Walking the Wight

[ladyofastolat]

On Sunday, over 10,000 people will set out to Walk the Wight. This has inspired creativity.

Walking the Wight:





Walking the Wight Will Kill You

Tune: Johnny, I hardly knew ya

While strolling along near Alum Bay, haroo haroo
While strolling along near Alum Bay, haroo haroo
While strolling along near Alum Bay
Wandering on a beautiful day
A clapped-out rambler I heard say,
"Walking the Wight will kill you!"

Chorus: With your ows and oos and oos and ows, haroo haroo
With your ows and oos and oos and ows, haroo haroo
With your ows and oos and oos and ows
Staggering over the hills-o
Take my advice, don't pay the price:
Walking the Wight will kill you


Where are the toes on which you danced? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the toes on which you danced? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the toes on which you danced
Leaving me breathless, amazed and entranced?
I think they are floating away towards France:
Walking the Wight will kill you.


Where are the feet on which you trod? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the feet on which you trod? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the feet on which you trod?
They fell off at Brook when I gave them a prod,
And where they are now is known only by God
Walking the Wight will kill you.


Where are the knees that looked so fine? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the knees that looked so fine? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the knees that looked so fine
Enchanting this poor heart of mine?
I think I dropped them down Alum Bay Chine:
Walking the Wight will kill you.


Where are the legs so tanned and brown? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the legs so tanned and brown? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the legs so tanned and brown?
I lost them somewhere on Tennyson Down.
I'll try to buy more when I next go to town:
Walking the Wight will kill you.


Where are the thighs so muscled and strong? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the thighs so muscled and strong? Haroo! Haroo!
Where are the thighs so muscled and strong?
I had 'em this morning, they didn't last long
And now I'm exhausted, so that ends my song:
Walking the Wight will kill you.


The Island Rambler
Tune: Waltzing Matilda (by way of the Rochester Recruiting Sergeant

A keen island rambler went striding out from Bembridge,
His number worn proudly for everyone to see,
And he sang as he strode up the misty slopes of Culver
Who'll go a walking the Wight with me?

Chorus: Who'll go a-walking? Who'll go a-walking?
Who'll go a-walking the Wight with me?
And he sang as he strode up the misty slopes of Culver
Who'll go a walking the Wight with me?

Rain started falling near the barns at Arreton
The pub wasn't open! The beer wasn't free!
So he tightened his belt and girded up his anorak
Who'll go a walking the Wight with me?

Chorus: Who'll go a-walking? Who'll go a-walking?
Who'll go a-walking the Wight with me?
So he tightened his belt and girded up his anorak:
Who'll go a walking the Wight with me?

"Not I," said a young man, as they came to Carisbrooke,
"I'm first half only - that's it now for me!
I'm taking off my boots and I'm heading to a carvery
Only the foolish continue," said he.

Chorus: "Only the foolish! Only the foolish!
Only the foolish continue," said he,
"So I'm taking off my boots and I'm heading to a carvery,
Only the foolish continue," said he.

"Nonsense!" said the rambler, trudging ever westwards,
But nature came calling - "Um… listen to me!"
But three hundred walkers were queuing for one Portaloo.
Nature came calling… he crept behind a tree.

Chorus: Nature came calling! Nature came calling!
Nature came calling… he crept behind a tree.
Three hundred walkers were queuing for one Portaloo.
Nature came calling… he crept behind a tree.

Exhausted, he crawled to the monument of Tennyson,
The island stretched onwards as far as he could see,
So he sank to his knees and he wailed in heartfelt misery,
"They told me the ending was nigh," sobbed he.

Chorus: "Told me the ending! Told me the ending!
Told me the ending was nigh," sobbed he.
So he sank to his knees and he wailed in heartfelt misery,
"They told me the ending was nigh," sobbed he.

Wretched and wrecked, he staggered to the Pleasure Park,
They gave him a medal and a nice cup of tea,
And he curled on the ground, and he whimpered by the carousel,
"Who'd go a-walking the Wight like me?"

Chorus: Who'd go a-walking? Who'd go a-walking?
"Who'd go a-walking the Wight like me?"
And he curled on the ground, and he whimpered by the carousel,
"Who'd go a-walking the Wight like me?"

Broken, he grabbed men, like some Ancient Mariner,
"Come ye, and harken, take warning from me,
If you would stay hearty, not staggering in agony,
Don't go a walking the Wight like me."

Chorus: Don't go a-walking! Don't go a-walking!
Don't go a walking the Wight like me!
If you would stay hearty, not staggering in agony,
Don't go a walking the Wight like me."

A year being over, he's striding out from Bembridge,
His number worn proudly for everyone to see
And he sings as he strides up the misty slopes of Culver
Who'll go a-walking the Wight with me?

Chorus: Who'll go a-walking? Who'll go a-walking?
Who'll go a-walking the Wight with me?
And he sings as he strides up the misty slopes of Culver
"Who'll go a walking the Wight with me?"

Comments

[themis1.livejournal.com]

The picture made me laugh like a drain (and believe me, I really needed a good laugh today).

I refer once again to the exchange that occurred when we were typing up a list of D&D spells.

"Exorcise," said my friend, "non-reversible."
"Of course it's reversible," said I. "Gain Wight!"

(Love the songs, too.)

[bunn.livejournal.com]

*chortle* I'm glad he gets to get out in the sunshine for a change!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

... am now wondering if the walk is organised by the splendidly named 'Wight Conservancy Council' - for happier, fitter Wights!

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I don't know. I thought yesterday that the wights looked forward to the walk as their one chance to get out in the sunshine after a year spent in dank barrows, but now I'm remembering all those cleric spells that unleash magically simulated daylight in dark dungeons, thus damaging any undead in the area. So maybe the annual Walk the Wight day is torture to the poor things. Maybe the Wight Conservation people rail against it, with placards, demanding that the poor undead creatures be left in peace.

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

Hee, both drawing are songs are brilliant (so much so that the 'tune' notes for the songs are utterly redundant :-D) I especially liked the circular ending of The Island Rambler.