Bandoggs

a rare phenomenon......

Bandoggs was an example of what was then a rare phenomenon - a folk supergroup. Nic was joined by Pete and Chris Coe and Tony Rose - and they released this one album - trying to present both song and instrumental material in balance. Bandoggs achieved that aim, but never planned for longevity and only toured twice. The album sounds like a good time was had by all - and the most distinctive Jones contribution was his version of the Coppers' Rose of Allendale, which he still cites as one of his favourite songs and has included on the l998 In Search of.. CD. This traditional song contains extreme romantic imagery that could, in less skillful hands, become maudlin and slushy. "And when my fevered lips were parched on Africa's burning sands..." indeed. Nic's unaffected, direct reading of the song draws out the sad-but-hopeful theme and the singer's love for his lady very movingly and with crystal clarity. This is yet another definitive version, this time of an oft-murdered song.

Bandoggs: Pete Coe, Chris Coe, Nic Jones,

and Tony Rose

Bandoggs and other early related materials suffer the same fate as that of Nic Jones and others. Here is the story:

Bandoggs, From The Devil To A Stranger, etc., and other early albums were released by Trailer, which was owned by Bill Leader. (Hence also the 'Leader' brand of albums from that period).

But Transatlantic were the distributors for Trailer and for about 11 records – 'Trailer' records were recorded on Transatlantic with the catalogue number beginning LTRA. The copyrights stayed with Trailer.

When Trailer went bust, the copyrights passed to Highway Records. Highway actually re-issued a select few of the recordings (Bandoggs,Nic Jones etc) before they too either went under or sold up. Celtic Music then bought the rights to the entire 'Trailer-Leader' back catalogue and the rest we know about — The music was sentenced to life imprisonment in dusty vaults or possibly even burnt at the stake.

The Rose of Allandale

Charles Jefferys/Sidney Nelson

The morn was fair, the skies were clear,
No breath came o'er the sea,
When Mary left her Highland cot,
And wander'd forth with me;
Tho' flower's deck'd the mountain's side,
And fragrance fill'd the vale,
By far the sweetest flower there,
Was the Rose of Allandale,
Was the Rose of Allandale,
the Rose of Allandale,
By far the sweetest flower there,
Was the Rose of Allandale.

Where'er I wander'd east or west,
Tho' fate began to lour,
A solace still was she to me,
In sorrow's lonely hour.
When tempests lash'd our gallant bark,
And rent her shiv'ring sail,
One maiden form withstood the storm,
'Twas the Rose of Allandale,
'Twas the Rose of Allandale,
the Rose of Allandale,
One maiden form withstood the storm,
'Twas the Rose of Allandale.

And when my fever'd lips were parched
On Africa's burning sand,
She whisper'd hopes of happiness,
And tales of distant land.
My life had been a wilderness,
Unblest by fortune's gale,
Had fate not link'd my lot to hers,
The Rose of Allandale,
The Rose of Allandale,
the Rose of Allandale,
Had fate not link'd my lot to hers,
The Rose of Allandale.

a note: this beautiful song is often thought of as traditional, and you can find it listed as such on various websites on the internet, infact we not only know who composed it, but the year it was composed. As follows:

Sidney Nelson, lyrics

Charles Jefferys, music

year composed: 1835