A Folk Song A Day

Jon attributes this as “A song I know from Fay who sings it with Damien Barber. I’ve been enjoying the version by the McPeake family too.”

It seems to be associated with the McPeakes for sure, although this is also known as P Stands For Paddy, T Stands For Thomas, etc and other things besides. It’s also one of those somewhat slippery songs whose verses are prone to wander in and out of others, which coupled with its wide spread makes it tricky to pin down. Thankfully Reinhard covers off several of the recordings at Mainly Norfolk and this Mudcat thread tries to get to grips with its origins. You’ll note some dissent as to the Irish root and an attempt to suggest symbolism that doesn’t really stand up to examination. Irish certainly seems likely given both the Skreen location, with the McPeake lineage also looking sound. I am curious as to what the robbing of a birds nest has to do with anything though, unless simply as a feat of derring-do that proves devotion. Any thoughts? While we’re at it, there seems to me to be a strange voyeuristic element that makes you wonder whether the narrator is simply unnoticed by the young couple, or is something slightly more sinister happening. Perhaps I’m being a bit too literal and all that recent gadding off to the woods has got to me.

Jon acknowledges this as “A very ancient story by all accounts. I think my favourite line is ‘in at her window the knight come a jumping’ ! A great tune by Carthy.”

Martin that is of course. It has several different titles, but the basic plotline is common across Europe and beyond, which at least gives the impression of something properly engrained in folklore and properly very old indeed. It’s in the Child collection as Ballad #4 and was also collected by Vaughan Williams. There are numerous recorded versions of this as you’d expect and Mainly Norfolk covers a fair few of them with sleeve notes and transcriptions. A.L. Lloyd point out that Outlandish in this case means ‘of the outlands’, or wilds, for which you can read Scotland in the British example. Quite why he’s so murderously inclined isn’t explained, but suggests a malevolent spirit or demon, although he could simply be a take-the-money-and-run-serial-killer. Whichever, he is outsmarted here and a good job it is too. I’ll also note that the parrot seems to be an oddity in Britain, although we are somewhat beset by them these days whether they are feral or genuinely migratory (I’ve seen plausible suggestions for both), this still seems a touch exotic. If anyone has a working knowledge of Asian myth you might be able to put Polly in her place. Jon clearly likes this having recorded it in both Spiers & Boden and Bellowhead modes. I’m glad to say that it survives well without the instrumental support of either and is another of the epics that has a strong enough story to carry it through regardless. Marvellous stuff, but remember ladies, be careful what you wish for!!

Jon recognises this as “Well known as a Watersons’ number. It actually appears, albeit in a very different form, in As You Like It, from whence comes the first verse in this version.”

There is a wealth of stuff on this song and much concern about what the title means, is it simply a corruption of heal and toe, related to a shanty command to haul and tow, a gypsy tow rope, a village tug of war, a garland (tow)  for the first of the month (halan)  or a simple bit of fol-de-rol nonsense? No one can hope to be definitive on this, but as always it makes for some interesting theorising, or wild speculation, take your pick. You may like to start at Mudcat and if so, should also follow the links off from comment two onwards. I was also highly amused and somewhat taken aback by this. More of the mummers and Robin Hood again, not to mention those pesky Romans and their pagan deities, but as for Stubbes, what can you say? He seems to have a very detailed knowledge of the goings on and his work was apparently researched over seven winters of travelling the length and breadth of the country. He seems possessed of a puritanical zeal as he sets his sights on Elizabethan mores and iniquities. You have to wonder at the “look at all the naughty stuff they’re doing” moralising whilst presumably copping an eyeful, as I can’t imagine he put so much effort into it only to take peoples word for their sinfulness. Anyway, should that grab your interest you may have the patience to wade through this, which seems a bit prone to odd typographical things going on. I’ve dipped in but simply haven’t the time. So, to get us back on topic Mainly Norfolk covers various recordings of this and links the song to the Furry Dance or Flora (not Floral) Dance from Helston. How many of you were out dancing, playing, singing or whatever?  Any maypole related tales will be appreciated, but if you went gadding off to the woods you’d best keep it to yourself.

Jon knows this one as “A song by Dave Webber that has been, as I understand it, adopted into the Padstow May morning celebrations. In fact there is a story that Dave was down at Padstow for May morning and started singing this, only to be told off for starting a Padstow song when he was a visitor. In a way that’s the biggest complement he could have been given! Happy May morning everyone, particularly everyone who was up early for the choir in Oxford, or dancing in Newcastle / Dungworth.”

Having talked about the May Day celebration usurping St. George this seems an appropriate celebratory song and I too should wish you all well, although I don’t know what the greeting should be and Happy May Day seems a bit naff. Still, it’ll have to do. I love the optimism of this and the sense of young love’s blossoming. It’s a fine tune too and deserves to be taken up and used wherever it can be regardless of who starts singing it. I can say with some certainty that the bluebells were early this year and arrayed in all their splendour along the Greensand Way last weekend. I was out for a ramble myself, the weather was glorious and nature itself seemed brimful of purpose – not just the bluebells, but the blossoms and primroses, the birdsong, the lambs and all. Had I lodged this song in my brain before setting out, I might well have skipped the entire 12.5 (or more!!) miles. Absolutely lovely stuff.

Jon confesses “I’m totally in love with this song. We started doing a version on the last Remnant Kings tour with wolf noises from the wax cylinder players. I love the line about his teeth shining bright…”

It is a good song this, I’ll agree with a marvellous fiddle part to I, but a bit of an enigma. Mainly Norfolk has a good page’s worth on this, with some surprisingly detailed notes from Bert Lloyd to kick us off that seem to be utterly refuted by this Wiki entry. The suggestion is clearly that this is another of Bert’s ‘interventions.’  It may well be the case, but equally I’m not sure how well researched the Wiki entry is. This Mudcat thread doesn’t really sort much out and takes a while to get through, but there are suggestions that an Irish tune of this title was published in the very early C19th. There is also the question of whether this relates to the Huguenots and the mythical French character of La Reynaudine, who apparently has a sort of Robin Hood status, but I cannot categorically back this up with any evidence either. I do like the suggestion that it could explain the rather peculiar line “brought up in Venus’ train” as mocking the Catholic obsession with Mary. I guess part of the debate here is how much therianthropy is involved. That could well be of Bert’s creation. Foxy or foxing rather than a fox? But be he simply outlaw, fox or something in between, he cunningly beguiles the young maid. So be warned! Should the spring season have prompted a desire to ramble amongst you fair maids gathered here, you’d better have your wits about you. Meanwhile any evidence for the Huguenot element will be appreciated, as it has a certain appeal.