[Dmitry]

My mail = dobro-vedi(curl)yandex.ru

This site possibly doesn’t accept PDF. I use JPEG here.

PS
I listened the chorus more attentively. There is the amendment on two chords. (Sorry, I didn’t notice it at once.) The sequence repeats: Em |Am7 |D7 |Gmaj7
Also second part of intro: Em |Am7 |Em |Am7

[Dmitry]

I didn’t understand your question.
What “this”?

[Dmitry]

Thanks!
I saw gifts to in a coffin in the American movie :unsure:

Yes, “cultural” is possible. The majority of the Russian songs is written in a natural minor (aeolian mode).
Sorry, if my words seemed «sharp» to you.

My surname Veryutin. However I tell it only for our best acquaintance, as I know your surname. Please don’t enter my name and a surname under chords as I am not it’s author and I didn’t add from myself anything.

I apply Am7-5 chord drawing as I could take it. Perhaps, it will be useful for someone.

Blue sky!

Attachments:

• Am7-5.jpg

[Dmitry]

wrong double
I ask to remove

[Dmitry]

If you consider I wasn’t mistaken, of course I not against (I am not it’s author) you will add this version to a collection. Only you have to correct B-chord to Bb because I mechanically wrote down Si-flat like “B” by the Russian tradition (we write Si = H).
I assume however you independently noticed my error.

Yours care for beginner musicians causes tender emotion, but however it seems to me excessive. The 7-5-chord (or jazz’ Ø) is an equal element of circle of fifths. Even a nonprofessional musician has to know this chord because in some melodies it is impossible to do without it. If the beginner really wants to play a certain song, he surely will study the «7-5» when meets it for the first time in the score. Besides the main 7-5-chords (D, A, E, H, F#, C#) and some equally sounding 6-chords can be played on a guitar very simply without barre! If he doesn’t want to study a chord, it means he is a simply idler.

I sometimes too replace inconvenient chords with the convenient. Is it normal. However I am guided by rules:
– some notes of a melody fragment have to coincide with chord notes — it is obligatory for me
– the chord has to be from the same tonality (circle of fifths) — when it is possible

In our case the Am7-5 (Jake sings quite precisely GGG…) best of all to replace with Cm6(!), Cm, Eb .
If someone, for example a girl, can’t take a barre she can choose chords not from a tonality, but with note of melody: Em (not E), C etc.

Respectively Em7-5 (sing DDD…) > Gm6, Gm, B or Em7 (not Em), G etc.

<- either write the whole of the melody of the song out, taking into account his micro-changes in melody in every position or - compromise, listen to all of the verses, work out what is probably the average of the tune, and assume that is as close to the melody as you are going to get.>

For me we accept only second way as the micro-changes are caused not by the general idea of a melody (Jake not a folk Turkish composer 🙂 ), but by casual emotions, vocal errors or concrete words (for example the diphthongs of «little» or «out» naturally can be sung by a glide from very-flat-G# to very-sharp-F# at that time when G is written in the score). And in a Russian variant there will be other words (and by the way, we have no diphthongs) therefore micro-changes will be in other places.

And my question, please:

«keepsakes» — are things which are put in a coffin or on a grave by friends and relatives? What British usually put?

Littler fogs in your city!
D.

[Dmitry]

Hi, Malcy!
I thank for the answer! Everything is written clearly.

The version of “The Last Will …” which I downloaded from here — http://deepmp3.ru/jake-thackray is written down with an orchestra in keys of G (Em) – chorus and Gm-verse.
I checked chords on the spectral analyzer. There where the program showed frequency not rather precisely ( alas, my program not exact) I took a guitar and compared aurally. Perhaps I was mistaken somewhere, however it turned out so:

Em |Am7 |D7 |Gmaj7 } x 3
Em |Am7 |D7

Gm |Am7-5 |D7 |Gm
Gm |Am7-5 |D7 |Cm7
F7 |Bbmaj7 |Gm |Cm7
F7 |Gm7/Bb |Am7 |D7

Pay attention to Am7-5 chords. Here I hear Jake sings GGG…
In your version on this place there is Em. But in a key of Dm there has to be Em7-5 (sing DDD…)
In your version two more chords are others (taking into account a transposition), but it isn’t really important for melody.

I will write when there are new questions or news.
Good mood!

D.

PS — I corrected my typographical error: B > Bb

[Dmitry]

Thanks, Malcy!

I got it.
I thought earlier that Jake asks the friends not to be angry at each other (let no tooth be gnashed)
and not to fight (let no breast be beaten).
🙂
Possibly, teeth gnashing is too way of expression of a grief.

It is reasonable to print verses to inexperienced musicians could to play chords more conveniently.
However, pay attention:

Second lines verses on the site

3 accents (//) on the beginning of a chords:
I /want no //great wet /weepings, no //tearing of /hair, no //wringing of /hands,
//Roll the /carpet right //back, get /cracking with your //old Gay /Gordons
//Grow a /dog-rose in my //eyes or a /pussy-wil//low

But 4 accents:
And you can //fish your /trout with my //fly and /tackle, you can //play on /my gui//tar,

And second lines in my opinion — everywhere 4 accents:

I /want no //great wet /weepings, no //tearing of /hair, no //wringing of /hands, no //sighs,
//Roll the /carpet right //back, get /cracking with your //old Gay /Gordons. And your //knees (up),
//Grow a /dog-rose in my //eyes or a /pussy-wil//low. But no for/get-me-//nots (all line about different plants — it is logical)
And you can //fish your /trout with my //fly and /tackle, you can //play on /my gui//tar,

And bonus: rhymes now on the places!

===========================
Third lines verses on the site

4 accents:
No //sighs, /no lack-a-//days, no /woe-is-me’s and //none of your /sad a//dieus.
And your //knees up, /shake it up, //live it up, /sup it up, //hell of a /kind of a //time.
But no for/get-me-//nots, /no epi//taphs, no /keepsakes; you can //let my /memory //slip.

But 3 accents:
/And sing my //songs, wear my /shirts. You can //even /settle my //debts.

And third lines in my opinion — everywhere 3 accents:

/No lack-a-//days, no /woe-is-me’s and //none of your /sad a//dieus.(all line about different «words» — it is logical)
(up) /Shake it up, //live it up, /sup it up, //hell of a /kind of a //time.
/No epi//taphs, no /keepsakes; you can //let my /memory //slip.
/And sing my //songs, wear my /shirts. You can //even /settle my //debts.

By the way, for studying of the song «The Last Will And Testament Of Jake Thackray» I made to myself the table which I attach. Perhaps, it will be useful for somebody.
If you are needs Excel format – tell and I will send!

Do you gave chords on the site in a tonality which Jake sings?
I hear in words “When I turn up my” only GGGGG at that time when the chord Dm is written.
And the last word “Jake” is sung on G note.
I checked a final chord on the spectral analyzer. It is G more probably, but. not D which written.

Good health to you!

Attachments:

• TheLastWillAndTestamentOfJakeThackray.jpg

[Dmitry]

Hi, Pam!
I thank you for the attention paid to me.

Possibly, only the independent expert knowing both languages in perfection will be able to tell about my translations : exact or wrong.
Some words absolutely can’t be translated to same. For example the Russian names for «dog-rose» & «pussy-willow» is the independent words which aren’t connected with animals. However the hint to animals is essentially important in Jake’s this song.
In similar cases I am compelled to invent a “gag”.

I didn’t sing the translations to other people yet. I didn’t have an opportunity as I am a homebody and a little where go. However recently my friend (he is rock musician by hobby) came to me and I acquainted him with Jake’s songs. I gave him to listen Jake’s some soundtracks, showing to him the text translations into Russian at the same time. The translations were sometimes my poetic, sometimes my prosaic which I didn’t turn into verses yet.
Jake’s songs generally were pleasant to my friend, especially “Country Boy, Remember Bethlehem, Joseph” (the friend himself chose these songs to listen as he is the orthodox religious person). I told the friend that Tackray is the sincere Catholic, but the friend was surprised and told that only the Protestant can write such songs. (I didn’t begin to argue because I don’t understand enough religious nuances.)
The friend told about other songs that the spirit of poetry is similar to Brassens. (I acquainted my friend with Brassens’s poetry a little ago.)

Warm spring to you!
D.

[Dmitry]

Hi, Malcy!
I thank you for the congratulation, the time spent to listening and for your answer!

Things are enough comfortable in Russia and I was late now with my answer because asked our question of “Bethlehem” at the Russian forum of translators. I waited for the answer, but so far didn’t receive it.

When I analyze Jake’s melodies and accord sequences I have an impression he badly knew the musical theory. He was able to execute different chords on a guitar, but badly knew music modes, for example. Therefore he composed melodies and accord sequences being guided not by theoretical knowledge, but the natural intuition and, perhaps, analogies from someone else’s songs.
However, speak “the genius is talented in any business”. Therefore Jake’s music, being often not professional from the point of view of the theory, thus inexplicably don’t cause in me feeling of cacophony, and sometimes even it is on the contrary very good, such as “The Blacksmith and the ToffeeMaker” or “Black Swan”.
By the way the same, but to a lesser extent, I sometimes assume about Brassens when I analyze his some songs.

Still my new question please!

«Death, where is thy victory?
Grave, where is thy sting?»

«Your rosebuds are numbered
Gather them now for rosebuds’ sake»

I well understand the general sense.
Are its the quotes from English literature? From where?

«Let no breast be beaten»

It is beaten by fists? Why it not the face?

By the way, whether it is possible to print on the site the text in more “beautiful” form with final rhymes? For example:

I, the under-mentioned,
By this document
Do declare my true intentions,
My last will, my testament.

When I turn up my toes, when I rattle my clack, when I agonise,
I want no great wet weepings, no tearing of hair, no wringing of hands, no sighs,
no «lack-a-day»’s, no «woe-is-me»’s and none of your sad adieus
Go, go, go and get the priest and then go, get the booze,
Boys!

Death, where is thy victory?
Grave, where is thy sting?
When I snuff it bury me quickly,
Then let carousels begin

But not a do with a few ham sandwiches, a sausage roll or two and “A small port wine, please”
Roll the carpet right back, get cracking with your old Gay Gordons. And your knees
up, shake it up, live it up, sup it up, hell of a kind of a time
And if the coppers come around, well, tell them, the party’s mine,
Boys!

and so on…

With friendship
Dmitry

[Dmitry]

Hi all, hi Malcy!
I have sung according to my modest musical abilities three my last translations into Russian. I give links to my pages with the demo for those who would like to listen its.

The Blacksmith and the ToffeeMaker http://www.chitalnya.ru/work/1283331/

The Ballad of Billy Kershaw http://www.chitalnya.ru/work/1273047/
I have changed chords and a little melody in the first line of the refrain:
Am F G C E7 > Am Dm6 Dm6 Dm/H E7
There is also some improvisation in the main verse.

On Again! On Again! http://www.chitalnya.ru/work/1293673/
I have changed chords a little melody. (Jake, excuse me!)

Jake’s :
|E7add9|E7add9|A|A
|E7add9|E7add9|A|A
|G7 |F#7|Bm|Bm
|E7 F#m7|Gm7 G#m7|A|A

My :
|D|A|D|A
|D|E7|A|D
|G|F#7|Bm|Bm
|Em E7add9|Em E7|A|A

I will be glad if you tell, by-ear: what is good and what is bad in my execution.

[quote=”Malcy” post=3703]Even if the person transcribing the lyrics had missed the comma out, the title of the song is clearly printed in many official recordings, and so would also be “Remember, Bethlehem”… and it isn’t.[/quote]

I thought from your words. It is logical argument.
However I think, the publisher of song would think so: “I can’t write the title “Remember, Bethlehem” with a comma, like the end of all refrains, because really it will be the scrap of phrase without the beginning in which the sense is distorted. Therefore I will write without comma. Let in refrains there will be the generally sense and in the title there will be other additional sense which doesn’t contradict to generally sense. The additional sense can be Jake’s oath and addressing to listeners at the same time.»

Bless you!

[Dmitry]

Thanks Malkolm! Happy Christmas to you and your family!
However in Russia Christmas is celebrated for 13 days later!

your Russian friend

[Dmitry]

Hi, Malcolm!
As usual all your explanations are clear to me, I thank!

This is a topic for another forum, though, I think.

OK!

+++
Remember Bethlehem:

I absolutely have understood your thought. This option of syntax is grammatical possible.
However you have no me convinced, sorry. I will explain why.

The nightingales, pussy-willow, daffodil, and stony old hills remember Bethlehem and what happened there.
The hedgehog, fish and shaggy old trees remember Bethlehem and what happened there.
The rain, wind, and sulky old sun remember Bethlehem and what happened there.

So, things and animals remember what happened there. OK! It is logical. I agree with it from the very beginning.
However
To whom does Jake tell “yours” ? I think, to Bethlehem. Have you other applicants? I don’t. Thus what for example that phrase means ? :
«Your pussy-willow and your daffodil, еven your stony old hills remember Bethlehem.»
It would have to mean:
“Your pussy-willow and your daffodil, еven your stony old hills remember you, Bethlehem.”
Present, someone will tell you: your hands and ears remember you. What sense in it? Whether your ears live separately from you at that time when you are still living, thank God.
Things and animals remember Bethlehem? Why? Bethlehem is live city now! I don’t understand : for example old hills on which Bethlehem actually is located, how they could forget it? You can tell Jake speaks about old Bethlehem. We will assume, however
1. Bethlehem is only a background of the main event, Christmas. It would be more logical if things and animals remember Christmas.
2. In this case there is no beautiful parallelism of artistic images at least in the first and fourth choruses. See:

«I know:
your nightingales remember HER still.
Your pussy-willow and your daffodil, еven your stony old hills remember BETHLEHEM.»

«I’ve got the flesh and the blood to remember THEM by: HIM in my mind, and HER in my eye;
Every reason why I remember BETHLEHEM.»

Besides it isn’t clear in the fourth chorus why Jake says that he remembers Bethlehem. When he says he “remembers” them (Mary and baby) in his mind and eye, it not deception, it is a normal metaphor for a religious person. But if he says he remembers Bethlehem, real city, in which he didn’t live in zero year of our era , it isn’t absolutely poetic beautifully, as it seems to me.

Now let’s write it by another:

«I know :
your nightingales remember her still;
Your pussy-willow and your daffodil, еven your stony old hills remember (her, oh,) Bethlehem!»

«I’ve got the flesh and the blood to remember them by:
Him in my mind, and her in my eye;
Every reason why I remember (them, oh,) Bethlehem!»

(In the Russian poetry such art admission of words is called an ellipsis. Did the ellipsis happens in English poetry?)

Theoretically, in good lyrics the first verse has to define the rule of treatment of syntax in the subsequent verses.
In second verse a need to parallelism of images is not so obvious however is present too because «not forget» means almost «remember».
In the third chorus the parallelism is not obvious, because «know» and «remember», however I am assuming that there is the rule of treatment of syntax set by the first verse.

Maybe, I am mistaken about Jake’s ideas. However answer, please:
Whether it is possible by rules of English grammar?
Whether the comma before “Bethlehem” is necessary in this case?

+++
Personal Column:
«There’s no security, it’s understood.»
Is it Jake’s apart- comment to the previous announcement? Is «yes», why this phrase isn’t bracketed?

+++
The Kirkstall Road Girl:

– grind by the old canal
I presume grinding means sexual acts, the deal she has struck.

Is it anal sex? Old canal is a anus maybe?

canal
noun; a low insult suggesting that one is lower than an asshole, hence up the alimentary canal.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=canal

+++
Isobel
«All other women I repel» = «All other women repel/reject me»?
Is this inversion a dialect or standard?

+++

I will put some thought into this and post a full report.

After your explanations, what the Police Squad was doing, I have understood almost all song. Don’t hurry to write big report. I will ask specific questions a bit later.

From cold Russia with warm greetings

Dmitry

[Dmitry]

Hi, Malcolm!
From day to day I am understanding your explanations easier. I am helped by your good language and a little my strengthened practice of English recently. Thanks for your last efforts spent for me!

>Why they couldn’t get the boots off? Did they were not able, because grandad’s feets swelled for example, or not wanted because he would need boots in the sky? >

This is nothing specific, with no great important meaning, I think, other than that boots are often hard to remove. Grandad may be fond of his old boots, and intends to wear them when escaping and, after that, back in the pub.

I think, in the song there is a hint that the “spirit” of Grandad prevented to take off boots because ones will be necessary to him to escape (long way by feet) from Paradise. Such poet as Jake couldn’t write the whole line without a certain sense. Probably.

+++
Remember Bethlehem:

>I think that at the ends of the choruses it is necessary to write «Remember, Bethlehem!» (in 3 chorus – Remembers) >because it is appeal to the city. >

It could be, though I don’t see why Bethlehem specifically needs to be reminded of Jesus’s birth there. I also think that if Jake meant “Remember, Bethlehem !” and intended us to put the comma in, he wouldn’t have occasionally have put “remembers” : “Remembers, Bethlehem !” makes no sense, and Jake isn’t that sloppy with his English.
I think the first use of the phrase, in ther start of each chorus, as in “(even your stony old hills) remember Bethlehem” just finishes the sentence off, and is intended to mean that the natural world remembers the occasion of Christ’s birth. Maybe Jake’s point is that mankind seems to have forgotten Christ and his message – maybe the rest of the “Remember Bethlehem”s are an instruction to *us* to remember too.

I see you didn’t understand my question because I don’t know exact the meaning of «appeal». Probably «address» is more exact?
And by the way probably I don’t know rules of the use of a comma in English phrases.

I wanted to tell that the phrase of first chorus:
«Your pussy-willow and your daffodil,
Even your stony old hills
Remember Bethlehem.»
means:
“Oh, Bethlehem, your pussy-willow and your daffodil,
Even your stony old hills remember (her)!”

In other choruses the same literary reception is used with only that difference that in the third chorus there is «RememberS» and in the fourth there is “I” instead of things and animals.

Do you understand me now? It is possible? Whether the comma and «!» are necessary here?

+++
The Brigadier

>«spitter and spat and spout»
I understand the general sense but not understand : are they nouns or verbs? >

I think it’s just onomatopoeia,

OK, I understand.

«He [?waggles it] about.»
Did the rain-god shakes the earth by a thunder or waves rain streams as a pendulum?
What is [it]?

+++
The Little Black Foal:

>«Well, it’s all a load of stuff and nonsense»
«Well it’s all a load of balderdash»
load is mother, brother? >

Load is “quite a lot”, an amount, as in a heavy load.

You didn’t understand my question. I wanted to ask: did Jake metaphorically says the silly-talk-mother is «a load of stuff and nonsense» and the silly-thought-brother is «a load of balderdash»? Is it possible?

+++

>«Dynamic methods Strengthen and Refine
The Power of your Mind» — consultations at the psychologist ? >

More probably a self-help book for sale in the personal column, a motivational book to aid thinking and memory. Most likely not of much actual psychological value : but once they’ve got your money, that’s all that matters, eh ? :o)

If it is a book for not big price, what this phrase means:
«Take out a personal loan.»?

Is a «loan» a book which needs to be returned or a money advance, for example, in bank to purchase the book?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Kiss:
«She was as seventeenish»
seventeenish = seventeen-year-old person, as I understand?
Why «as»? Is Jake not knowing how old is she precisely and speaks approximately “by eye”?

+++
The [Kirkstall Road] Girl:
Is here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkstall ?
Is that road for “easy” girls?

Rolls-Royce [voice] — beep of the car?

Meanings of separate words are clear but not in a context:
– postures with an Irish wolfhound
– lamp-post deals
– grind by the old canal
– collections on her back
– they’re better off any way
????

+++
Isobel:
« All other women I repel
Cause I can’t spell and I smell as well,»

I can’t spell = I can’t bewitch all other women?
I smell = I have a fetid odor?

+++
To Do With You:
«[?Better-slung] and better at buns than you.»

«Better-spoken, [?shorter strokers] than you.»
Is it:

Stroker – A girlfriend that will not allow you to f 👿 👿 k her and is only willing to give you hand jobs. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Stroker

+++
Famous People:

«How could you fail to notice that your paradise is [here]?»
«here» — is it among simple people?

«They will wag their joyous dicks over your marble monument.»
dick = penis?
What does this action mean?

+++
Miss World:

«Miss South Rhodesia is here,
You’ll see she’s a shade or two lighter.
She’s awful keen to keep her [party] clean
And UDI washes whiter.»

party = person?
UDI- ?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So, I have analysed almost all list’s songs in which I had serious misunderstandings.
The last song where I understand very little is The Policeman’s Jig. I understand that at a good few of lines there are pornographic hints and puns. Possibly I will need your whole lecture to understand everything. Sir, whether shocks you an explanation these things to me ?

With gratitude your Russian friend Dmitry 🙂

PS: I want to manage to receive all your explanations before if your American cousins would begin war and internet communication would be inaccessible to me.
If I don’t answer you once, it will mean that I couldn’t do. 🙁

[Dmitry]

Hi, Malcolm!
Oll Korrect, thank you!

I with interest read about copyright in Britain. I hope the owner of “Thackray” is the reasonable person.

Asking my question about CD, certainly I was understanding you is using Jedward as examples but I simply forgot it is somehow connected with these “Cipollinos” whose hair I well remember however. Besides it is similar to a name of single man because not JedwardS. Now for the sake of curiosity I have read Wiky a little and found out about this compound name. Continue your magnificent examples with this boys.

So I continue. Be patient, please.

+++
The Cactus:

«my Auntie Ivy gave us both a little pot,
A plastic what-not,
Which contained a [spiky] cactus.»
&
«Every day she grew still fonder
Till this sickly, tickly, little [squirt] had got the household quashed»
Is «squirt» — http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/medical-bottle-mask-squirt-16127408.jpg ?
Is «spiky» a conic-top therefore?
&
«We placed them spiky cheek to spiky cheek upon our kitchen window sill and then withdrew»
Is «spiky» a covered with thorns?
May I translate “spiky” as “unshaven”?

**
«We knew true love would run its course – and we perforce had something similar to do.»

«to do similar» — is «to withdrew to let cactus’ love» or « to be engaged in own love too»?

+++
The Hair of the Widow of Bridlington:

Is her «cycle shed» for the motorbike too?
**
«Swim in the sea when she felt hot,
Stay in bed when she did not.»

when she did not = when she not swim or when she was lazy and idled?
**
«And though she did no harm the neighbours sniffed, as neighbours [do],»

What the neighbours do : sniff or harm?

+++
Grandad:

«Ladies’ Union» — virgin feminists?
**
«Your crystal domes will shake when he makes his break»
Is his break an escape from Paradise, not from his home?
**
«Your pearly gates he’ll climb when it’s opening time.»
Why he’ll clamber up open gates when it is possible to pass through (between) its?
**
«The doctor lifted up an eyelid and pronounced him gone. But
To judge from Grandad’s finger signals the doctor was wrong.»

Did dead Grandad moved his finger? What signals?
**
«They dressed him in his Sunday night-shirt, they combed out his hair, but
They couldn’t get my Grandad’s boots off, he’d need them up there.»

to get boots off = to take off boots?
Why they couldn’t get the boots off? Did they were not able, because grandad’s feets swelled for example, or not wanted because he would need boots in the sky?

+++
The Grave-digger:

<~«I see many different fashions of mourning, [?both fancy] and plain.» ~Is it two vertical geometrical projections? No - I think it is the style of mourning. Some relatives weeping and wailing loudly and ostentatiously, and some gently and soundlessly crying. In fact, Jake describes the two types in the rest of the verse.>

I understand it from you. (I was thinking a mourning is clothes style only as in this case : «If you come around to mourn for Grandad don’t dress up in black».) But I don’t understand why at the beginning is “much” and at the end is “both” about identical things. Whether it is possible to tell the first line so:
«I see many different fashions of mourning, however all of them are brought together to two types only: feigned (fancy) and sincere (plain)»?

By the way probably there is a hint from “Plain and Fancy” of Joseph Stein. However, I don’t know about what this musical.
**
«I know in my water, I know in my blood, I know in my bones»

Did he tells “my” because is seeing constantly these things at his work?

+++
I stayed off work today:
«He threw me down the boilerhouse.
There’s one [?born every minute], he says,
We keep ’em all in there.»

What does it mean? born = baby or stupid or..?

+++
Mrs Murphy:
«he is such a classy mover»

mover = f**er or car-driver?

+++
One of Them:
«And tell me if you’ve heard the one, The one about the nigger. You will die of laughing! It’s just a bit of fun and they don’t really mind. The cripple and the gyppo,»
nigger = gyppo /gipsy?

+++
Romance:
«[?Couple o’ ]pints of beer»
How many? o’= 1 ?

+++
Remember Bethlehem:
I think that at the ends of the choruses it is necessary to write «Remember, Bethlehem!» (in 3 chorus – Remembers) because it is appeal to the city.

+++
The Brigadier:

«They [?squat] in the cottages of our ancestors»
Is it to sit between own knees or to occupy a house against a will of it’s owner (how it is possible in England)?
**
«spitter and spat and spout»
I understand the general sense but not understand : are they nouns or verbs?

+++
The Tortoise:
«And for Christ’s sake [tell the little crunchy tortoise] too»

Did Jake wants, let Jesus will give advice to a fried turtle that a animal has to do??

+++
Freda:
«And then one day, she went away,
and I know neither [wither] nor why»

wither = where or with+whom ?

+++
The Little Black Foal:
«Well, it’s all a load of stuff and nonsense»
«Well it’s all a load of balderdash»

load is mother, brother?

+++
Joseph:
«what do you make of» = what do you think of ?

+++
Dog:
«Dogs see much less in it, they get [?cracking] and begin it.»
separation of hips?

+++
Personal Column:

«rubber goods» — condoms?
**
«Dynamic methods Strengthen and Refine
The Power of your Mind» — consultations at the psychologist ?
**
«Seven days’ free trial for an anti-nuclear shelter. [?No obligations at all.]»
Did a person sell his shelter and doesn’t gives a guarantee for quality?
**
«Ten shillings reward: [?Box No. 33] has gone and lost her budgerigar».
Window? Where?

+++
My Roly Poly Girl:
I want to specify: the gooseberry surprise hints at what idiom?

+++
moorside — heather?
jiggery-poke – f**king?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I already made the most part of the text-analysis of songs of the list on the site. In the future I will have already no so many questions.

By the way in Moscow where I live, winters not cold usually. In comparison with Siberia, not Yorkshire, certainly.

I drink for success of our common hobby!

Dmitry

[Dmitry]

Hi, Malcolm, I thank for the answer!

I assume that you not always understand my bad English questions as you don’t answer to me sometimes or you answer not that I’m wanting to ask. At the same time I understand your answers almost completely. I will try to formulate questions more correctly and shortly.

[quote=”Malcy” post=3692] ~«And the choice had got to be mine,
~I’d beg the old lady’s permission
~But go for grandma every time.
~Brother Gorilla!»

~I don’t understand the third line. Is he’d beg at once the grandma’s permission to love her now and every day?

The gorilla is a brute animal and will just choose the nearest person to assault in order to satisfy his lust. Jake is more civilized : if it were Jake who had to ravish someone, he says : not only will he always choose the female victim to assault, but he will also ask her permission first. “Go for” means choose, opt for, as in “I think Dmitry would go for that Jedward CD for his birthday present.”[/quote]

Sorry, Malcy, it is sometimes difficult for me to understand very simple (from the point of view of the Englishman) English phrases because many words have some translation variants in the dictionary. For example “but” has 6-7 Russian variants for different contexts.
Besides it not a literal translation from Brassens’s song which I know well.
I understood that the gentleman Jake surely would ask permissions of the old lady to ravish her.
But I don’t understand in this song:
– Did Jake speaks the «grandma» about the old lady “of a gorilla” or about other grandmother(s)?
– Why «every time»?

By the way, about what CD you speak. Where it is possible to hear your songs on the Internet?

+++
Family Grave:

«Whenever you go there’s always more arrive.»
«arrive» — about guests on a funeral or dead persons in a grave?

[quote=”Malcy” post=3692] ~«Bt the grave, by the grave, by the family, family grave,»
~Bt = by (preposition or verb)? Typographical error?
By – a typo again.[/quote]

I didn’t understand.
If «a typo» is typographical mistake (so the dictionary tells), have you told the «by» is a mistake? Therefore “Bt” is correct? What is “Bt”? Is it related to «buy»?
I hear «by» on the audio recording.

«Bt the grave, by the grave, by the family, family grave»
&
«At the grave, at the grave, at the family, family grave»

Did the “by” means the same “at”?

+++
The Bull:
«These well-known men, so over-glorified –
There’s one of them here his name’s on the poster outside –
And he’s up here like this, and you are all down there.
Remember his cock and his bull and mutter: “Beware!”»

Did Jake tell about: his name on the poster, himself on a scene, listeners in a hall, this his song?

+++
The Cactus:
«A rash compassion For her [?feelings got beyond her]»
Is it about what?

+++
Dog:
«I’m just a dog and I dislike the cant.»
&
«I’m just a dog and I dislike the con.
Why is there so much cant in these canticles of human love?
I’m just a brute. I couldn’t care a hoot.»

«cant, con» — vagina?
«hoot» — orgasm?

«It’s a matter of a minute and then up tails all.»

«up tails» — to leave, go away?

+++
Famous People:
Tell it by other words, please : «Your paradise is where your paradise belongs.»

+++
Freda:
«Some monster, Susie Wongster, has [?ponced] her.
[?I’m sunk, for some skunk’s done a bunk, done a bee-line] with my pretty feline…
A bleeder, some bleeder’s got Freda,
[and Freda the bleeder’s got someone new]. Is it you ?» — I don’t understand syntax here.

+++
The Girl in the Window:

«[?Striking] a pretty posture and likely as not
She’s hairless as a snooker ball and showing all she’s got!»

If to dismantle (?strike) a dummy, is it possible to see her internal device?

«There’s a cheeky bloke that comes to dust you. I’ve seen his type before – a
Fingertip today and a handful tomorra!»

Is it a fingertip and a handful are of bloke? What does it mean?

+++
Grandad:
«Your crystal domes will shake when he makes his [?break] (a hole in domes?)
Angels, saints and seraphim
He’ll give you the [?slip], so get a grip
On him.»
In the dictionary, there are 14 variants of translation «slip». Tell it by other word.

«he gets the wind»
Idiom? What?

+++
The Grave-digger
«I see many different fashions of mourning, [?both fancy] and plain.»
Is it two vertical geometrical projections?

+++
The Remembrance:
«If the foreigner [?comes off best], he said,
You’ll be better off dead…»

«You’ll be better off dead . . .» — does the King address to the enemy?

+++
«Uncle Arthur, clothes on the brain,
Snaggled up his pendant in his bicycle chain.»

«clothes on the brain» – idiom? Clothes style? What?
«snaggled up» — ?
«pendant in his bicycle chain» — a medallion with bicycle chain on a neck?

+++

It were my biggest questions now.

Let there will be more sun over your house and over Foggy Albion this winter!

Dmitry

[Author]

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