Dalesmans Litany

A 19th century poem by the one time president of the Yorkshire Dialect Society, F.W. Moorman. Set to music by Dave Keddie of Bradford around 1960. The old Yorkshire saying, 'From Hell, Hull and Halifax good Lord deliver us' comes from the time when you could be hung in either of these towns for stealing over 13 pence worth of goods. Halifax had the first of what would later become known as the 'Guillotine', back in the 17th century, 'for the speedie dispatching of felons'. The song deals with a young countryman who has to go and find work wherever he can in the mills of industrial revolution England.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Dalesmans
• Litany

[atomspies]

lovely. wow thank you for sharing.

[Toxicseagull]

its about the displacement of the yorkshire people to work in the factories in the north. hull and halifax had some of the harshest capital punishments laws in the country.

many of the cities mentioned have quotes from the day stating that walking into them was like walking into hell. thus the black snow

[dustybrhodes]

imo - the tim hart and maddy prior version is superb. its so haunting it really portrays the message of the song.

[unthrown]

pure brilliance, kinda spooky cause am from halifax, lol

[klickstarter]

Great work! Could you please give more information about the song?

[isabellanakahara]

That was great! The old man and I really enjoyed that.

Four thumbs wayy up!*****