Only For A Day by Denis Scott (Double click on pictures to enlarge.)
The valley was green In a place called Rhondda Many years ago. You were able to walk Without any fears From your house to school A mile or so, "Mind how you go" Would echo in your ears.
In the summer months, When it wasn’t raining In a place called Rhondda Many years ago, You could play from dawn to dusk Without much fuss. Play "Kick the tin and run" "Hook and wheel" "Catty and Doggy" So much fun.
You could ride your bike When it wasn’t raining, In a place called Rhondda Many years ago. All the way to Barry, Even Porthcawl You’d give it your all. No fear of cars Mainly buses travelling along the way As you rode out of the Rhondda, But only for a day.
The major event in the summer In a place called Rhondda Many years ago, Was the annual bus trip to the beach. With your street, Or your best pal’s street. Your Church,
Or with the Club too.
Three trips to the beach, In one year, wow! If it was within your reach. Barry or Porthcawl It didn’t matter to you or to Mam. Just to get to the sea Or to Treco Bay, And for Mam to forget That washing day.
The day and night Before the special day, You’d pray for fine weather In a place called Rhondda Many years ago. The buses would actually Come up your street On that special day It would seem just for you, And there would always be the rush To be first on the bus. "Get the front seats upstairs" Would be the cry, Although it’s the platform you’d pick If you were going to be sick Your Dad would hold your hand To stop you falling off the bus And you’d feel grand. Gran would be worried And Mam would say "Don’t fuss Be glad your’e on the bus Leaving the Rhondda" "If only for a day".
The songs, such singing You would sing all the way On that exciting day "One man went to mow" "Ten green bottles" "Old McDonald had a Farm" The voices would be ringing. And then you’d shout To the many cows in the fields that you pass "Stand up, stand up" Up they must stand So the sun would shine all day on the sand, As you leave the Rhondda, But only for a day
"I can see the sea" The kids would cry Then off the bus "Now don’t get lost" the new battle cry From harassed mother’s and Grannies As they struggle with bags and babies And scores of madly dashing kids go by. Dad’s would hurry on to claim Their part of the beach For the day. "Wer’e down from the Rhondda But only for a day"
The kids, They want to see the sea, And then they want to pee. But they can hold The sea is too bloomin’ cold. Undressing with towels around you Dodging the hands That try to pull the towels away "Wer’e down from the Rhondda, But only for a day".
The first one in He looks so bold, But truth is he couldn’t hold As he prances in and looks so prissy, Shouting, "Come on you cowards Last one in is a sissy". So in you go, "Bloody hell". You make great haste, Although your limit is up to your waist. For then you can smile and wave As warm release pleases And you look so brave. You wait as long as prudence allows, true Then you come out shivering and blue "That was great" you say "It’s so nice to be from the Rhondda, If only for a day".
The family is formed in a circle Like wagons formed against the Indians in a fight, You rush up splashing everyone in sight, Especially the girls. Then it’s time to eat Soggy, warm sandwiches of cucumber And tomatoes so grand, Boiled eggs and salmon spread All flavored with sand. Warm drinks to keep the thirst at bay "Dandelion and Burdock" "Tizer" and Orangade, Down from the Rhondda But only for a day.
What a wonderful day The family’s had. Fun and sun all day Nobody bad, Except Tommy Who would kick the sand And try to watch the girls undress. Then he would catch it from Auntie Bess Who would scold, and then Warn against sunburn. But who would care?. We would run to the ocean Not caring about the Calamine lotion To be spread against Burning skin, flaking away, Bravely saying, "Wer’e from the Rhondda, Down for the day".
The men from the Club Would spend all day in the pub And then at "Stop Tap" Go to the local Club To fill in the gap, Till they would have to Show their faces At the family’s places On the beach. Their faces shining red But not from the sun. "The beer Is not as good as in our club", They would say "Wer’e from the Rhondda. Wer’e down for the day".
The day winds down. You have half-a-crown To spend on the fair,
Or a "Knickerbocker Glory".
"Let’s go" you shout "Can we go on the Water Chute?" So off you go To ride the "Dodgems", and Swings And the "Scenic Railway", if you dare. The Hoops and Rings Oh! The bright lights Such glare. "There are no lights like this In the Rhondda", you say, And you are only here for a day.
"The Haunted House". You must go with a girl
You met on the beach.
She’s from Gilfach Down with her Mam. She stops your hand As you start to reach, But a kiss or two she doesn’t mind. You have to grope you say As your’e so blind "Oop’s, what’s that? Crumb’s it’s a blinkin’ Bat". She jumps up close You like that and Suddenly it ends,It’s over too soon.
Let’s go again you say "I’m down from the Rhondda, But only for a day".
Mam and Dad rush up. "What’s the fuss"? "Because of you We’ve missed the Bus". So many tales Some glad,
Some sad.
Some with weather sunny, Most with rain, not funny. It didn’t matter though, As songs were sung again on the way A little less spirited after a long day. Babies sleep all the way home, And the children, some grownups too. As the bus pulls up they all say "It was great being away from the Rhondda. It was a lovely day".
If you wish to further explore the past,
and the present,
double click on the links below:
"A Welsh RareBite"
"A Nation of Amens"
"The Oasis"
"Valley Green"
"Lost Songs"
"Those Men in White"
Wales v England 1999
If you wish to correspond with Denis
please select:
Denis Scott