(2) Basil (5:44)

[Bluebird]

I need a little help. I'm trying to translate the Basil song into German.
I don't understand this part: "Basil sits there on the table for subs"
Justme already said something about the term "subs". That's now OK for me.

I would translate "Basil sits there at the table for subs" into "Basil sitzt am Tisch für Redakteure".

But "Basil sits there on (?) the table for subs"?
My problem is this "on".

Can somebody help me?

Bluebird

[shangri la 1]

But "Basil sits there on (?) the table for subs"?
My problem is this "on".

Can somebody help me?

Bluebird

Hi Bluebird, The context of the "on" in this instance, is the same as for a person who sits on the board of a company, as a chair-person. So Basil is a member of the Sub-editor group at the Chronicle and so he sits on the table for subs.
 

[Bluebird]

But "Basil sits there on (?) the table for subs"?
My problem is this "on".

Can somebody help me?

Bluebird

Hi Bluebird, The context of the "on" in this instance, is the same as for a person who sits on the board of a company, as a chair-person. So Basil is a member of the Sub-editor group at the Chronicle and so he sits on the table for subs.

Shangri La, thank you very much for your help.

Bluebird

[Stanko]

I would like to clear one doubt though it could be funny for you :-)

"Bored out of his mind
With the Colins and Bobs"

Are the Colins and Bobs just random names or does it refer to somethin else here?
Thanks in advance!

[jbaent]

Yes Thomson House as it is known was opened in 1965 so i guess MK would have been in there. Its my place of employment incidentally.

I also read that Briggflatts was released in 1965 and then he left the Chronicle in 1966, so maybe he and MK coincided before in the previous building?

https://books.google.es/books?id=pmQVAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=basil+bunting+left+the+chronicle&source=bl&ots=f_jYpQifT4&sig=CLYXTeIJdDkgdRZQAsJSslVBKY4&hl=es&sa=X&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBGoVChMIq-6Ohb2NyQIVRLQUCh23pwuA#v=onepage&q=basil%20bunting%20left%20the%20chronicle&f=false

[jbaent]

Does anyones knows which BLACK CHURCH is MK talking about in the "Basil" lyrics?

I has always suspected it was the St Nicholas Cathedral, because is close to the Black Gate, but there are other churchs that are of importance in Newcastle, I recall seeing some quite nice and when you search for Black Church in internet you find nothing...

[Love Expresso]

Could also be St. John the Baptist Church as it is located on Grainger Street. I literally followed the starlings in the lyrics, so I might be wrong of course.

LE

[jbaent]

I guess it must be a metaphore or something like that... listening to the song I recall myself walking from the  Cathedral to the Black Gate, then to the Castle, the stairs (I´m not sure if they are the Dog Leap Stairs, as there was a plaque saying Castle Stairs...), the quayside and walking towards the Metro Radio Arena...

So wonderful memories of a very very very short trip to Newcastle... it was a bit rainy, foggy and I didn´t enjoy it very much at the moment, but when I think about it... I kind of miss it... I recall saying "N'castle is nice, but probably I won´t be back" and nowadays, I think about that short trip and feel like coming back...

[dmg]

Could also be St. John the Baptist Church as it is located on Grainger Street. I literally followed the starlings in the lyrics, so I might be wrong of course.

LE

That is what I had thought.  If not a local name for the church then perhaps a metaphor in the song.  The starlings cast a cloud which forms a shadow over the church, making it appear almost black. 

[dmg]

I guess it must be a metaphore or something like that... listening to the song I recall myself walking from the  Cathedral to the Black Gate, then to the Castle, the stairs (I´m not sure if they are the Dog Leap Stairs, as there was a plaque saying Castle Stairs...), the quayside and walking towards the Metro Radio Arena...

So wonderful memories of a very very very short trip to Newcastle... it was a bit rainy, foggy and I didn´t enjoy it very much at the moment, but when I think about it... I kind of miss it... I recall saying "N'castle is nice, but probably I won´t be back" and nowadays, I think about that short trip and feel like coming back...

The weather can make a huge difference and we don't always get it nice up this way!  Nice today though.

[dmg]

I have been doing some research partly on this song and would like to add something.

Now at Thomson House, just off Grainger Street, the former offices of the Chronicle were situated in a building called Kemsley House.  It was demolished in 1965 when the Chronicle moved out to their new premises.  Mark would have worked at the former offices as he said in an interview he was working there age 14 and 15.  However, since they vacated these premises in the May of 1965 and Mark never turned sixteen until the August of that year he may well have worked for a time at the new offices too.

Here is a photo of the old offices (not mine)

[superval99]

I love Newcastle and we go there every January or February for Transatlantic Sessions at The Sage.  It's one of my favourite cities in the UK and also one of the friendliest - people always seem pleased to talk about their city with visitors, indeed it's sometimes difficult to get away!   Can be a bit nippy when the wind blows off the Tyne, though!

I suppose the song could be about either St. Nicholas Cathedral or St. John The Baptist, but I'll go with the latter.   Both are beautiful churches and the ancient tattered flags in the cathedral always fascinate me.  I like the idea that the starlings make the church look black.   

[jbaent]

By the way, this is a selection of the pics I took in Newcastle, a pity the MK plaque (and the rest of plaques honouring famouse geordies) was not there yet in the quayside...

I hope you like them:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/atmilinko/albums/72157633553388781

[dmg]

By the way, this is a selection of the pics I took in Newcastle, a pity the MK plaque (and the rest of plaques honouring famouse geordies) was not there yet in the quayside...

I hope you like them:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/atmilinko/albums/72157633553388781

Love the one of the High Level Bridge - one of my favourite bridges anywhere.

[dmg]

I love Newcastle and we go there every January or February for Transatlantic Sessions at The Sage.  It's one of my favourite cities in the UK and also one of the friendliest - people always seem pleased to talk about their city with visitors, indeed it's sometimes difficult to get away!   Can be a bit nippy when the wind blows off the Tyne, though!

I suppose the song could be about either St. Nicholas Cathedral or St. John The Baptist, but I'll go with the latter.   Both are beautiful churches and the ancient tattered flags in the cathedral always fascinate me.  I like the idea that the starlings make the church look black.   

I love it too Val.  The Baptist church has important stained glass and such beautiful proportions architecturally.