A Folk Song A Day

I think it’s fair to call this a bit of a hybrid as Jon says, “The story of the early morning tryst on top of a blossom-covered hill always seemed May morning-ish to me anyway, so when I found the ’13 months’ refrain in a fairly unremarkable Robin Hood ballad it seemed reasonable enough to marry the two together. The tune is Bogie’s Bonny Belle.”

It’s great to get the back story to this as it’s certainly one of my favourites from the current Bellowhead set and that chorus is a great one to bellow (all of the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.) I don’t know what it is that appeals exactly, but it’s quite a gentle tale apart from the horse threatening bit.  Mind you I understand there are some more would-be murderous versions, although the maid’s triumph seems the common outcome. Still there’s something about the wise and wylie old witch’s intervention that I like. It would be great to be able to summon the power of the Broom when you’re in a tight spot – a sort of herbal “beam me up Scotty.” It’s not surprising to find that Child (# 43), Sharp and Vaughan Williams all gobbled this up, with Child in particular alluding to the widespread versions of the story. The magical properties of the Broom or Gorse are a common thread in many European cultures with its flowering in May and June associated with fertility. So Jon’s right to fit this in here. As always Reinhard offers great insight into the various recordings and sleeve notes at Mainly Norfolk. There’s a wealth of material on this and it continues on this Mudcat thread as well. I love that concertina too, which makes it another in the “Vote for May” column. Brilliant!

Jon calls this “One of my favourite songs and it seems appropriate for the anniversary of the death of Napoleon, even though it’s primarily about his son. This version is learnt from Barry Dransfield’s brilliant album Be Your Own Man – now available on iTunes!”

I must say I really like this one and Jon’s fiddle is a great accompaniment to what is a pretty fetching melody. I’ll refer you to Mudact here as a starter, which suggests the florid language points to a broadside. I think I’d have to agree that it has the feel of a composition in the complexity of the words and you need to have your wits about you to follow it through the first couple of times. Mainly Norfolk has the notes of Bert Lloyd and Nic Jones to explore a little further. Bert’s suggestion of Irish origin, is really based on the ‘my enemies enemy’ principal and quite how far spread the idea of Napoleon as a potential saviour spread is not something I know enough about. There is a certain appeal to the notion and the republican in me rises to the idea, but Bonaparte was flawed and his critics would have him as a tyrannical dictator. The counter is that Napoleon was attacked by those who sought to unpick the effects of the French Revolution before it spread. As usual I have a large hole in the walls of the knowledge bank and empty shelves where all this stuff should be. Best I offer a Wiki link to Napoleon with a note to self to read it all properly over the week off. If any of you feel inclined to prompt my studies further, however, please chip in as this has ‘another project’ written all over it. Still as I said I really like this one and though I still have April as my favourite month of the whole thing, May could eclipse it yet.

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.