Get all 33 The Legendary Ten Seconds releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Keeper Did a Hunting Go, Songs About Devon, Jules Jones, The Musical Almanac, Sagas of the South West, The Pageant of Torbay Part Two, The Pageant of Torbay Part One, The Acoustic Almanac, and 25 more.
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A passion for the past took the counties over
With historical pageants from Sherborne to Dover
In a seaside town in nineteen twenty four
There was a pageant, it had not had one before
Off to Rock End gardens
In the June sunshine
To enjoy the pageant
To have a jolly time
Now Mister Arthur Aplin a hero from the war
He was the pageant master his novels I adore
A playwright and an actor, he knew a thing or two
He said to the town, now it's up to you
Off to Rock End gardens
In the June sunshine
To enjoy the pageant
To have a jolly time
Vice Admiral McCully happened to be in Torbay
He opened the pageant during his short stay
Off to Rock End gardens
In the June sunshine
To enjoy the pageant
To have a jolly time
Now the pageant is forgotten and few will ever know
Of the many thousands who enjoyed the show
Yes the pageant is forgotten and few will ever know
Of the many thousands who enjoyed the show
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2. |
Torre Abbey
03:10
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An abbot from Welbeck Abbey
Arrived on the shores of Torbay
William Briwere had gifted some land
Thanks for the safe return of his son
For the monks Torre Abbey was made
And throughout the day they prayed
Many gifts and bequests were received
And their faith in God they truly believed
On the west side a cruciform church
The buildings around a courtyard
Built on a Benedictine plan
Beer limestone used for the arcades
For the monks Torre Abbey was made
And throughout the day they prayed
Many gifts and bequests were received
And their faith in God they truly believed
The monks made sure that the poor were fed
Looked after the folk in Torbay
A genuine holy cast of mind
Destroyed by a tyrant King
Because of King Henry the abbeys dissolved
To take all their wealth he was resolved
King Henry the Eighth the great evil King
Great misery he would surely bring
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3. |
William of Orange
03:27
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With many ships and many men
William sailed for Torbay
This made James think again
When his fleet was evaded
And his realm was invaded
For to take the crown
Yes the English crown
William had been persuaded
James took a second wife
Mary of Modena
To help his Catholic life
Sound judgement was evaded
And his realm was invaded
For to take the crown
Yes the English crown
William had been persuaded
In fog and mist along the English coast
William came to Brixham
James feared him the most
And bloodshed was evaded
When England was invaded
For to take the crown
Yes the English crown
William had been persuaded
A Foolish King James the Second
To be Catholic he had reckoned
Would convert England back to Rome
But due to this he lost his throne
Go to Brixham and you will see
A statue of white marble
William of Orange on the quay
The smells can't be evaded
And the tourists have invaded
But don't frown
At the seagull for his crown
Where history was created
Oh no don't frown
At the seagull for his crown
Where history was created
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4. |
The Billy Ruffian
02:52
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Aboard the Billy Ruffian
From France to Torbay
With the prisoner Napoleon
Such fame had come their way
Aboard the Billy Ruffian
From France to Torbay
Her hull was made of English oak
More than three thousand felled
Named the Bellerophon
And her keel was made of of elm
Aboard the Billy Ruffian
Arriving in Torbay
With Napoleon Bonaparte
And in England he hoped to stay
Aboard the Billy Ruffian
Arriving in Torbay
Of battles she had many
The bravest of the brave
Part of the Royal Navy
And England they would save
Sightseers came from Exeter
To gather in the bay
To see Napoleon
Get a glimpse of him that day
Aboard the Northumberland
Departing from Torbay
With the prisoner Napoleon
To exile he was on his way
Aboard the Northumberland
Departing from Torbay
Goodbye to the Bellerophon
And her claim to fame
The crew stripped her of everything
And a prison she became
Goodbye to the Bellerophon
And her claim to fame
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5. |
Riots in Torquay
03:20
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The harvest was so poor
The price of bread it would soar
The potato crop and failed
Hope for the poor had not prevailed
There were riots in Torquay
In Union street like an angry sea
It was Eighteen Forty Seven
Great discontent for the poor in Devon
The price of bread so high
Could this the baker justify
A mob in Union street
The Constables had to defeat
There were riots in Torquay
In Union street like an angry sea
It was Eighteen Sixty Seven
Great discontent for the poor in Devon
A sharp rise in the price of bread
Led to a riot the newspaper said
It was bonfire night when the shops were trashed
Broken into, ransacked, trashed and smashed
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6. |
Torre Station
03:03
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The Opening of Torre Station
Just below Chapel hill
The event one of celebration
The first train arrives such a thrill
Applauded with due circumstance
Access to Torquay it would enhance
Though difficulties were not forseen
We celebrate the age of steam
The Opening of Torre Station
Just below Chapel hill
The event one of celebration
The first train arrives such a thrill
The Temperance society band
Led a procession I understand
Sergeant Boyd's buglers brought up the rear
The sound of the music a joy to the ear
Sir John Yarde Buller gave an address
The whole event was a great success
Banners proclaimed Brunel's broad gauge
Locomotives in the Victorian age
The Opening of Torre Station
Just below Chapel hill
The event one of celebration
The first train arrives such a thrill
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7. |
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In August Eighteen Fifty Nine
They extended the Torbay railway line
And a very old custom was revived
In a special broadsheet it was described
One hundred and ninety one pounds of bread
Just think of all those mouths to be fed
Five hundred and seventy pounds of flour
The weight of it all increasing each hour
In August Eighteen Fifty Nine
They extended the Torbay railway line
And a Paignton pudding was displayed
In the form of a pyramid it was made
Sugar, nutmegs, suet and lemons
Just look at the size of it good heavens
Five hundred and seventy pounds of flour
The crowds to see it increasing each hour
Such an occasion please don't be late
For this event we cannot wait
On the first of August you must attend
And a fine procession we will send
In August Eighteen Fifty Nine
They extended the Torbay railway line
And a very old custom was revived
In a special broadsheet it was described
One hundred and ninety one pounds of bread
Just think of all those mouths to be fed
Five hundred and seventy pounds of flour
The weight of it all increasing each hour
The weight of it all increasing each hour
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8. |
Patent 8294
02:38
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He's got a complicated life
So he had to leave another wife
Took a ship to go to France
It's one hell of a merry old dance
His Patent 8294
A sewing machine we all adore
In Paignton he lives in style
And his massive fortune makes him smile
He was born in New York state
Ran away from a home he'd grown to hate
With a travelling carnival he had some fun
Got married and divorced when he was young
His Patent 8294
A sewing machine we all adore
In Paignton he lives in style
And his massive fortune makes him smile
He asked George Bridgeman for a plan
For a mansion a big wigwam
Oldway mansion his grand design
Using bricks from Dorset to look so fine
In Paris he married Isabella
She couldn't resist such a tall fella
Isaac Merritt Singer is his name
An inventor and an actor he will claim
Of children he's got at least twenty
And in his will they'll get plenty
Of the money from patent 8294
And they'll live in style of that I'm sure
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9. |
The Torquay Regatta
02:42
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It's the regatta in Torquay
The thought of it brings such glee
With yacht racing in the bay
Money for the fair saved since May
On the switchback you'll lose your bearings
Come and buy some dainty fairings
Try your luck on the coconut shy
Bid for nougat please come and try
It's the regatta in Torquay
The thought of it brings such glee
The horses on the roundabout
The strangest shows without a doubt
Penny monkeys in every hue
Pin your coat with one or two
Can you pitch a ping pong ball
A goldfish prize for one and all
Out in the bay the yachts race by
From Haldon pier you can watch them fly
Brittania sighted up goes the cry
Beneath the blue August sky
It's the regatta in Torquay
The thought of it brings such glee
With yacht racing in the bay
Money for the fair saved since May
Money for the fair saved since May
Money for the fair saved since May
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10. |
Buffalo Bill in Torquay
03:14
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Buffalo Bill in Torquay
His wild west show we will see
William Cody his real name
A living legend of great acclaim
In the year 1904
He's not been here before
To the Newton Road we must go
For great excitement at his show
Buffalo Bill in Torquay
His wild west show we will see
Entertainment on a grand scale
To excite you he will not fail
Riders from many a nation
Bringing great acclamation
Colonel Custer's last stand
With Buffalo Bill in command
A thrilling and daring bicycle feat
Wild west stars that you can meet
Sideshows and staged races
At this pageant excited faces
Buffalo Bill in Torquay
His wild west show we will see
William Cody his real name
A living legend of great acclaim
In the year 1904
He's not been here before
Of great excitement I have been told
Tickets for his show to be sold
Buffalo Bill informed the press
His liking of Torquay he would express
He loved the view from Daddyhole Plain
His delight for it he could not contain
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11. |
Arnold's White Feather
02:50
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1st chorus
The suffragettes are busy in the town of Torquay
Handing out white feathers to the men that they see
Yes handing out white feathers to the men that they see
1st verse
Mr Hindenburg had to change his name
Anti German sentiment and spies are to blame
A local Austrian arrested on his wedding day
Such paranoia was rife all around Torbay
2nd chorus
The suffragettes are busy in the town of Torquay
Handing out white feathers to the men that they see
Yes handing out white feathers to the men that they see
2nd verse
Arnold Ridley was a teacher at a Torquay school
Received a white feather which was rather cruel
Seen by a suffragette who wore a fox fur
His silver war badge he didn't show to her
Middle bit
Wounded three times in the First World War
Arnold fought at the Somme with great valour
Last chorus
The suffragettes so busy in the town of Torquay
Handing out white feathers to the men that they see
Yes handing out white feathers to the men that they see
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12. |
Agatha Heads off East
03:41
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Agatha heads off east
With hope and belief
Tomorrow where will she be
The Orient Express
Takes her from the west
Tomorrow what will she see
Dear Agatha Christie
It healed her broken heart
It healed her broken heart
A ticket for Baghdad
A new dream to be had
In the desert lands
Ancient artefacts
Amongst the ziggurats
Amidst the shifting sands
In the archaeologist's hands
It healed her broken heart
It healed her broken heart
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13. |
The Lady Cable
02:46
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First verse
At Dunkirk there was danger
From the sky, port and starboard
Skippered by Frank Gooding
She'd sailed from Torquay's harbour
First chorus
Peace for our time Chamberlain had said
But from Dunkirk good lord how we had fled
Second verse
At Dunkirk there was danger
From the sky, stern and starboard
Called the Lady Cable
She'd sailed from Torquay's harbour
Second chorus
Hitler's missed the bus Chamberlain had said
But at Dunkirk you know we left so many dead
Middle bit
In peacetime she would sail around Torbay
Ferrying passengers for many a happy day
At Dunkirk she'd crept close to the shore
Rescued six hundred men and some thirty more
Last verse
At Dunkirk there was danger
From above, port and starboard
Called the Lady Cable
She'd sailed from Torquay's harbour
Last chorus
Peace for our time Chamberlain had said
But from Dunkirk good lord how we had fled
Hitler's missed the bus Chamberlain had said
But at Dunkirk you know we left so many dead
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14. |
The Funk Hole Myth
03:27
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There was a pretend battle in nineteen forty two
The Torquay home guard knew what they had to do
To defend their town from a mock invasion
For the regular army it was a strange occasion
A weekend long defence of the town of Torquay
Colin Ross remembers the event quite clearly
The residents of Torquay carried on regardless
The antics of the army were considered harmless
The funk hole myth you had better not believe
The national newspapers were out to deceive
The pupils of St Olaves sided with the home guard
For the regular army they had very little regard
Being quite annoying as they mingled with the troops
The schoolmates spying on the men in many groups
Amongst all the tragedy there was farce
Like a scene from Dad's Army common sense was rather sparse
Colin thought the army cheated quite a bit
He remembers how one teacher complained about it
A referee disallowed a home guard victory
It was a successful ambush in the town of Torquay
The funk hole myth you had better not believe
The national newspapers were out to deceive
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15. |
The Theatre of Pain
02:25
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Come along to the theatre of pain
Another season goes down the drain
We have such fun at the theatre of pain
Come and watch the Gulls lose once again
No success in the FA cup
It seems we’re always out of luck
It’s enough to make a grown man cry
But you live in hope I don’t know why
Come along to the theatre of pain
Another season goes down the drain
We have such fun at the theatre of pain
Come and watch the Gulls lose once again
Through thick and thin you support your team
A mid table season just a distant dream
It’s enough to make a grown man cry
But you live in hope I don’t know why
Oh dear it’s all gone pete tong
Why must it always go so wrong
Come along to the theatre of pain
Another season goes down the drain
We have such fun at the theatre of pain
Watch the Gulls lose once again
Come along to the theatre of pain
Another season goes down the drain
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The Legendary Ten Seconds Torquay, UK
The Legendary Ten Seconds started off as the solo music project of Ian Churchward during the time when he was the lead guitar player of The Morrisons who were featured on John Peel's radio one show back in 1987. In 2013 Lord Zarquon joined Ian's music project and since then the line up has gradually expanded and various guest musician's and vocalists have helped out in the recording studio. ... more
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