oh dear me (jute mill song)

[brivo]

As an exiled Dundonian (yes with an italian surname), performing with an English folk band, I'd like to sing and perhaps record Mary Brooksbank's Oh Dear Me. I see that the song's publishers are written as springthyme music on Barbara Dickson's Parcel of Rogues album. Their site seems to be having problems (again).
Does anyone know who to contact about performing and recording rights?
Yours hopefully

Anne Brivonese

[Celyn]

Hello, brivo Well, the song - great song, btw ) was written by Mary Brooksbank in 1964, so I *suppose* it s still in copyright. For some reason, I had always thought the song would be a bit older than that. Well, that is something I have learned today, so I can pretend that I use the internet for "educational" purposes, not just for a fun waste of time.

Cyncial (or optimisic) Celyn does rather wonder how likely it is that the songwriter would pursue you through the courts, but, of course, it is a matter of courtesy as much as of legality, I quite see.

So, I do not know whom you should contact, but let me contribute this wee snippet from an interview she did with the late and much lamented Hamish Henderson.

This is an excerpt from an interview with Mary regarding the origin of the song itself.

Recorded in Interview with Mary Brooksbank by Hamish Henderson;
SA 1968.317.Mary Brooksbank, A4. School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh


Mary Brooksbank :And then insidework, they used to sing the Jute Mill song you know and when I grew up I put the words, the verses to it that wis Oh Dear me – they used to go aroond 'the mill's gaen fest, the puir wee shifters canna get a rest.

Song; The Jute Mill Song

Hamish Henderson: And how much of that was what they were singing in the mill and how much did you add to it?

Mary Brooksbank: Only the ditty, 'Oh dear me, the mill's gaen fest.
, the puir wee shifters…' The verses are all mine. And that verse, 'to feed and cled my bairnie' was brought to me by a lassie who was worried. It wis hard lines if she, ye hid an illigitimate child and you had to pay for it aff that meagre wage, you know what I mean, and she used to say, oh I wish the day was done. And eh, tell me her troubles, her trackles, what she hid tae dae for her bairn and that, nae help that sort o' thing, and that brought that tae mind. And then I used to think on my own aboot how ill divided the world wis. My mother put me into service for a period; tried to make me genteel you know. She gave me a lovely outfit but it did'na suit me, it was the worst thing she could have did because I saw right away the contrast between their homes and ours, you know, thon's o' the gentry and ours

http://mysongbook.de/msb/songs/j/jutemill.html

Best of luck with your quest.

[Celyn]

Hmm- just a thought. Is there any chance that the Musicians’ Union http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/welcome.shtml or perhaps the Performing Rights Society http://www.prs.co.uk/ might be able to advise?

Mary Brooksbank died in 1980, aged 82, so I do not know who would own copyright.

[Celyn]

Your question reminded me of another great song on the same subject... I imagine you know it already, but, just in case, or, for others who may not know it........

(Sheena Wellington)
Chorus:
And the wailin' o' the bummer and the clackin' o' the looms
Brocht the women o' Dundee oot o' their bed
And they walked tae mills and factories and they wrought fae seven tae four
And the women kept the bairns o' Dundee fed

The men they were nae lazy but the wark was hard tae find
The parish and the means test they'd tae face
But the lassies' hands were nimble and the lassies' wages small
So the women o' Dundee warked in their place

My mother and my granny and my aunties ain and a'
Went tae the looms the day they left the school
They didnae wark for freedom, independence or the rest
They just warked tae get some kitchen tae their kail

The rhythm o' their livin' was the clackin' o' the looms
Their youth and health and strength was lost tae jute
But the weavers and the spinners and the winders o' Dundee
Had a spirit that the hard times never beat

You may boast your noble lineage and sing of your highland clan
And hail some gallant chief who shares your name
But my line's as good as any and I'm very proud tae say
It was fae a Dundee weaver that I came

[ScabbyDouglas]

There's an astonishingly similar request on the Mudcat Cafe just now, and I posted to that:
I can do little better than link to that thread and paste a little of what was said there:
Hope it helps...

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?thr...522&messages=7

Subject: RE: Permission to record Jute Mill Song
From: Malcolm Douglas - PM
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 11:20 AM

Not from date of writing; never has been. From first publication or death of writer, whichever is later; and seventy-odd years, now, I think? At all events, you can be assured that the song is in copyright and will remain so for a long while to come, as is proper.

Mary Brooksbank died in 1980. The song has frequently been recorded (and published in a number of song books) and no permission would be required to record it again; just make the appropriate return to MCPS so that the royalty goes to her estate. They should have all the details in view of the song's recording history. Bear in mind that it has also been published, and recorded, as Oh Dear Me.

Perhaps you aren't UK based? SpringThyme Records are quite well known here, and you can get contact details from their website at http://www.springthyme.co.uk/. Owner Pete Shepheard certainly collaborated with Maurice Fleming, who recorded Mary; but whether or not there is a direct copyright interest I wouldn't know.

It may be, however, that their copyright is just in somebody's recorded arrangement of the song. For what it's worth, the BMI website has quite different publishing details: Jute Mill Song. Ignore the entry for Will R Millar, though; that is presumably copyright on an arrangement, or on a different song with the same title. Unless, of course, he is the mystery man who also wrote Barbara Allen, The Banks of Newfoundland, and so on...


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Subject: RE: Permission to record Jute Mill Song
From: Scabby Douglas - PM
Date: 17 Nov 03 - 11:38 AM

Springthyme Records might, I imagine, share the same address and phone number as the music publishing arm?

From the website Malcolm Douglas quoted:

Springthyme Records, Balmalcolm House, Balmalcolm, Cupar, Fife KY15 7TJ Scotland.

TEL: +44 (0) 1337 830773