A Folk Song A Day

Jon says, “Such a beautiful tune this. Steeleye borrowed it for a chorus for Wife Of Usher’s Well, and who can blame them? Lovely lyric as well. I’ve decided to drop the last verse though because I’m less keen on it.”

Another from the Child collection (#219) and a rather strange, poetic song. This Mudcat thread immediately makes the point that seems a more natural Scottish rhyming scheme to this. That’s probably true, but if you follow the thread down, it’s not quite as straightforward as you might think. It’s interesting to see Bert once again associated with ‘adapting’ songs, in this case to fill in what he regarded as the lapsed gaps in the English tradition. I think in truth that having tried to research this year’s worth of material, that notions of national ownership aren’t especially useful. For every song that has a definite regional identity there are several others that have moved with ease being ‘adopted’ and ‘adapted’ to suit the singer’s location long before Bert intervened. Still, you may also like to see the versions as collected by Child here, which also links into this that gives you a run through his collection. I must say I rather like that last part, although it carries with it the sense that the lady has firmly rejected the Gardner’s overtures and is perhaps as cold hearted as she is haughty in her stance. You can also compare the modern versions of Maddy Prior and Tim Hart, June Tabor and more recently, Rachel McShane at Mainly Norfolk. Another cracker.

Jon calls this “A gentle little song with a great chorus. We sing this at Royal Traditions nights at the Royal in Dungworth.”

Everywhere I look this seems to come up as being a Cornish song, but things are slightly confused as there is also a version that involves a soldier or ‘bold grenadier.’ It seems Sandy Denny,  Lou Killen and Peter Bellamy have all covered this version, however, so check out Mainly Norfolk, although there seems little to add. It’s another nice song that fits the courtship and romance of the month of May. Mind you she has a very sudden change of heart here! I wonder why?

Jon attributes his source as “From Silly Sisters,” also confessing that it’s “Sung with great enthusiasm around staff camp fires on Forest School Camps.”

That Silly Sisters album again, which I can happily say I now own, having found a very nice vinyl copy in Bristol for a reasonable price. I haven’t had the chance to play it yet, hardly having been at home since, but I took your collective recommendation and look forward to getting to grips with it this coming weekend with a bit of luck. I guess the song needs no explanation and Martin Carthy, Bert Lloyd and Lou Killen have all had a crack at this as well as Maddy and June and you can catch up with several of those at Mainly Norfolk. You can also start a dabble at Mudcat over here. I note that the link claiming a version dated 1638 is sadly broken although there seems to be an C18th version available in the Bodleian.

Jon calls this a “Nice simple little courtship song this. I feel like they were probably courting before the song starts rather than a chance meeting – so similar to Brigg Fair in feel. Often used as example of the 5:4 meter in traditional song, although that doesn’t come across here.”

I can only agree with the above. There is certainly no controversy or issue to deal with here as the song is as straightforward as they come. Although having said that, you wonder at why he had to ask her what she was doing as if she’s his true love surely he’d know. Anyway it’s perhaps churlish to poke holes at a lovely little song. Mainly Norfolk covers the various recordings of this, including Tony Rose, Shirley Collins, Peter Bellamy and June Tabor. There isn’t much more to add save that it was collected by Cecil Sharp. If you search this on Mudcat it brings up lots of discussion about definitive folk songs, people’s Top 10 lists and so forth, which suggests it’s a popular one.

Jon simply attributes this as “From Planxty. It has a beautiful melody, and there’s something about the story that rings true.”

On first glance this seems a straightforward case of a woman passed over for another with more wealth and Planxty’s notes at Mainly Norfolk associate this with the famine. That may be true, but there’s no mention either direct or indirect and there’s the slightly curious verse at the end too, which has either floated in from elsewhere, or suggests something else is going on. I came upon a Mudcat post or two confirming that with a lack of a clear reference, the famine idea seems misplaced. Also there is another song of the same title that seems to directly involve a soldier, but then that one has the more common taking advantage with no chance of marriage plotline and doesn’t share the verse. Then there was also this…

“I suspect that the singer will be glad when all soldiers return to Eire and are united with their wives. This will then relieve the singer of the burden of having had to marry “the lassie who has the land”. I read somwhere an explanation by Andy Irvine, that in Napoleonic times in Eire, it was a custom that single, young and fit men should “marry” the wives of absent soldiers, and thus ensure that the land the soldiers were leaving for the battlefield, was not allowed to fall into disrepair for lack of an able bodied male.”

That’s something else that I hadn’t come across, although it seems a little far-fetched to me and doesn’t tally with the rest of the song that definitely suggests that the lad has had his head turned and is already regretting it. If the above scenario were the case, then I would think it also common practice in England and so forth. It may be a simple lack of knowledge on my part again, but if anyone knows more please chip in. It’s another very lovely, if somewhat sad little song and a great tune.