Lyr Req: A Mile an' a Bittock / Shining Clear

Subject: Song Request
From: GUEST,Ed Harvey
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 01:40 PM

I'm trying to identify a song I heard in my youth. I believe it's an Irish drinking song. The lyrics contain phrases like "the moon was shining clearly". "through the dark and there's the still", "a cup in your hand and you drink your fill....and the moon was shining clear"

I would welcome any help in identifying the song title and possibly groups/individuals who have recorded it.

Thanks

Ed [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: MMario
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 02:11 PM

http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=276

and the moon shone bright and clear

I heard this first from Jim Hancock, then from 3 Hams on Rye.

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 02:12 PM

the naysayers will jump all over you for posting a song request with no specific song title

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: MMario
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 02:14 PM

YOu may well get such a comment, (though probably not, since it has now been mentioned) however, the purpose of such a comment is to AID in your search, rather then the implied negativity of the previous post.

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 04:06 PM

The DigiTrad text of this song contains numerous errors. The original was a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson called A Mile An' a Bittock. I think one of the members of The Battlefield Band composed the tune and added a chorus. The song appears on their 1982 album There's A Buzz where it is called "Shining Clear." I believe the liner notes tell exactly who composed it, but I haven't been able to find the info online.

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: Stewie
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 09:08 PM

Jim

The liner notes indicate that the tune's composer was Alan Reid, vocalist and keyboards player in the band.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: Mbo
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 09:29 PM

I love this song! Battlefield Band RULES!! My heros, Puttin the old poems tae music!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 11:35 AM

Mbo: If you're good at understanding and spelling Scots, you should try transcribing the chorus of that song. Then we can combine it with the text of the poem (given in my link above) and create a corrected version for DigiTrad. DigiTrad says "oot the barn" where I suspect it should say "up the burn". Worst of all, it says @Irish at the bottom where it should say @Scots!

Subject: RE: Song Request
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 12:42 PM

refresh

Subject: Lyr Add: A MILE AN' A BITTOCK (R L Stevenson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Jan 05 - 11:23 PM

A MILE AN' A BITTOCK
Robert Louis Stevenson

A mile an' a bittock, a mile or twa,
Abune the burn, ayont the law,
Davie an' Donal' an' Cherlie an' a',
An' the mune was shinin' clearly!

Ane went hame wi' the ither, an' then
The ither went hame wi' the ither twa men,
An' baith wad return him the service again,
An' the mune was shinin' clearly!

The clocks were chappin' in house an' ha',
Eleeven, twal an' ane an' twa;
An' the guidman's face was turnt to the wa',
An' the mune was shinin' clearly!

A wind got up frae affa the sea,
It blew the stars as clear's could be,
It blew in the een of a' o' the three,
An' the mune was shinin' clearly!

Noo, Davie was first to get sleep in his head,
"The best o' frien's maun twine," he said;
"I'm weariet, an' here I'm awa' to my bed."
An' the mune was shinin' clearly!

Twa o' them walkin' an' crackin' their lane,
The mornin' licht cam gray an' plain,
An' the birds they yammert on stick an' stane,
An' the mune was shinin' clearly!

O years ayont, O years awa',
My lads, ye'll mind whate'er befa'-
My lads, ye'll mind on the bield o' the law,
When the mune was shinin' clearly.

[p.s. I'd still like to see a reliable transcription of the chorus that Alan Reid wrote for this. Also, if anyone other than the Battlefield Band recorded it, I'd like to see a citation.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A Mile an' a Bittock' or 'Shining Clear'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 12:00 PM

It's oot the barn and o'er the hill
through the dark and there's the still.
A cup in your hand and drink your fill
for the moon was shining' clear.

Subject: Bit of gloss help, please?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 11:01 AM

I love & often sing this - especially on RLS's birthday. I usually mention that as a child, he lived just a mile an' a bittock from where we lived (several years later) outside Edinburgh. Well, a mile an' a bittock over the hills but about 50 miles by road.   Only part I have trouble with is the penultimate line, 'My lads, ye'll mind on the bield o' the law.'

Only meaning I can get out of that is 'you'll recollect the shelter of the small hill/earth mound.' Can any do better?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A Mile an' a Bittock' or 'Shining Cl
From: Abby Sale
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 11:23 AM

I just had a look at the numerous errors in the DigTrad version. And there are but "oot the barn in right." The person who sent that up was no less than myself a good long time ago.   Jim's words are correct RLS and what I actually sing now (see "A Complete Collection of Poems By Robert Louis Stevenson"
http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/stevenson/stevenson.html)

On the other hand, far as I recall, I got the words from a Sony Walkman tape recorder of a radio broadcast of a record. There was no explanation by the presenter. I believe the recording was by De Dannan. That's likely why it was Keyworded @Irish.

:-) I now, smugly, think I did a pretty good job transcribing in the circumstances. And, I have no idea, of course, what they actually sang - folk process & all. Still, since we have no evidence that it ever went into tradition, I think the "right" words (ie, RLS original plus Reid's chorus) make more sense for the data base.

OTOH, since noone where I sing in central Florida has a clue what any of these words mean, it hardly matters what words I use. I don't pay much attention to small changes in words as I sing, anyway. 'Long as the meaning of the line stays the same.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'A Mile an' a Bittock' or 'Shining Clear'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 02:51 PM

I agree with you, Abby, about the small changes. The main thing is to keep the song going. It's a fun song to sing.