A Folk Song A Day

Jon has taken this one “From Peter Bellamy although I heard the June Tabor / Martin Simpson first, both version are fabulous. Also heard Carthy sing it recently, also brilliant, and he made the pertinent point that there aren’t many courtship ballads where the girl, having accepted the boy’s advances, then says ‘right, that’s me, best be off’.”

A nice notion that one. I’ll refer you straight to Mainly Norfolk on this one, but with an almost immediate diversion to Mudcat as well. With the latter, scroll down to Malcolm Douglas’ entry, which has some interesting links off. You’ll see from that that Eddie Butcher’s notes with Robert Burns attribution  is unlikely. There are probable fragments or lines imported from elsewhere and the suggestion of songs with similar plotlines out there. Still, whether Scottish or Irish this is a lovely song and another highlight of a cracking month.

Jon attributes this as “From Anne Briggs, whose version is so sublime nobody else has bothered trying to record it. A great song to sing. On the odd occasion when I feel the need to do a warm up (I don’t normally  hold with ’em really) I generally end up singing this through as an ornaments exercise apart from anything else.”

We’re at the opposite end of life’s cycle today. You’ll see that actually both Shirley Collins and Maddy Prior with Steeleye have recorded this as well and find the notes to Anne’s version at Mainly Norfolk, where Bert Lloyd suggests that this one bypassed the collectors, presumably on moral grounds. Whilst children born outside wedlock are certainly no big deal in today’s society with almost 50% in the UK (more for first children) being so, it was certainly frowned upon comparatively recently. I wonder indeed whether it may have upset the collectors more than the protagonists in the song, although the father of the young lady clearly isn’t best pleased.  I’m speculating and in need of another history lesson probably, but I’m wondering how common illegitimate children were in the days before effective contraception. I don’t suppose people were ever likely to be less inclined to have sex and there seem so many songs about the taking of or protecting of maiden status. But then there are the obvious issues of another mouth to feed and also the wedding prospects for the young lass, although unless inheritance and title is involved I am curious as to whether it was actually a big deal. It certainly became one in the C19th and C20th and I suppose there are tales of the poor wretched mothers cast out into the cold, but those seem to have a Victorian moralizing element to them. I guess what I’m asking is whether there’s a class element to such tales, or even a rural/urban dynamic? In most respects the issue is simply economics and it’s single parents and their ability to provide/burden on the state that are the headline issues today. Anyway it’s a fine song and could equally take us off into the realms of women’s fashion and the pocket stowed beneath the dress or apron to hold valuables and such like.

Jon rightly calls this one “A rather less cheerful May song for you. The tune is my own but based very closely on Rakish Paddy.”

I think the guitar adds a feel of a procession or dance to this, which seems appropriate. I’ve read suggestions that this is C16th, without actually seeing a version dated then and have found an example that certainly dates from the end of the C17th or early C18th, but the concept of the conversation with Death as a person, or indeed The Doleful Dance Of Death seems to be much older. It’s a topic that has doubtless worked its way through our entire history in songs and stories, but the Middle Ages and particularly the time of the first great plague, with the seemingly arbitrary way that death swept through Europe marked a period of obsession with mortality. As well as his own tune Jon sings slightly different words to either Shirley Collins or Waterson:Carthy whose versions you’ll find at Mainly Norfolk. I’ll also give you this Mudcat link to start you off on further research should you want to as there are plenty of links off that are worth a look. Finally I’ll give you this link. I don’t normally add links to the latter site as I’ve never worked out how to turn the blasted midi files off, so the volume or mute may be needed as I find it grates. It does have a rather different version of the song with an extended conversation, the outcome of which, however, is naturally the same.

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.