Claytons of Oldbury by Phil Clayton Recorded by The Light Side Brummagem plateau’s not noted for streams, There’s no Mississippi in Black Country scenes There’s only the cuts as they wend to and fro, Carrying the cargoes right steady and slow. There’s only one place around here where you’ll find Slow moving rivers you can call to mind. There’s a boatyard in Oldbury, hard by the Crow, Where there’s rivers a plenty if you only know. Calder and Severn, Tweed, Hamble and Leam, Conway and Cherwell, Rea, Dart, Exe and Ken, These were the boats that sailed to and fro From Clayton’s of Oldbury, down by The Crow. Here comes the Gifford and there goes the Stour. Tay, Tees and Towy pass by by the hour. The tar and the creosote, gas water and oil Carried by Kennet and Calder and Boyle. Ellesmere and Leamington, Oxford and Stoke Some of the places known to Clayton’s folk They travelled the land but were happier still Sat in The Fountain with pint and with gill. Calder and Severn, Tweed, Hamble and Leam, Conway and Cherwell, Rea, Dart, Exe and Ken, These were the boats that sailed to and fro From Clayton’s of Oldbury, down by The Crow. Petrol and water they never will mix, And the last day of March in the year sixty-six Saw Stour a carrying the last hold-full of tar While the stilts of the motorway covered the yard. So when you’re next cruising past the foot of the Crow Keep your eyes open, ‘cos you never know You might catch the ghost of Ribble or Forth On the hardstanding by Clayton’s old wharf. Calder and Severn, Tweed, Hamble and Leam, Conway and Cherwell, Rea, Dart, Exe and Ken, These were the boats that sailed to and fro From Clayton’s of Oldbury, down by The Crow. In 2019, on the 250th anniversary of the opening of the original Birmingham Canal into the town, Phil Clayton put together a musical, Birmingham Lads .... and Friends, telling something of the history of the canals in the Birmingham and Black Country area. Although focusing on the BCN itself, it started from a song he’d written for the 2012 Golden Anniversary of the ‘Battle of Stourbridge’, The Lions of Stourbridge. Over the years Phil added more songs, mixing contemporary songs, of which this is one, and more up to date canal standards to make an hour long show supported by much visual material. The group The Light Side performed the musical for the BCN Society’s celebratory cruise into Brum marking the anniversary at the Crescent Theatre’s Studio. The show is available on DVD and can be viewed on this website here.
Claytons of Oldbury by Phil Clayton Recorded by The Light Side Brummagem plateau’s not noted for streams, There’s no Mississippi in Black Country scenes There’s only the cuts as they wend to and fro, Carrying the cargoes right steady and slow. There’s only one place around here where you’ll find Slow moving rivers you can call to mind. There’s a boatyard in Oldbury, hard by the Crow, Where there’s rivers a plenty if you only know. Calder and Severn, Tweed, Hamble and Leam, Conway and Cherwell, Rea, Dart, Exe and Ken, These were the boats that sailed to and fro From Clayton’s of Oldbury, down by The Crow. Here comes the Gifford and there goes the Stour. Tay, Tees and Towy pass by by the hour. The tar and the creosote, gas water and oil Carried by Kennet and Calder and Boyle. Ellesmere and Leamington, Oxford and Stoke Some of the places known to Clayton’s folk They travelled the land but were happier still Sat in The Fountain with pint and with gill. Calder and Severn, Tweed, Hamble and Leam, Conway and Cherwell, Rea, Dart, Exe and Ken, These were the boats that sailed to and fro From Clayton’s of Oldbury, down by The Crow. Petrol and water they never will mix, And the last day of March in the year sixty-six Saw Stour a carrying the last hold-full of tar While the stilts of the motorway covered the yard. So when you’re next cruising past the foot of the Crow Keep your eyes open, ‘cos you never know You might catch the ghost of Ribble or Forth On the hardstanding by Clayton’s old wharf. Calder and Severn, Tweed, Hamble and Leam, Conway and Cherwell, Rea, Dart, Exe and Ken, These were the boats that sailed to and fro From Clayton’s of Oldbury, down by The Crow. In 2019, on the 250th anniversary of the opening of the original Birmingham Canal into the town, Phil Clayton put together a musical, Birmingham Lads .... and Friends, telling something of the history of the canals in the Birmingham and Black Country area. Although focusing on the BCN itself, it started from a song he’d written for the 2012 Golden Anniversary of the ‘Battle of Stourbridge’, The Lions of Stourbridge. Over the years Phil added more songs, mixing contemporary songs, of which this is one, and more up to date canal standards to make an hour long show supported by much visual material. The group The Light Side performed the musical for the BCN Society’s celebratory cruise into Brum marking the anniversary at the Crescent Theatre’s Studio. The show is available on DVD and can be viewed on this website here.
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