Drawn from a group of University of Kent at Canterbury (England) musicians as well as members of the Duke’s Folk Club in Whitstable, the ever-changing line-up of Fiddler’s Dram had an enthusiastic following in the late ‘70s, playing regularly at local Canterbury area pubs.

In 1978 a “permanent” line-up released an album “To See the Play” which featured traditional English tunes along with today’s selection, written by Duke’s Folk Club member Debbie Cook, who subsequently went on to write scripts for “The Archers” (an ages-old BBC radio soap) and BBC TV’s “EastEnders”.

Apparently the song was inspired by a day trip to Rhyl, a seaside resort 35 miles east of Bangor, North Wales, but because Bangor had an extra syllable and slipped off the tongue more easily it was used instead. A great outcry from Rhyl councilors and businesses is said to have ensued after the song reached Number 3 on the UK Singles Chart because the publicity would surely have boosted the tourist economy.

Although the group quickly released an eponymous follow-up album, they were unable to achieve any further recording success. “Day Trip To Bangor” according to the fiddler, “was the kind of success you don’t easily recover from. Fiddler’s Dram did one more tour then gratefully took the money, and the gold discs, and ran.”

LISTEN TO TODAY’S SELECTION – Saturday 21 July 

Day Trip to Bangor

 Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to Bangor?

A beautiful day, we had lunch on the way

And all for under a pound you know

But on the way back I cuddled with Jack

And we opened a bottle of cider

Singing a few of our favourite songs

As the wheels went ‘round.

 Do you recall the thrill of it all as we walked along the seafront?

Then on the sand we heard a brass band

That played the “Diddlely-Bump-Terrara”

Elsie and me had one cup of tea

Then we took a paddler-boat out

Splashing away as we sat on the bay

And the wheels went ’round

Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to Bangor?

A beautiful day, we had lunch on the way

And all for under a pound you know

But on the way back I cuddled with Jack

And we opened a bottle of cider

Singing a few of our favourite songs

As the wheels went ‘round

Wasn’t it nice, eating chocolate ice as we strolled around the fun fair?

Then we ate eels in the big Ferris wheel

As we sailed around the ground but then

We had to be quick ’cause Elsie felt sick

And we had to find somewhere to take her

I said to her lad, what made her feel bad

Was the wheel goin’ ’round

 Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to Bangor?

A beautiful day, we had lunch on the way

And all for under a pound you know

But on the way back I cuddled with Jack

And we opened a bottle of cider

Singing a few of our favourite songs

As the wheels went ‘round

 Elsie and me, we finished our tea and said goodbye to the seaside

Got on the bus, Flo said to us

Oh isn’t it a shame to go

Wouldn’t it be grand to have cash on demand

And to live like this for always

Oh it makes me feel ill, when I think of the mill

And the wheels goin’ ’round

 Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to Bangor?

A beautiful day, we had lunch on the way

And all for under a pound you know

But on the way back I cuddled with Jack

And we opened a bottle of cider

Singing a few of our favourite songs

As the wheels went ‘round