A Folk Song A Day

Jon simply says of this, “From the spectacularly good Silly Sisters.” Maddy and June of course, who recorded this twice. It’s likely that this Irish song came to their attention via Anne Briggs and Mainly Norfolk has a detailed account of the various recordings, as you’d expect. This is another song very much form the industrial heritage, although linen production in Ireland goes back many centuries, this is clearly from the mechanised, rather than home spun era. I’m quite taken by the line “She hangs her coat on the highest pin,” and the explanation that as a supervisor she didn’t have to spend her working day bent over, so had no trouble reaching it. There is a certain cheekiness to it as well, with the factory boss or foreman obviously not held in high regard. Although it’s also a surprisingly cheerful little song, that probably speaks of comparative, communal prosperity, despite what must have been some fairly grim working conditions, not to mention the child labour.

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Jon referes to his time with Eliza saying, “Another one we did with the Ratcatchers – we never recorded it but there may be some versions on YouTube.” So it’s no surprise to find this amongst the Watersons’ canon and therefore on Mainly Norfolk. I was just thinking as this played it had an obvious hymnal crossover in lyrics and structure and the I read Bert Lloyd’s notes on their recording of this. Apart from sealing the veracity of my thinking, it did make me wonder about other such songs that perhaps came through ‘the folk movement’ rather than the higher brow composers. It seems also that the religious fervor here didn’t necessarily sit well with the powers that be and thus when apparent order was restored, how many songs were cast adrift by the hymn book editing process. Then of course we get back to Monks Gate and A Blacksmith Courted Me from the end of July. And yes YouTube coughs up at least one version as Jon suggests, not the worst, but not the best… I’m inclined to play the quality trump card, but what the hell! Jon mentioned it so here it is.

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This is based on historical fact, although possibly takes a few liberties with actual events and Jon says, “I Learnt from the Bothy band, although it’s an English song through and through and it’s unusual to come across a sympathetic characterisation of Henry VIII.”  Jane survived the birth to die some days later (or did she?), while the prince survived but dies young. This Wiki page is interesting and starts with the idea that it isn’t about Jane Seymour at all, but doesn’t really offer much support for that idea. It’s still worth a gander at the words as Child recorded them. Should you really want the full Child experience, the link at the bottom of the page or here gives multiple variations. You might want to Mudcat as well and I note that there is no answer to how old this is, although it might relate to The Lamentation Of Queen Jane from 1560.  I also found this, but wont link to the site as it plays a horrible midi file relentlessly that I can’t seem to turn off and I don’t know the source of this information, which seems very sure of itself…

A version of this ballad appears as early as 1612. It is reprinted in Old Ballads (1723).

You might want to stop by here for a classic Mondegreen. As always, if you can add more to the story of the song please do.

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Another from camp and Jon says,“From FSC and a great chorus, although there’s not much else to recommend it, but there it is.” That’s slightly dismissive perhaps as there’s more to this than first meets the eye. This seems to be a Scottish or Borders version of an Irish song call I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day, a version of which, I believe appeared on the Pogues Rum, Sodomy And  The Lash, but also seems to have some considerable history. Mudcat offers this thread for starters and there’s lots more if you search around here for example, although I caution you that this latter link drifts into pointless time theft. Perhaps Jon’s right and the chorus is it. While you’re there then, mine’s a pint!

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Jon says, “Bellamy again and what a song! ‘She had smiles like acres of sunflowers’ – lovely.” Is this our first cowboy song? I will point you to Mainly Norfolk for info on the Bellamy version, which only differs in the order of the verses. I also note from this Mudcat thread it’s one of the most copyrighted and stolen songs in America. I have to agree with Jon that the words to this are great, but it certainly has the sophistication of a ‘writer’, as James Grafton Rogers was and that puts it into the same league as the Kiplings, but prehaps more Henry Lawson’s Bush girl from September. I also note that the tune was composed by an organist John H. Gower, at least according to Mudcat. This link should take you to a letter written by JGR, to a Katie Lee on the subject of this and Dolores, which he also wrote. Said missive is quoted in her book 10,000 Goddam Cattle : A History Of The American Cowboy In Song, Story And Verse. A few minutes with Wiki about the actual trail is also worthwhile, just for the scale of the geography. It brings home the wide open spaces and the epic quest for the mysterious, elusive girl with the aforementioned smile. Lovely indeed.

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