Down the Road

Since first I copped a tidy lump of swag
I've always kept a decent little nag
But one as I shall sing to you now
Was worth a million jimmies in a bag
I matched her against the best that could be found
Four owners made a stake of sixty pound
So the race was duly run
And I'll tell you how I won
With brave Polly my old pony world renown.

Down the road, away went Polly
With a step so jolly
That I knew she'd win
Down the road, the pace was killing
But the mare was willing
For a lightning spin
All the rest were licked
And might as well ne'er been born
Whoa mare, Whoa mare,
You've earned your little bit of corn.

Tom Jones the butcher thought that form untrue
Says he “Look here, I'll tell you what I'll do
My cob shall trot your mare again next Monday
And fifty more bright sovereigns I will blue
If you prove she can beat him once again
I'll never more in this world touch a rein”
Though I knew he'd got no chance
He insisted on the dance
So now I must tell you how we slew the slain.

Soon after that she reached the final goal
(I'd had the little wonder from a foal)
And grief too keen to talk about was mine, when
Poor Polly was carted off to fill a hole.
My missus and the kids all went with me
The last of poor pet pony Poll to see;
And our neighbours shared the grief,
That was felt beyond belief
When the little mare was buried R.I.P.

Gus Elen specialsed in Cockney “coster” songs like this one and Arf a pint of ale…. Fred Gilbert (1850 – 1903) made his living primarily as a Music Hall Agent having started his career as a boy in the choir at Evans’s Supper Rooms. In parallel to this career he wrote songs submitting them, sometimes unsuccessfully , to all the major artists of the day. Eventually, he hit his stride and had a string of popular hits in the 1880s and 90s, with songs like At Trinity Church I Met my Doom, Charlie Dilke Upset the Milk and The Man that Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo

Fred Jordan (1922-2002) was a major figure in English traditional singing. Born and raised in Ludlow, Shropshire, he worked as a farm labourer from the age of 14, and from the age of six was winning prizes for his singing. He was “discovered” by Alan Lomax and Peter Kennedy in the 1930s, and in the mid-1950s began a career performing in folk clubs and festivals throughout the country. It’s clear that in his travels Fred added to his repertoire and it is not clear whether he picked up this one up in his travels, or whether it was handed down to him by members of his family or their acquaintances. Having said that, you might speculate that he could have learnt it as a young teenager listening to singing in local pubs where he may have heard it sung by Bill Smith….

Bill Smith (1909-87) was also a farm worker from the Ludlow area. His grandfather was well-known in the local area for having a huge repertoire of songs. In the 1930s Bill sang regularly in local pubs, at least one of which was frequented by the young Fred Jordan. After the war Bill had to work hard to raise a family and run a farm, and perhaps had less time for singing. In the 1970s his son, Andrew, took him to see Fred Jordan sing – they immediately recognised each other and exchanged reminiscences. Andrew went on to record his father’s songs which were released as a Music Traditions CD Songs and stories of a Shropshire man.

Sources:

• VWML entry
• Kilgarrif Sing Us
• Lyrics: monologues.co.uk
• Image  © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
• Richard Baker: British Music Hall
• Mustrad: Reflections on Fred Jordan by Mike Yates and Derek Schofield
• Mustrad: Andrew Smith sleevenotes to Bill Smith, Songs and stories of a Shropshire man.
• Ballad Index

Fred Jordan sings It:

Last Updated on March 16, 2024 by John Baxter | Published: August 25, 2020