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The Captain’s Song

Ted Frost, Captain of Grenoside Sword Dance, sang The Captain’s Song in a recording made by Sam Richards and Tish Stubbs between 1974 -1980. This was included in 1981 on the Folkways album An English Folk Music Anthology. Sam Richards noted:

Cecil Sharp, writing in 1911 [The Sword Dances of Northern England], said of the Grenoside Sword Dance: “Grenoside… is a small hamlet in the West Riding, within an easy walk of Sheffield. The performers are miners who live in the village or in the neighbouring town of Ecclesfield. The performances used to take place annually on Christmas Eve and the following days, but of late years they have been discontinued owing, so I was told, to the indifference shown by the general public.”

Today Grenoside is no longer a hamlet. Rather, it has become a large village which has spread to join the industrial town of Sheffield. As for the dance, it was kept alive, no doubt due to Sharp’s interest, and taught to youngsters for some years until it was finally revived. Ted Frost, the captain when this recording was made, learnt the dance as a lad, and sings the introductory song as printed by Sharp.

The dance itself, involving the Captain and six dancers dressed in traditional costume, involves vigourous stepping and ten figures too complex to be described here.

The song is typical of calling-on songs or speeches for traditional dance or drama of this type. A series of exaggerated boasts is followed by the introduction of the dancers.

Crucible sang The Captain’s Song on their 2008 Fellside CD Love & Money. They noted:

This is our version of the calling-on song for the Grenoside Sword Dancers. Gav|in Davenport] and Rich [Arrowsmith] both dance with the team, who perform on Boxing Day every year outside the Old Harrow pub in Grenoside, just outside Sheffield. We’ve missed a verse out. If you want to know what it is, you’ll have to make the trip.

Compare to this the Earsdon Sword Dance Song, the Ripon Sword Dance Song and You Noble Spectators.

Lyrics

Ted Frost of Sword Dance sings The Captain’s Song

Oh Ladies and Gentlemen I’ll have you make room,
Contented awhile for to be,
It is I and myself that has brought us along,
And my trade you will quickly see.

Whilst in foreign parts we rambled,
All both proper stout and tall,
Though we passed through many dangers
And at last I caught a fall.

Wounded by a charming lady,
Her charms I almost dread;
To die for her I am quite ready,
And at last I conquered her.

Six stout lads have I here by me,
Both of honour and renown;
Festive time is drawing nigher
And, since we’ve come in this town,

Since that we have all come hither,
Fiddler, draw thy strings, advance!
Play beside us, here to guide us,
And these lads will show you a dance.

Crucible sing The Captain’s Song

Now Ladies and Gentlemen I’ll have you make room,
Contented awhile for to be,
’Tis I and myself that has brought us along,
And my trade you will quickly see.

Whilst in foreign parts we rambled,
All both proper stout and tall,
Though we passed through many dangers
And at last I caught a fall.

Six stout lads have I here by me,
Full of honour and renown;
Festive time ’tis drawing nigher
And, since we’ve come in this town,

Since that we have all come hither,
Fiddler, draw thy strings, advance!
Play beside us, here to guide us,
And these lads will show you a dance.

Since that we have all come hither
And so sweetly I do sing,
Now my love you’ll take to singing
When you hear these taught to ring.