Blaydon Races

For the modern race, see Blaydon Race.

"Blaydon Races"
Song by George Ridley
LanguageEnglish (Geordie)
Written1862
Publishedc. 1863[1]
Songwriter(s)Geordie Ridley

"Blaydon Races" (Roud #3511) is a Geordie folk song of 1862, with lyrics by George Ridley written in a style deriving from music hall. It celebrates the horse races held at Blaydon in North East England that year, although mostly composed in advance of the event. The words were inspired by the American ballad "On the Road to Brighton" (in Massachusetts), to the tune of which they are set. The song has become a local anthem,[2] and is frequently sung by supporters of Newcastle United Football Club, Newcastle Falcons rugby club,[3] and Durham County Cricket Club.[4]

  1. ^ Ridley, George (c. 1863). George Ridley's New Local Song Book. Newcastle upon Tyne: T. Allan. pp. 6–8.
  2. ^ Hermeston, Rod (2011). "'The Blaydon Races': Lads and Lasses, Song Tradition, and the Evolution of an Anthem". Language and Literature. 20 (4): 269–282. doi:10.1177/0963947011398281.
  3. ^ "The Blaydon Race: The History Behind Newcastle's Traditional Running Event". ITV News. London. 9 June 2023. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  4. ^ Wilson, Scott (19 August 2021). "Durham's Scott Borthwick previews Royal London One-Day Cup final". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Retrieved 24 August 2021.