Okay, is there anyone out there that can tell me what words are actually being sung throughout the opening theme song? To me it sounds like something along the lines of "What care I've shown to my house ..."
Additionally, a friend commented that the tune is reminiscent of an old traditional English ballad - can anyone confirm this?
Found it after much searching!
What care I for my house and land?
What care I for my money,O?
What care I for my new-wedded lord,
I’m off with the wraggle-taggle gypsies, O!
This site has the song and a little midi of it, too.
http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiWRAGYPSY;ttWRAGYPSY.html
Ha, well I'll be! Thanks very much.
shareIt's a choral version of a song I first heard in the early seventies by Irish folk band Planxty (with Christy Moore), called The Raggle Taggle Gypsies. I think it's been around for a long time. It tells the tale of a privileged wife running off with a gypsy, and her husband's search for her. The portion you hear in Posh Nosh is where he asks her how she could have left her privileged surroundings, and she replies "What care I..." etc.
shareThis tune (and the lyrics) IS a traditional English ballad, "Raggle Taggle Gypsy", as noted above. I would very much like to know who performs the version that is used on Posh Nosh, though. I e-mailed the Beeb, but no reply. Does anyone know?
shareglad you like it, i fought for it. it was arabella's disc but i don't remember who it was by.
the bit at the start is the start of the track btw, there's more at the end but you can't hear the lyrics as clearly under joanna lumley's v/o.
[edit] seems I was wrong about it being the start of the track. I could have sworn it was, ho hum.
Opening song is indeed "Raggle Taggle Gypsies", an old English folk song, which would be instantly recognized by most Brits & Aussies who would have learned it at school in that recreational part of the curriculum known variously as "Singing" or "Music" or some such.
The humour in its rendition is the archly camp way in which it is sung accompanied by traditional olde English instruments.
"There were three gypsies a come to my door
And downstairs ran this lady, O!
One sang high and another sang low
And the other sang bonny, bonny, Biscay, O!
Then she pulled off her silk finished gown
And put on hose of leather, O!
The ragged, ragged, rags about our door
She's gone with the raggle taggle gypsies, O!
It was late last night, when my lord came home
Enquiring for his a-lady, O!
The servants said, on every hand
She's gone with the raggle taggle gypsies, O!
O saddle to me my milk-white steed
Go and fetch me my pony, O!
That I may ride and seek my bride
Who is gone with the raggle taggle gypsies, O!
[i]O he rode high and he rode low
He rode through woods and copses too
Until he came to an open field
And there he espied his a-lady, O!
What makes you leave your house and land?
What makes you leave your money, O?
What makes you leave your new wedded lord?
To go with the raggle taggle gypsies, O!
What care I for my house and my land?
What care I for my money, O?
What care I for my new wedded lord?
I'm off with the raggle taggle gypsies, O!
Last night you slept on a goose-feather bed
With the sheet turned down so bravely, O!
And to-night you'll sleep in a cold open field
Along with the raggle taggle gypsies, O!
What care I for a goose-feather bed?
With the sheet turned down so bravely, O!
For to-night I shall sleep in a cold open field
Along with the raggle taggle gypsies, O!"
Aussie Aussie Aussie
Oi Oi Oi
Thanks for the lyrics, O!
shareThe singer is Alfred Deller, the English Counter tenor.
share