Written 1843 Lyricist(s) David Ross Lietch | Published unknown Language English ((Geordie) | |
The Cliffs of Old Tynemouth is a Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by David Ross Lietch. This song is a ballad, romanticising about one of the tourist sights of the Tyneside area.
Contents
Lyrics
This song appears in a small pamphlet or chapbook being Number 2 of a series appearing to consist of only 3, forming a series of 'Shields' songs. They were published in the 1850s by the Shields Gazette editor, William Brockie. The songs reflect the towns of Cullercoats, Tynemouth, North Shields and South Shields, small coastal towns on both sides of the Tyne. All are variously famous for fishwives, press gangs, ships, boats and sailors, and beautiful scenery.
The song was written in 1843.
The Cliffs of Old Tynemouth
To the tune of the Irish Air “The Meeting of the Waters”.
Oh! the Cliffs of Old Tynemouth they're wild and they're sweet,
And dear are the waters that roll at their feet;
And the old ruined Abbey, it ne'er shall depart;
Tis the star of my fancy, the home of my heart.
Tis the star of my fancy, etc.
Oh! 'twas there that my childhood fled cheerful and gay,
There I loitered the morning of boyhood away,
And now as I wander the old beach alone,
The waves seem to whisper the names that are gone.
The waves seem to whisper etc.
Twas there with my Alice I walked hand-in-hand,
While the wild waves in moonlight leapt o'er the bright sand;
And sweet were the echoes of the dark Cliffs above,
But oh! sweeter her voice as she murmured her love.
But oh, sweeter her voice etc.
On thy waters, Old Tynemouth, throng seamen as brave
As e'er cheer'd in the battle, or conquer'd the wave;
And for sweet pretty maidens, seek England around,
Near the Cliffs of Old Tynemouth the fairest are found.
Near the Cliffs of Old Tynemouth etc.
Other lands may be fairer, but nought can be seen,
Like the shore where our first love and boyhood have been;
Oh! give me the Cliffs and the wild roaring sea —
The Cliffs of old Tynemouth for ever for me.
The Cliffs of old Tynemouth etc.
Tune: "The meeting of the waters".
Places mentioned in the song
Tynemouth is the town at the mouth of the River Tyne
Rocks may refer to the “Black Midden rocks" which over the years have claimed numerous ships attempting to sail into the Tyne.
Abbey refers to the Tynemouth Priory originally built by Oswald, King and saint of Northumbria in 637 A.D.
Comments on variations to the above version
NOTE – In the early 19th century, as today, there were cheap books and magazines.
Many of these “Chapbooks” were on poor quality paper to a poor standard and with poor quality print. The works were copied with no thoughts of copyright, and the work required very little proof-reading, and what was done was not required to a high standard. Consequently, the dialect words of songs varied between editions.
This particular song shows several variations between the various published versions, some very minor, mainly in the spelling of the words, some are interpretation of the dialect, some down to simple mistakes, and sometimes there are variations within the same edition. Some of the most common are listed below :-