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I Walk By Night

from Raw Material by timlane

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about

The double bass player in The Punch House Band loaned me a book called "I Walked by Night: Being the Life & History of the King of the Norfolk Poachers", the memoirs of Frederick Rolfe edited by Lilias Rider Haggard. Rolfe's self-mythologising stories are written in Norfolk dialect and are interspersed with random snippets of old songs and poetry that he remembers. He casts himself as a lovable but dangerous crook although there are some, notably his daughter, who take issue with his romantic self-image. Be that as it may I found it a captivating read and it inspired this song.

lyrics

I WALK BY NIGHT

My father was a farm worker
Who never owned no land
He worked til he could work no more
And died an honest man
He died an honest man I say
Not a penny to his name
And I did swear upon his grave
I would not do the same
I would not do the same lads
And ever since that day
I never have gone hungry for
I learned the poacher's way

Chorus

The landowners can whistle
I don’t pay them any mind
Let the keepers chase me
I’ll lose them every time
From Kings Lynn down to Bungay Town
Across the the countryside
I’m the king of Norfolk poachers lads
I walk by night

Verse 2

With net and snare and shotgun
On any moonless night
I walk the fields and woodland
My lurcher by my side
With my lurcher by my side
I’ll bag the pheasant and the hare
The rabbit and the partridge
Anytime and anywhere
Anytime and anywhere
For what care I who owns the land?
The King of Norfolk Poachers
Takes his living where he can

Chorus

Verse 3

If you spend your whole life
On the wrong side of the law
I’t one of those sad facts of life
Sometimes you will get caught
Sometimes you will get caught lads
Then it’s prison or a fine
Well I won’t give them no money, no
I’d rather do the time
I’d rather do the time lads
I’ve never paid up yet
I’ll do Fourteen days hard labour
Without even breaking sweat

Chorus

Verse 3

Some call me a rascal
Some call me a crook
Some call me a countryman
Some say that I’m no good
Some say that I’m no good lads
Nothing but a common thief
They can call me any names they like
It’s all the same to me
It’s all the same to me lads
I know what I am
I’m the King of Norfolk Poachers
I don’t bow to any man

Chorus

credits

from Raw Material, released March 8, 2019
Composed performed and produced by Tim Lane

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timlane Norwich, UK

Welcome to the musical world of Tim Lane. I'm a musician and composer who lives in Norwich in the UK.
about.me/timboblane

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