Band Repertoire

The Mangledwurzels normally play two 45-minute sets, each with about 13 songs in it. As they can chop and change the set according to the audience, there isn't a definitive set list as such, but it wouldn't look too unlike the one showed below.

Adge Cutler was a prolific songwriter, and since his death The Wurzels have continued to record and release songs - the Wurzelmania! website lists over 150 Wurzels songs. The Mangledwurzels will normally play 20 or so Wurzels songs in an evening's performance; split half-and-half between old Adge songs and 'newer' Wurzels songs.

In addition The Mangledwurzels have a repertoire of their own material: self-penned titles and pop standards 'Mangled' in true Wurzels tradition. Although there is now twenty in the list below, there is never more than nine or ten played in one evening. In saying that, if someone wants to book the band to play a totally original set - it is now possible!

The Mangledwurzels are constantly looking at trying new songs. A few years ago, Kevin, the landlord of the Red Lion in Bath asked them to do Somerset Crumpet Horn next time they played there. This was one they had originally listened to and discarded - but they had another go, played it at his pub (with Kevin on the mic with Hedge), and is went down a storm, and has been added to the repertoire. Others will undoubtedly follow...

Below is a list of the songs the band do, have done, and - in a few cases - are working on adding to the repertoire. Songs marking with a * are either self-penned or 'Mangled' by the band:

Beta Beta Vulgaris (The Mangoldwurzel) * - short and sweet, and as subtle as a hurled mangloldwuzel. The finale of the band's live set. Included on both the Get Orf My Land! and Wurz 'Ee II albums.
Blackbird, The - An old West Country folk song with lyrics written by The Wurzels. A perennial favourite with the crowds which always goes down well; so well in fact that it is often demanded again as one of the encores.
Blanket On The Ground * - Seth's new lyrics for this Billie Jo Spears country classic just reeks of rustic charm.
Champion Dung Spreader - An old Adge Cutler song, one of the original songs from their breakthrough 1966 Royal Oak Nailsea set.
Chitterling - Another of Adge's song extolling the virtues of the food of the Gods (or should that be the food of the dogs...). The Mangledwurzels do a particularly theatrical rendition of this song.
Cider Is Good For ‘Ee * - Freely adapted and expanded from a traditional Devon drinking song, this ditty expounds the beneficial results of drinking cider. Included on both the Get Orf My Land! and Wurz 'Ee II albums.
Combine Harvester - The Wurzels number 1 hit - and that was in 1976 when a number 1 hit singles meant something! The Mangledwurzels always open their set with this one - and it often ends up in the encores as well.
Countryside Code, The * - Another of Seth's 'manglings'; this time Steve's Harley's classic 'Come Up And See Me' get the re-works.
Don’t Tell I, Tell ‘Ee - Hedge has asked me not to say anything about his missus here, suffice to say that this is a song about never admitting to being in the wrong! Not one of Adge's compositions, but perhaps a song that summed up his character in one.
Drink Drink Yer Cider Up - Yes, another song about the merits of drinking up cider. Not to be confused with...
Drink Up Thee Zider - Adge claimed that this was "the National Anthem of North Zummerzet", and who can deny that? This was Adge's first and, I suspect, biggest hit - reaching number 45 in the charts in 1967. Always goes down well, especially when played at the end of the set when everyone's had a few! For a child-friendly or teetotal audience, the band can play Drink Up Thee Tizer instead!
Farmer Bill’s Cowman - Wurzels' lyrics over the 1967 Whistling Jack Smith's instrumental Kaiser Bill's Batman, gave us another of the band's classics. The Mangledwurzels usually have a surprise guest for this song (if Seth remembers to put his false beard on!)
Farrington Gurney * - Seth's heart-warming tribute to his home town; rarely played live, but recorded for posterity on the Wurz 'Ee II album.
Five Miles An Hour - One of the brand news songs recorded for the Wurz 'Ee II album, Five Miles A Hour in an anthem for Somerset farmers.
Friday Night * - One of the first ever 'Mangled' songs, but dropped from the set in 2006. This is what The Darkness would have sounded like if they had come from Locking instead of Lowestoft.
Get Off O’ My Land * - The finale of every Mangledwurzels gig, a Jagger/Richards/Pitt composition guaranteed to get the whole crowd joining in. Title track of the band's first album, but Jagger & Richards declined to give permission for its inclusion on the album! It is available to hear in its entirety on The Mangledwurzels MySpace page.
Hark At 'Ee Jacko - One of Adge Cutler's best-loved ditties. First included in The Mangledwurzels' live set at Westbury in February 2008.
I Am A Cider Drinker - The Wurzels follow up to Combine Harvester which 'only' managed to get to number 3 in the charts, but remains a classic Scrumpy & Western anthem.
I Can Drive A Tractor * - With a chorus everyone knows and verses that Jethro struggles to remember; this song normally finishes the first set with a bang. A cut-down three-verse version appeared on the remastered Get Orf My Land!, and the extended (original) five-verse version with Hedge on the lead vocal was recorded for Wurz 'Ee II.
I Got Me Beady Little Eye on Thee - Seth's opportunity in the spotlight as he sings this Pete Budd-penned number.
I Likes Cider (The Flatulence Song) - Slightly too rude to played at many gigs, Jethro's cider song based freely on the kid's film Thunderpants nevertheless tends to go down rather too well with audiences who really ought to know better. Recorded for Wurz 'Ee II, although don't expect too much radio play!
I Wish I Was Back On The Farm - Contrary to any stage announcements that The Mangledwurzels are making this up as they go along, this is an Adge-manglation of a 1940 George Formby song.
I’ll Never Get A Scrumpy Here - Sung at all venues, regardless of what's on sale at the bar!
I’ve Been Everywhere (In Somerset) - Jethro's re-writing of the Geoff Mack classic (as recorded by the likes of Rolf Harris and Johnny Cash), and now relocated closer to home, it is "like playing Somerset bingo" (Simon Parkin, BBC Somerset). Recorded for Wurz 'Ee II with a scorching and somewhat unexpected guitar solo by Seth.
John Deere Tractor * - Showcased at the Raven gig in November 2005, but yet to be installed into the set.
Keep Your Hand On Your Halfpenny - A warning to all young maidens not to trust men - especially Hedge Cutter!
Knackerer, The * - Hedge's little ditty about his favourite job!
Listening To The Archers * - Seth reveals his love for Radio 4's timeless soap. Showcased at the Raven gig in November 2005, this song was never installed into the set but was recorded for inclusion on the Wurz 'Ee II album.
Lonely This Christmas * - a 'mangled' re-write of that classic festive Mud song with added oo-ah's! Part of the Christmas set, and included on the band's 2007 Stuff The Mangledwurzels! EP.
Marrow Song (Oh! What A Beauty), The - a favourite part of the Wurzels live set, and incorporated into The Mangledwurzels set too. First included in the live set at Westbury in February 2008.
Morning Glory - Although this was a flop single for The Wurzels, it has become somewhat of a local anthem, especially amongst Bristol City fans. In The Mangledwurzels set, it showcases Hedge's total lack of understanding of football, along with a rather predatorial instinct with the radio mic.
My Threshing Machine - A purely innocent song about a farming implement...honest!
No Sheep 'Til Ammerdown * - a Scrumpy & Westernised (and much less rude) version of the Macc Lad's anthem No Sheep 'Til Buxton. First included in the live set at Westbury in February 2008, and recorded on the Wurz 'Ee II album with The Macc Lads' blessing.
Pill Pill - Another of Adge's compositions, a true Somerset folk song about the long lost Pill Ferry.
Pitchfork And U * - Seth's rural re-working of the old Joe Brown song.
Poacher & The Gamekeeper, The - Seth's genealogical tale which he normally sings about his grandfather and great-grandfather and their conflicting employments. Occasionally performed live; it was recorded for inclusion the Wurz 'Ee II album.
Porthemmet - One of the brand news songs recorded for the Wurz 'Ee II album, Porthemmet is a tongue-in-cheek advertisement for the mythical Cornish holiday resort of the same name.
Rat Song, The * - In the early days of the band, Seth and Jethro use to practice in Jethro's back room, and watch gert big rats rampage though his chicken run. Seth was so enamoured by these scavengers that he penned this tribute to them. Included on Get Orf My Land! (and available to hear in its entirety on The Mangledwurzels MySpace page), and re-recorded in the studio for the Wurz 'Ee II album.
Santa's Coming To Somerset * - Seth's reminiscences on Christmas past. Part of the Christmas set, and included on the band's 2007 Stuff The Mangledwurzels EP. It is available to hear in its entirety on The Mangledwurzels MySpace page.
Scrumpy Jack * - Take a popular kiddies TV show theme, add lyrics about a popular fizzy beverage and you get one of the most requested home-brewed Mangledwurzels song.
Shepton Sheep, The * - A Seth Pitt composition about Shepton's own stone-clad fluffy favourites. First included in the live set at Westbury in February 2008, this was later recorded for inclusion the Wurz 'Ee II album.
Somerset Crumpet Horn - Probably the rudest song The Wurzels ever sang, The Mangledwurzels played it once at the Red Lion in Bath, aided and abetted by Kevin the pub's landlord.
Somerset Maid * - Great lyrics by Hedge's missus Daisy Cutter, adapted and put to music by Jethro, and recorded for the Wurz 'Ee II album.
Speedy Gonzalez - A different introduction for each venue (as long as Jethro remembers to check the map and find the nearest river to the venue!) - Speedy Gonzalaz usually opens the second set with a bang.
Stuck In The Midden (With Poo!) * - Big arguments in the band over whether a 'midden' really is a big pile of poo. Eventually Jethro gave in - mainly because this song allows him to say 'poo' a lot at posh places like Brislington Conservative Club.
Twelve Days Of Christmas, The * - A Seth Pitt re-write of the popular Christmas song. Never played live, but included on the band's 2007 Stuff The Mangledwurzels! EP (with an accompanying video!). It is available to hear in its entirety on The Mangledwurzels MySpace page.
Twice Daily - Banned by the BBC, this is another classic Adge composition. The Mangledwurzels hone it back to guitar and vocals, giving the audience a good opportunity to admire Hedge's voice.
Valleys Girl (A Gloucestershire Girl) * - A traditional old English folk song written in the old English folk tradition in 2005 and sung by Jethro. Drawing on the ambience of Laurie Lee's Cider With Rosie, this is a song about unplanned sex and unexpected pregnancy and inevitable marriage. This was recorded with Hedge on the lead vocal - and an unexpected instrumental - for Wurz 'Ee II.
Walking 'Cross The Yard * - The Mangledwurzels do white reggae, with a re-write of the old Police song.
Wurple Diddle I Do - An old German drinking song with Adge's lyrics in an obscure dialect of gibberish sung with skill and aplomb by Hedge, Jethro and Seth.

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