> Peter Bellamy > Songs > Firelock Stile

Firelock Stile

[ Roud 1780 ; Ballad Index K173 ; DT FIRELOK ; Mudcat 33310 ; trad.]

Harry Cox of Catfield, Norfolk, sang the bawdy Firelock Stile to Peter Kennedy in 1953. This recording was released in 1965 on his eponymous EFDSS album Harry Cox and was included in 2000 on the Rounder CD re-issue of Songs of Seduction. Another recording made by Ewan MacColl in 1955 was included on his 2 CD Topic Records anthology, The Bonny Labouring Boy. Steve Roud noted on the latter album:

Most earlier collectors would have refused to note such an outspoken bawdy song as this, even if the singers were willing to expose them to such moral danger. As far as we know, therefore, this song is unique to Harry Cox, and we cannot rely on other versions to help us date it. As in a number of other sexual encounter songs, the chap rues the event when he contracts a dose of vereral disease. Twenty bright guineas seems a little extortionate, or perhaps this is simply a ballad-writer’s commonplace.

Peter Bellamy learned Firelock Stile from the singing of Harry Cox and sang it in 1975 on his eponymous LP Peter Bellamy. He noted:

This somewhat less-than-subtle piece of good natured bawdry comes from the repertoire of the great Norfolk traditional singer Harry Cox. It should not be assumed that it is representative of his material as a whole!

Mr Gladstone’s Bag sang Firelock Stile on 19 December 1976 at the Blacksmith’s Arms, Epping. This recording made by Alan White was included in 2002 om the CD Down River Recordings Volume 1.

John Goodluck sang Firelock Style in 1976 on his Sweet Folk and Country album Speed the Plough. He noted:

Suffolk’s national anthem, sung more than anything else in the pub sessions and yet never recorded on ‘Pub session’ records (amazing). It always seems that there’s either no wind to push up or it’s blowing like hell. Funny thing is it’s never blown that candle out.
The tune at the end is Speed up the Plough.

Pete Castle sang Firelock Stile on his 2006 CD Poor Old Horse. He noted:

Concerns my favourite activity, this fellow comes ‘unstuck’ though in a rather nasty way. I was forced to clean up my version before it could escape the censors at Sweet Folk All, which to me shews how the world has regressed from those Harry Cox days.

Lyrics

Harry Cox sings Firelock Stile

So come all young men, come listen awhile,
I’ll tell you what happened at Firelock Stile.
When a stump of a nail catched hold of her clothes,
She fell down, and she did expose her old
Rump a tump tooral looral addity,
Rump a tump tooral looral day

A gay young buck was standing by.
The sight of her quim that dazzled his eye.
She said, “Young man, I feel amazed
To see a young gentleman stand and gaze on my
Rump a tump tooral looral addity,
Rump a tump tooral looral day.”

She said, “Young man, if you mean what you say,
Twenty bright guineas in gold for to pay,
Twenty bright guineas in gold for to pay,
And then, young man, you may fiddle away on my
Rump a tump tooral looral addity,
Rump a tump tooral looral day.”

That very soon he gave consent,
And into the woods together they went.
While he pre formed and she pre-tuned,
The boy and the beauty kept time to the tune on her
Rump a tump tooral looral addity
Rump a tump tooral looral day.

Now six weeks being over, as I have been told,
She gave him some fire to keep him from cold,
To keep him from cold by night and by day,
And he cursed the young damsel that learned him to play on her
Rump a tump tooral looral addity
Rump a tump tooral looral day.

Now, all young men, come listen awhile,
I’ve told you what happened at Firelock Stile,
Or else like me you’ll rue this day
You go into the woods for to learn to play on her
Rump a tump tooral looral addity
Rump a tump tooral looral day.

Peter Bellamy sings Firelock Stile

Well, come all young men and listen awhile,
I’ll tell you what happened at Firelock Stile,
When a stump of a nail caught her clothes
And she fell down and she did expose her old
Rump a tump tooral looral addity
Rump a tump tooral looral day.

Now a gay young buck he was standing close by
And the sight of her quim, well, so dazzled his eye
Said she, “Young man, I feel amazed
To see a young gentleman stand and gaze at my
Rump a tump tooral looral addity,
Rump a tump tooral looral day.”

But she said, “Young man, if you mean what you say
And twenty bright guineas in gold was to pay,
And twenty bright guineas in gold you did pay,
Well then, young man, you can fiddle away on my
Rump a tump tooral looral addity
Rump a tump tooral looral day.”

Well, very quick he gave consent
And into the woods together they went.
While he pre-formed and she pre-tuned
The boy and the beauty kept time to the tune on her
Rump a tump tooral looral addity
Rump a tump tooral looral day.

But six weeks being over, as I have heard tell,
She gave him a fire to keep him from cold,
To keep him from cold, by night and by day,
He cursed the young woman what saw him to play on her
Rump a tump tooral looral addity
Rump a tump tooral looral day.

John Goodluck sings Firelock Stile

Come all you young fellows, come listen a while
And I’ll tell you what happened at Firelock Stile
When a stump of a nail catched hold of her clothes
She fell down and she’s exposed her old
Rump a turn too rail oo rail addidie
Rump a turn too vail oo vail ay

A gay young buck, he was a standing close by
And that very sight it dazzles his eye
She said young man I feel amazed
To see a young gentleman stand and gaze on my
Rump a turn too rail oo rail addidie
Rump a turn too vail oo vail ay

She said young man do you mean what you say
If’n five guinees in gold will you pay
Well if’n five guinees in gold you do pay
Then young man you may fiddle away on my
Rump a turn too rail oo rail addidie
Rump a turn too vail oo vail ay

Very soon he has given consent
And into the woods together they went
While he performed, she protuned
The boy and the beautie’s kept time to the tune on her
Rump a turn too rail oo rail addidie
Rump a turn too vail oo vail ay

Now six weeks being over as I have been told
She’d given him some fire to keep out the cold
To keep out the cold by night and by day
And he cursed that young damsel that learned him to play on her
Rump a turn too rail oo rail addidie
Rump a turn too vail oo vail ay

Now all you young men you have listened a while
And I’ve told you what happened at Firelock Stile
Or else like me you’ll rue the sad day
You went into the woods for to learn to play on her
Rump a turn too rail oo rail addidie
Rump a turn too vail oo vail ay