listen to the song. Engage your brain before writing.



Cynaera
(South of Neanderthal)
Posted: Apr 21, 2011 - 17:44
 
 Stingray wrote:
Is being more ridiculous
possible at all...?


PS
for a real cynical laugh scroll down and read.

Am I crazy, stupid and have no clue?
Or are some folks just kidding me with their
banana-comments ("...shivers down my timbers?"
Whaaat...?)
 
Stingray - please just go away. You've gone from being a novelty to being an infant.  The problem is that some people here might actually read your comments and believe in you. (And may they go away, too.) I've reached my limit of troll-dom, so from now on, I won't hold back from vitriolic comments regarding trolls. Well, geez - target-practice as therapy is a good thing, right?


mvanderford60
Posted: Apr 21, 2011 - 17:44
 
Roots, indeed.  Whingeing about the fruits of 400 years of global imperialism.  Sucks to be a rich country.


Cynaera
(South of Neanderthal)
Posted: Apr 21, 2011 - 17:40
 
Now it's been 25 years or more
I've roamed this land from shore to shore
From Tyne to Tamar, Severn to Thames
From moor to vale, from peak to fen

Played in cafes, pubs and bars
I've stood in the street with my old guitar
But I'd be richer than all the rest
If I had a pound for each request

For 'Duelling Banjos', 'American Pie'
It's enough to make you cry
'Rule Britannia', or 'Swing low...'
Are they the only songs we English know?

Seed, bud, flower, fruit
They're never gonna grow without their roots
Branch, stem, shoot
They need roots

After the speeches, when the cake's been cut
The disco's over and the bar is shut
At christening, birthday, wedding or wake
What can we sing 'til the morning breaks

When the Indians, Asians, Afro-Celts
It's in their blood, below their belt
They're playing and dancing all night long
So what have they got right that we've got wrong?
Seed, bud, flower, fruit
They're never gonna grow without their roots
Branch, stem, shoot
They need roots and

Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
We need roots

And a minister said his vision of hell
Is three folk singers in a pub near Wells
Well, I've got a vision of urban sprawl
There's pubs where no-one ever sings at all

And everyone stares at a great big screen
Overpaid soccer stars, prancing teens
Australian soap, American rap
Estuary English, baseball caps

And we learn to be ashamed before we walk
Of the way we look, and the way we talk
Without our stories or our songs

How will we know where we come from?
I've lost St. George in the Union Jack
It's my flag too and I want it back

Seed, bud, flower, fruit
Never gonna grow without their roots
Branch, stem, shoot
We need roots

Haul away boys, let them go
Out in the wind and the rain and snow
We've lost more than we'll ever know
'Round the rocky shores of England
We need roots...



lemmoth
(NYC)
Posted: Apr 09, 2011 - 04:25
 
Interesting commentary on this song and the attempted appropriation by the British National Party here   http://fitzroy.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/roots-by-show-of-hands-of-course-the-bnp-love-it/ -

jools
(Brighton UK)
Posted: Feb 05, 2011 - 08:11
 
 fredriley wrote:

Er, well I've been studying this field in quite some detail lately as part of a distance course in Gaelic culture, and I can tell you with some certainty that various flavours of Celts preceded the Angles and Saxons by some considerable time. There were four Celtic peoples in the island: P-Celts, Q-Celts, Picts and Britons, all of whom came from various parts of Europe. The original peoples were those of prehistory and there were neolithic settlements in the island before the Celts, right enough. I could provide various references and links but I suspect that would be rather wasted on a music board.
 
Best not mess with the Fredster - he knows of what he speaks!

Stingray
(EUROPE)
Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 15:04
 
 oilydwarf wrote:
hell - 3 folk singers in a pub near wells!! I live in Somerset, once went to my local pub and saw 4 - absolute hell on earth!!!!!
  

I saw 5 dwarfs once! 
In winter in Somerset.

Coffee makes me nervous, when I drink it...


oilydwarf
Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 14:58
 
hell - 3 folk singers in a pub near wells!! I live in Somerset, once went to my local pub and saw 4 - absolute hell on earth!!!!!

Stingray
(EUROPE)
Posted: Jan 17, 2011 - 14:58
 
Is being more ridiculous
possible at all...?


PS
for a real cynical laugh scroll down and read.

Am I crazy, stupid and have no clue?
Or are some folks just kidding me with their
banana-comments ("...shivers down my timbers?"
Whaaat...?)



fredriley
(Nottingham, UK)
Posted: Dec 17, 2010 - 05:05
 
 firerytrigon wrote:

The Celts came from central western Europe. Switzerland, Austia .. that kind of area. They came to Britain. They're not original.

 
Er, well I've been studying this field in quite some detail lately as part of a distance course in Gaelic culture, and I can tell you with some certainty that various flavours of Celts preceded the Angles and Saxons by some considerable time. There were four Celtic peoples in the island: P-Celts, Q-Celts, Picts and Britons, all of whom came from various parts of Europe. The original peoples were those of prehistory and there were neolithic settlements in the island before the Celts, right enough. I could provide various references and links but I suspect that would be rather wasted on a music board.


KevinM
(Long Beach, Ca)
Posted: Dec 04, 2010 - 09:57
 
Carbon Leaf Anyone?

Melissag
Posted: Nov 15, 2010 - 11:44
 
Really liked this song!  Good British Vibe.. makes me want to down some fish and chips tonight.

thediceareloaded
(Berlin, Germany)
Posted: Nov 15, 2010 - 11:42
 
The English are Angelsachsen - Saxons and Angel. Both tribes migrated to the english island, which got its name from the Angel (Angel became Anglish/English).

 oldslabsides wrote:

Quite a curious reversal of terminology when you realize the Picts and Celts (Scots, Irish & Welsh) were the original Britons.  The English are Saxon (German.)
 



firerytrigon
(Here, there and everywhere.)
Posted: Nov 15, 2010 - 11:41
 
 oldslabsides wrote:

Quite a curious reversal of terminology when you realize the Picts and Celts (Scots, Irish & Welsh) were the original Britons.  The English are Saxon (German.)

 
The Celts came from central western Europe. Switzerland, Austia .. that kind of area. They came to Britain. They're not original.


Toke
(Bournemouth UK)
Posted: Nov 15, 2010 - 11:39
 
This puts ''Shivers''  down me Timbers..........

George_Tirebiter
(Phoenix)
Posted: Nov 15, 2010 - 11:39
 
I like this - fun!  Good bar song!  It would be cool to see someone do this a capella on an open mike night somewhere...

spindrift
(Philadelphia PA)
Posted: Nov 15, 2010 - 11:38
 
Dag!  This rocks!

Red_Dragon
Posted: Nov 02, 2010 - 17:26
 
 TerryS wrote:
I used to call myself British, until I noticed that only the English called themselves that.
No Irish, Scot or Welshman does. So now I'm English.

 
Quite a curious reversal of terminology when you realize the Picts and Celts (Scots, Irish & Welsh) were the original Britons.  The English are Saxon (German.)


Muffy
(UK)
Posted: Aug 31, 2010 - 02:38
 
 lysisphere wrote:
If these lyrics touch you, you may also get the same emotions from New Model Army.
 
Yeah, about that. What is with NMA's conspicuous absence from RP?



mindless
(Auckland City, New Zealand)
Posted: Aug 31, 2010 - 02:29
 
 tutakea wrote:
absolutely nauseating crap
 
 ^ What he/she said 

tutakea
Posted: Jul 30, 2010 - 02:12
 
absolutely nauseating crap

cohifi
(Denver)
Posted: Jul 30, 2010 - 02:10
 
Amazing in more ways than one.  Thanks again.

goldenfiddle
Posted: Jun 09, 2010 - 06:12
 
10

lysisphere
(largest contiguous ponderosa forest)
Posted: May 27, 2010 - 09:10
 
If these lyrics touch you, you may also get the same emotions from New Model Army.

peacockangel
(Phoenix)
Posted: May 27, 2010 - 09:08
 
need more of this

jools
(Brighton UK)
Posted: May 27, 2010 - 09:06
 
 tipper wrote:
Could do with more of this. Being English it strikes a chord or two. We have a great folk base in England and we still import everyone elses, good or bad.
 
Five years of the CONDEM-NATION government should generate some great new English protest songs!  

tipper
Posted: May 08, 2010 - 12:32
 
Could do with more of this. Being English it strikes a chord or two. We have a great folk base in England and we still import everyone elses, good or bad.



TerryS
(The other SW)
Posted: Apr 06, 2010 - 19:36
 
I used to call myself British, until I noticed that only the English called themselves that.
No Irish, Scot or Welshman does. So now I'm English.


Businessgypsy
(Deepest, Darkest Florida)
Posted: Mar 06, 2010 - 04:41
 
MrCaps wrote:
You know, nothing stays the same and everything changes. Ultimately, we all need to accept this.
It's fine to idealize the past, but to construct an ideal the the clock must be turned back is very dangerous and foolish.
Yeah, don't you know it's regressive to support, defend and expand the culture that built your country - unless, of course, it's imported into someone else's country. Then it's called diversity, and you'll get tasty government subsidies to protect and grow it ad infinitum. Equal time for traditions, please.


Toke
(Bournemouth UK)
Posted: Feb 21, 2010 - 11:45
 
 MrCaps wrote:

You know, nothing stays the same and everything changes. Ultimately, we all need to accept this.

It's fine to idealize the past, but to construct an ideal the the clock must be turned back is very dangerous and foolish.

 

To MrCaps you let your country go the way it is and we in the UK yes we the indigenous population will worry about ours disintergrating into the arms of Brussels.These guys are singing/begging for our traditions to stay the way they are and have always been. Also this is a music site not a political one so best keep those sort of comments to yourself.


hobiejoe
(Out of the Kyoto frying pan and into the Copenhagen fire)
Posted: Feb 21, 2010 - 11:41
 
 callum wrote:
Love this song.  And Show of Hands have an amazing live act!
 
{#Grumpy}  Alright, don't rub it in. I really wanted to get up to Exeter to see them before Chrimbo.
 
Still, their mate Jenna is playing here next month....


bobringer
(Wayne, NJ)
Posted: Feb 21, 2010 - 11:39
 
I tend to like this... but at times it turns into what sounds like a Welsh version of "We Didn't Start The Fire"

MrCaps
Posted: Feb 02, 2010 - 16:53
 
 callum wrote:

Note the bit where he rails against the BNP and the like:
"How will we know where we come from?
I've lost St. George and the Union Jack
That's my flag too and I want it back"

This country doesn't know where it comes from, and it will never know if people don't wake up soon. 
 
You know, nothing stays the same and everything changes. Ultimately, we all need to accept this.

It's fine to idealize the past, but to construct an ideal the the clock must be turned back is very dangerous and foolish.


callum
(its wet, windy and chilly....take a guess)
Posted: Feb 02, 2010 - 16:43
 
 jessbussert wrote:
Hi Claire,

You say this is not a nationalistic song, but isn't the union jack the current banner of the BNP?  Personally, I like the song.  I just hope it doesn't become an anthem for the hate mongers.

Jessica

 ClaireWild wrote:
In my view, this is a very good song, about a very salient subject. This is not a nationalistic song. It's about perhaps trying to keep alive a national culture. All countries have this I would reason? For instance, when you go on your holidays to perhaps a foreign country it is part of this visit to enjoy and experience that countries customs. Hence, should you visit the UK....England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, you will find regional differences. It is in my opinion of the utmost importance to preserve cultural and regional differences whilst respecting all individuals rights. Anyway, this is in my view a great album, and Show of Hands are excellent arbiters of English folk music. May I also suggest The Imagined Village.
 
 
Note the bit where he rails against the BNP and the like:
"How will we know where we come from?
I've lost St. George and the Union Jack
That's my flag too and I want it back"

This country doesn't know where it comes from, and it will never know if people don't wake up soon. 

MrCaps
Posted: Feb 02, 2010 - 16:43
 
Sounds like a call to arms for some nationalist right-wing BS.

lmic
(Harmless Little Bunny)
Posted: Feb 02, 2010 - 16:43
 
 ottojama wrote:
This is euro-nationalistic song. And I like it.
 
I think it's anti- American-cultural-imperialism as much as anything. After much soul-searching and vacillating, I've decided I like it, too. 7


jools
(Brighton UK)
Posted: Jan 21, 2010 - 01:30
 
 That_SOB wrote:


Very nice, I think I'll just keep marching around me living room with me flag.
I swear I just heard a Messerschmitt fly over me house. Man the anti-aircraft guns lads !
 
Not sure if you have quite understood the irony of this wonderful song....