ForumGarden

Years ago I remember hearing a song about a girl called Myfanwy. On searching for it I found it was from a poem by Sir John Betjeman. Further searching brought me to Neil Young, but I could get no further. Can anyone help me with this as I would like to hear the song again. The first line is Kind o'er the kinderbank leans my Myfanwy.

Further searching led me to Neil Young, but I could get no further. Don't think it would actually be Neil singing it as the voice was to high pitched and soft for Neil but maybe it could be Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young??

Thanks Annie Mouse, but not the song I'm looking for.

Found this on amazon.com -

Also this -

Hope this helps

Hiya Susan & welcome to FG.

That's an absolutely beautiful song and a great favourite of mine.

And it's sung by the delectable David Essex!

:-6

Myfanwy

John Betjeman

Kind o’er the kinderbank leans my Myfanwy,

White o’er the playpen the sheen of her dress,

Fresh from the bathroom and soft in the nursery

Soap scented fingers I long to caress.

Were you a prefect and head of your dormit’ry?

Were you a hockey girl, tennis or gym?

Who was your favourite? Who had a crush on you?

Which were the baths where they taught you to swim?

Smooth down the Avenue glitters the bicycle,

Black-stockinged legs under navy blue serge,

Home and Colonial, Star, International,

Balancing bicycle leant on the verge.

Trace me your wheel-tracks, you fortunate bicycle,

Out of the shopping and into the dark,

Back down the avenue, back to the pottingshed,

Back to the house on the fringe of the park.

Golden the light on the locks of Myfanwy,

Golden the light on the book on her knee,

Finger marked pages of Rackham’s Hans Anderson,

Time for the children to come down to tea.

Oh! Fullers angel-cake, Robertson’s marmalade,

Liberty lampshade, come shine on us all,

My! what a spread for the friends of Myfanwy,

Some in the alcove and some in the hall.

Then what sardines in half-lighted passages!

Locking of fingers in long hide-and-seek.

You will protect me, my silken Myfanwy,

Ring leader, tom-boy, and chum to the weak.

Rapunzel wrote: Hiya Susan & welcome to FG.

That's an absolutely beautiful song and a great favourite of mine.

And it's sung by the delectable David Essex!

:-6

Myfanwy

John Betjeman

Kind o’er the kinderbank leans my Myfanwy,

White o’er the playpen the sheen of her dress,

Fresh from the bathroom and soft in the nursery

Soap scented fingers I long to caress.

Were you a prefect and head of your dormit’ry?

Were you a hockey girl, tennis or gym?

Who was your favourite? Who had a crush on you?

Which were the baths where they taught you to swim?

Smooth down the Avenue glitters the bicycle,

Black-stockinged legs under navy blue serge,

Home and Colonial, Star, International,

Balancing bicycle leant on the verge.

Trace me your wheel-tracks, you fortunate bicycle,

Out of the shopping and into the dark,

Back down the avenue, back to the pottingshed,

Back to the house on the fringe of the park.

Golden the light on the locks of Myfanwy,

Golden the light on the book on her knee,

Finger marked pages of Rackham’s Hans Anderson,

Time for the children to come down to tea.

Oh! Fullers angel-cake, Robertson’s marmalade,

Liberty lampshade, come shine on us all,

My! what a spread for the friends of Myfanwy,

Some in the alcove and some in the hall.

Then what sardines in half-lighted passages!

Locking of fingers in long hide-and-seek.

You will protect me, my silken Myfanwy,

Ring leader, tom-boy, and chum to the weak.


That is the one, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou. I couldn't remember who sang it, but now that you have mentioned it, I should have known.

Rapunzel wrote: Hiya Susan & welcome to FG.

That's an absolutely beautiful song and a great favourite of mine.

And it's sung by the delectable David Essex!

:-6

Myfanwy

John Betjeman

Kind o’er the kinderbank leans my Myfanwy,

White o’er the playpen the sheen of her dress,

Fresh from the bathroom and soft in the nursery

Soap scented fingers I long to caress.

Were you a prefect and head of your dormit’ry?

Were you a hockey girl, tennis or gym?

Who was your favourite? Who had a crush on you?

Which were the baths where they taught you to swim?

Smooth down the Avenue glitters the bicycle,

Black-stockinged legs under navy blue serge,

Home and Colonial, Star, International,

Balancing bicycle leant on the verge.

Trace me your wheel-tracks, you fortunate bicycle,

Out of the shopping and into the dark,

Back down the avenue, back to the pottingshed,

Back to the house on the fringe of the park.

Golden the light on the locks of Myfanwy,

Golden the light on the book on her knee,

Finger marked pages of Rackham’s Hans Anderson,

Time for the children to come down to tea.

Oh! Fullers angel-cake, Robertson’s marmalade,

Liberty lampshade, come shine on us all,

My! what a spread for the friends of Myfanwy,

Some in the alcove and some in the hall.

Then what sardines in half-lighted passages!

Locking of fingers in long hide-and-seek.

You will protect me, my silken Myfanwy,

Ring leader, tom-boy, and chum to the weak.


Now I should ask you if you are able to help me with another one. A song that was quite popular around 1985 had a chorus that went something like; "lay down on a bed of roses, wake up lying on a bed of nails." It is not Bon Jovi's Bed of Roses, but is somewhat similar.

Susan55 wrote: Now I should ask you if you are able to help me with another one. A song that was quite popular around 1985 had a chorus that went something like; "lay down on a bed of roses, wake up lying on a bed of nails." It is not Bon Jovi's Bed of Roses, but is somewhat similar.Just as a clue, which did it sound more like - Ian Dury And The Blockheads, Bette Midler, Alice Cooper, Creatures, Babylon Whores, Salt N Pepa or The Indians?

Michael Penn, Marc Almond, Uriah Heep, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Robert McEntee, Heavens Gate?

The Indians chorus is possibly the closest, but it's maybe five years after your date:

Tonight I won't be alone, but you know that don't mean I'm not lonely.

I've got nothing to prove, for it's you that I'd die to defend.

I want to lay you down in a bed of roses, for tonight I sleep on a bed of nails.

I want to be just as close as the Holy Ghost is and lay you down on a bed of roses.

I prefer Ian Dury, though:

Ive seen a lot of things I wished I hadn't, there's other things I never hope to see

But no-one left alive could paint a picture of the mess that knowing you has made of me

I knew it wouldn't be a bed of roses, I've seen the bloody grind that love entails

But one door shuts and then another closes and now I'm on a bloody bed of nails

spot wrote: Just as a clue, which did it sound more like - Ian Dury And The Blockheads, Bette Midler, Alice Cooper, Creatures, Babylon Whores, Salt N Pepa or The Indians?

Michael Penn, Marc Almond, Uriah Heep, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Robert McEntee, Heavens Gate?

The Indians chorus is possibly the closest, but it's maybe five years after your date:

Tonight I won't be alone, but you know that don't mean I'm not lonely.

I've got nothing to prove, for it's you that I'd die to defend.

I want to lay you down in a bed of roses, for tonight I sleep on a bed of nails.

I want to be just as close as the Holy Ghost is and lay you down on a bed of roses.

I prefer Ian Dury, though:

Ive seen a lot of things I wished I hadn't, there's other things I never hope to see

But no-one left alive could paint a picture of the mess that knowing you has made of me

I knew it wouldn't be a bed of roses, I've seen the bloody grind that love entails

But one door shuts and then another closes and now I'm on a bloody bed of nails


That first one was the Bon Jovi song, the second I haven't heard, but neither are the one I'm looking for, It was definately a male singer, but I have no idea who. It was a ballad like song, and definately NOT Alice Cooper. I haven't heard of the other artists you mentioned, but I will look them up and see what I find. Thanks.

Susan55 wrote: That is the one, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou. I couldn't remember who sang it, but now that you have mentioned it, I should have known.


You're welcome Susan, I'm glad I could help! :-6

I'm afraid I can't help you with the new request though. Sorry.

Hope you find it!

Susan55 wrote: That first one was the Bon Jovi song, the second I haven't heard, but neither are the one I'm looking for, It was definately a male singer, but I have no idea who. It was a ballad like song, and definately NOT Alice Cooper. I haven't heard of the other artists you mentioned, but I will look them up and see what I find. Thanks.How about he was an Australian called Ross Wilson?

When I started out along the road I put a young man's shoulder to the wheel

Now I've gotten older with the load I recognize the hand that makes the deal

Lay down in a bed of roses

Woke up lying on a bed of nails

It's the oldest of tales

Lose the wind from your sails

You lay down in a bed of roses

And wake up lying on a bed of nails

You sign your name, you pay the price, never see the poison in the pen

They mark the cards and load the dice, you never see which way the game will end.

(1989 album ‘Dark Side Of The Man’)