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The [Brave] Dudley Boys

[ Roud 1131 ; Ballad Index JRVI080 ; trad.]

Pete Coe, Chris Richards, Mick Brantwich and Les Lions sang The Dudley Boys in 1971 on the Topic anthology of songs, stories and tunes from the central countries, The Wide Midlands. Roy Palmer commented in the sleeve notes:

The Dudley Colliers were well known during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries for their turbulence and, on the occasion described in the song, they rioted against high food prices. The refrain, “Oh the brave Dudley boys” had become a rallying cry in the locality by 1790 and the Lord Dudley Ward mentioned was therefore probably John, who held the title from 1763 to 1788. The air used is known to have been The Bold Benjamin, but a suitable variant has not survived and Pam Bishop has written a new tune, based on a traditional melody. W. Byng Kenrick of Birmingham recited the text to Charles Parker in 1959.

Jon Raven sang The Brave Dudley Boys in 1975 on the Broadside album Ballad of the Black Country.

Broom Bezzums sang Brave Dudley Boys in 2008 on their CD Under the Rug.

Steve Turner sang The Brave Dudley Boys on his 2008 Tradition Bearers album The Whirligig of Time. He noted:

Roy Palmer in his book Songs of the Midlands (EP publishing 1972) says that this song dates from the late 18^th century and is concerned with riots against the high price of food. Pam Bishop wrote the tune and I first heard it sung by her in Manchester in the early 70s.

Jon Wilks sang The Brave Dudley Boys on a 2018 single, on his Folk from the Attic blog, and on his 2018 album Midlife. He noted:

According to the late researcher and collector, Roy Palmer, the Dudley Boys were known in the late 18^th century for being an unsettled bunch. This song dates to their rioting against high food prices, around the end of the 1780s. Lord Dudley Ward, mentioned in the song, was a pacifier who managed to quieten the Dudley Boys down and call a halt on the advancing soldiers. The tune was added by Pam Bishop in the earlier 1970s and it was recorded for Topic Records on The Wide Midlands, which is where I came across it.

Lyrics

Steve Turner sings The Brave Dudley Boys

In the days of good queen Bess (Yah boys, oh)
In the days of good queen Bess
Coventry out done the rest
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

But in the times that be (Yah boys, oh)
But in the times that be
We have outdone Coventry
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

Times they was mighty queer (Yah boys, oh)
Times they was mighty queer
And vittles they was very dear
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

We marched into town (Yah boys, oh)
We marched into town
Resolved to pull the houses down
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

Tipton lads then did us join (Yah boys, oh)
Tipton lads then did us join
And we formed a strong combine
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

But the work was scarce begun (Yah boys, oh)
But the work was scarce begun
And them soldiers came and spoilt the fun
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

God bless Lord Dudley Ward (Yah boys, oh)
God bless Lord Dudley Ward
For he knowed as times was hard
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

He called back the soldier men (Yah boys, oh)
He called back the soldier men
And we’ll never riot again
Yah boys, oh boys, oh the brave Dudley boys

Links

See also Jon Wilks’ Folk from the Attic blog The Brave Dudley Boys.