Sosban Fach
Encyclopedia
Sosban Fach is a traditional Welsh folk song. It is one of the best-known and most often sung songs in the Welsh language.
The song catalogues the troubles of a harassed housewife. The song is mostly associated with the rugby union
club Llanelli RFC
and, more recently, the Scarlets regional rugby side. The association derives from Llanelli's
tin plating
industry, which used to tin-plate steel saucepans and other kitchen utensils as a cheap supply to the British public. During the final years of Stradey Park
, the former ground of Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets, the goalposts were adorned with Scarlet saucepans as a tribute to the town's history; the utensils have been transferred to the clubs' new ground, Parc y Scarlets
. Also, the Scarlets' official magazine is titled Sosban.
This song is alluded to in the book Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones
. It is also used as background music in The Goon Show
episode The Mighty Wurlitzer, with one character telling another, "I've come to bring your saucepan back." The Welsh rock band Man
during the 1970s sometimes brought the Gwalia Male Voice Choir on stage to sing the song during shows. In the Steptoe & Son episode The Lead Man Cometh Harold Steptoe says "Saucepan vach and all that" in an attempt to speak Welsh.
When sung slowly, the melody can deceive non-speakers of Welsh into thinking the song is a hymn than rather than a folk song.
After Llanelli beat a touring New Zealand side in November 1972, a new English chorus could be heard:
Other variations include the following.
Dafydd James refers to a player who scored the winning points in that game, now the top try scorer in Heineken Cup history.
The song catalogues the troubles of a harassed housewife. The song is mostly associated with the rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
and, more recently, the Scarlets regional rugby side. The association derives from Llanelli's
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
tin plating
Tinning
Tinning is the process of thinly coating sheets of wrought iron or steel with tin, and the resulting product is known as tinplate. It is most often used to prevent rust....
industry, which used to tin-plate steel saucepans and other kitchen utensils as a cheap supply to the British public. During the final years of Stradey Park
Stradey Park
Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800...
, the former ground of Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets, the goalposts were adorned with Scarlet saucepans as a tribute to the town's history; the utensils have been transferred to the clubs' new ground, Parc y Scarlets
Parc y Scarlets
Parc y Scarlets is a rugby union stadium in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, that opened in November 2008 as the new home of the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC. The ground replaced Stradey Park, the home of Llanelli's rugby teams for almost 130 years...
. Also, the Scarlets' official magazine is titled Sosban.
This song is alluded to in the book Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle is a young adult fantasy novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones, first published in 1986. It won a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and was named an ALA Notable Book for both children and young adults. In 2004 it was adapted as an Academy Award-nominated animated film by Hayao...
by Diana Wynne Jones
Diana Wynne Jones
Diana Wynne Jones was a British writer, principally of fantasy novels for children and adults, as well as a small amount of non-fiction...
. It is also used as background music in The Goon Show
The Goon Show
The Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
episode The Mighty Wurlitzer, with one character telling another, "I've come to bring your saucepan back." The Welsh rock band Man
Man (band)
Man are a rock band from South Wales whose style is a mixture of West Coast psychedelia, progressive rock, blues and country-rock. Formed in 1968 as a reincarnation of Welsh rock harmony group ‘’The Bystanders’’, Man are renowned for the extended jams in their live performances, and having had...
during the 1970s sometimes brought the Gwalia Male Voice Choir on stage to sing the song during shows. In the Steptoe & Son episode The Lead Man Cometh Harold Steptoe says "Saucepan vach and all that" in an attempt to speak Welsh.
Lyrics
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When sung slowly, the melody can deceive non-speakers of Welsh into thinking the song is a hymn than rather than a folk song.
Variations
This song has been adopted by the fans of the rugby region, the Llanelli Scarlets. Many English variations can now be heard in the stands during rugby matches.After Llanelli beat a touring New Zealand side in November 1972, a new English chorus could be heard:
- Who beat the All Blacks,
- Who beat the All Blacks,
- Who beat the All Blacks?
- Good old Sosban fach.
Other variations include the following.
- Who beat the Leicester Tigers?
- Who beat the Leicester Tigers?
- Good old Dafydd JamesDafydd JamesDafydd Rhys James is a former Welsh international rugby union footballer who plays on the wing or at centre. He toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2001. He has earned 45 caps for Wales and three for the British & Irish Lions...
Dafydd James refers to a player who scored the winning points in that game, now the top try scorer in Heineken Cup history.
External links
Live performance here :- http://www.sing4wales.com/saesneg/?page_id=10