Jon says, ”I am of the view that it’s better to bastardise a good dialect song than to not sing it at all. This is a bizarre Norfolk music-hall number done in full Norfolk dress by Bellamy. This is a pale imitation but good fun to sing nonetheless.”
Again somewhat self effacing from Jon and I don’t have Peter’s version at hand to compare, but as you’d expect Mainly Norfolk covers the Bellamy angle and notes that this was one of the most collected songs in East Anglia. It’s also known as Mudley Barracks as this Mudcat thread makes clear. There’s an interesting post half way down as this shares much in common in sentiment with The Awkward Recruit, which is of course done by Mawkin:Causley on their album of the same name. The suggestion is that this is a direct descendent, which makes sense as it’s a sort of simplified and more obviously comic take on the lot of the disgruntled soldier, although shares a desire to be back on the farm. The Awkward Recruit is much more a soldiers’ song, however, and actually ends quite heroically.
You can buy the January digital album now from all good download stores.