TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Amongst the many peculiarities in this song's lyric is the line "the fiddle bill goes on forever".

Why "the fiddle bill"?  I presume this part is about Swarb.

Jules

I’m happy I’m not the only one to have questions concerning the AD lyrics. 8)

Wasn't it a wry swipe at a manager who always got paid regardless of the band's income?

Google research shows it to be a tune, much favoured by massed fiddle bands.

So was it a nickname for Swarb?

A reference that he played all day long?

A reference that he talked all day long?

It can't be the manager, because then Swarb wouldn't have a section in the song.  And the 5 foot 3 reference is surely him.

Jules

FWIW, and maybe I'm way off base, perhaps the "fiddle bill" was a reference to the non stop quest to get the darn thing  sounding decent on stage; without feedback.
Contact mikes, acoustic bridges, we tried everything, even a visit to Fender in LA where they lent him a solid fiddle and asked for his opinion.
AFAIR he told them it was 'less than stellar ;)' , sounded halfway between a Jews Harp and a Mouth Organ.
'Electric fiddle' was pretty new back then and I recall whenever we met another band with a fiddle player, long conversations ensued and notes were compared.
I can't remember how it was resolved but 'Violin R&D' was an ongoing project.  

THE Mighty Glydd?  We're honoured!

Anyway, I think you may just have nailed it.  Thanks.

Jules

It's been confirmed here before (by both Simon and TMG himself) that the Mighty Glydd was the band's then-tour manager, Robin Gee. The nickname comes from a Pete & Dud or Derek & Clive comedy sketch, if memory serves. And as road manager, he'd have been responsible for paying the fiddle bill!

Swarb's the only band member not to get a namecheck, but he's also the only one to get to sing his section of the song in the first person.

The '5 foot 3' part is deffo Swarb.  I know about The Mighty Glydd (see above, he even posted in this thread), but that verse moves on to discuss Swarb, and then the "fiddle bill".

Jules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKaIA8i0oaQ

Has anyone asked The Mighty Glydd how tall he is?

The last verse, which begins with “I” is the Swarb section, isn’t it?

If that is the case then Swarb's barely in the song.

Come on then, Glydd, how tall are you?

Jules

He's in it as much as Peggy is - half a verse!

Just think, in years to come we might be discussing “Our Bus Rolls On” like this.
Or maybe not!

5'8½", 6'2" with my fave Saturday night Lady Gaga spike heels.
@Gouty @ Gareth..100% correct!

Thank you for answering such a personal question.  Do the heels match the snow white trousseau?

Anyway we now know for sure that the "5 foot 3" man is Mr Swarbrick.

Jules

“Now, let’s get this absolutely straight, because in fifty years people are going to be looking at this and we need to make sure it is completely critically and factually correct!”
“Couldn’t we just make it scan..?”
“Guards! Take him away!!”

Chris Leslie was asked by a fan
Why so few of his songs really scan
He replied with a grin
"Cos I try to fit in
As many words as I possibly can"

*applauds*  ;D

*whistles in that cool way that I can't actually do*

Jules

Ha ha ha ha.  Very good.

Indeed. Reminds me of that haiku by John Cooper Clarke:

To express oneself
In seventeen syllables
Is very diffic