The Grantville Ram

Rick: You asked for the lyrics and back-story for "The Grantville Ram" The lyrics are Attached.

The backstory? I've been reading the print materials of the Grantville 1632 Saga. When I got to The Ram Rebellion and the Brillo stories, I just fell down laughing. and wondered if anyone had thought old English folk-song, The Derby Ram. which, for those who aren't into Olde Englysshe Folk-lore, is a very tall tale in verse about a very large sheep. There are at least five tunes for it, it has numerous verses, and it's been recorded by Richard Dyer-Bennett, among many others.

Being a long-time Filker, I had to Do Something. and what I did was four verses of a Filk, called The Grantville Ram. It's the sort of song that can be open-ended. Brillo's exploits may have been celebrated in dance, but I'm inviting anyone who wants to to participate in this Filk.

I'm planning to put The Grantville Ram lyrics (mine and anyone else's) into the next edition of Rec-Room Rhymes, my long-running (since 1978) filk-zine (with permission of Eric Flint and the rest of the 1632 people). If anyone makes up more verses, and wants to add them to mine, please send them to my email, rogowr@aol.com.

Thanx for listening/reading my contribution to the 1632 Universe.

Roberta Rogow

THE GRANTVILLE RAM (lyrics by Roberta Rogow; tune: “The Darby Ram”)

When I was down in Grantville, On a Market Day, I saw the greatest ram, sir, And Brillo was his name.

Chorus: And indeed, my lad, it’s true, my lads, I never was known to lie; And if you’d been in Grantville, You’d have seen him the same as I!

The wool upon his back was rough And awful on the hands; The Granville girls made pads of it To clean their pots and pans.

A pair of robbers kidnapped him, Their tenure was quite brief; It’s clear these people never read “The Ransom of Red Chief”>

This ram was mean and feisty, With a nasty attitude; And if he’d had a motto, It would surely be, “Screw Ewes!”