British & Other Versions 7. Died For Love (Brisk Young Lover- Roud 60; The Cruel Father or Deceived Maid; The Foolish Young Girl, The Irish Boy, There is an Alehouse in yonder Town; I Wish I Wish; Queen of Hearts; Tavern in the Town)
[The "Died for Love" songs constitute a large song family usually identified by this end stanza:
Dig me a grave, both wide and deep;
Place a marble-stone for to cover it,
And in the middle a turtle dove,
To show young virgins I dy'd for love!"
[The Cruel Father or Deceived Maid-- Madden Collection c1790]
This early example of the standard "Died for Love" ending had been attached to various songs and is one important identifier of these songs. The "Died for Love" ballads are a series of ballads about a rejected maid who dies for the love of her sweetheart. From a number of early similar broadsides printed in the 1600s came several antecedent broadsides in the last half of the 1700s which had similar stanzas about the maid's loss of her lover and the "Dig me a grave" ending. Here are the main Died for Love ballads-- several of them are different ballads and could be considered separate ballads:
A. Died for Love--("I Wish, I Wish," "Alehouse") Roud 495 also Roud 60
B. The Cruel Father ("A squire’s daughter near Aclecloy,") her love is sent to sea and dies of a cannonball.
C. The Rambling Boy ("I am a wild and a rambling boy") Roud 18830, c.1765
D. Brisk Young Lover ("A brisk young sailor courted me,") Roud 60
E. Butcher Boy ("In Jersey city where I did dwell") Roud 18832
F. Foolish Young Girl, or, Irish Boy ("What a foolish girl was I,") Roud 60
G. Queen of Hearts ("The Queen of Hearts and the Ace of sorrow") Roud 3195
H. The Darling Rose ("My love he is a false love,"); an imitation of a minstrel version.
I. There is a Tavern in the Town by William H. Hills, c.1883. ("There is a tavern in the town") Roud 18834
J. A Maiden's Prayer ("She was a maiden young and fair") c.1918; Roud 18828
K. Hybrid versions (Versions with Died for Love stanzas which cannot be categorized with A-J)
It should be noted that both B and G have a different plot. G, has core stanzas and has borrowed the plot of B as its ending. Except for B and G the other versions all have the similar plot: a maid is abandoned by her false lover and has died for love either by suicide or a broken-heart. B has a similar opening as C, retains the suicide and the "Go dig me a grave ending."
A, represented by the "Alehouse" and "I Wish" stanzas is the oldest and represents the general theme of the Died for Love ballads. A has the Alehouse core stanzas from the 1600s (see Aa for the "gold and silver" stanzas) along with the "apron low" stanza and an "I wish" stanza or stanzas of Ab. Sometimes other floating stanzas from various broadsides have been added which show the maid's tragic situation. Her situation in the A ballads is identified by the following life events, some of which may be missing in different versions:
1) A maid has been abandoned by a false lover, who goes to an alehouse, house or tavern and takes another girl on his knee.
2) He now loves another girl who has more means (gold) than she. This new girl will lose the gold and her beauty will fade and she will become like his former lover.
3) The maid is pregnant and there may be stanzas about "when her apron was low, he followed her through frost and snow. . ."
4) She wishes she was a maid again
But a maid again I never shall be
Till an apple grows on an orange tree.
5) She wishes also her child could be born
And sitting on his daddy's/a nurse's knee.
The "maid again" stanza is one of the "I Wish" stanzas that is an established part of A. In Popular Song at Juniper Hill by Michael Pickering [Folk Music Journal, Vol. 4, No. 5 (1984), pp. 481-503] Pickering mentions a familiar floating verse that Flora Thompson said was popular and frequently sung at Juniper Hill, North Oxfordshire in the 1880s:
I wish, I wish, 'twas all in vain,
I wish I were a maid again!
A maid again I ne'er shall be
Till oranges grow on an apple tree.
In her 1899 article in the first volume of the Journal of the Folk-Song Society, titled Some Experiences of a Folk-Song Collector," Kate Lee recounts her first collecting experience:
However, I persisted, and sat outside, and she gave me some very bad tea, and I heard these lads wearily droning through a
song which they sang together in unison, stamping their feet to the time. I afterwards recognized it at once, when I saw it in print, as being ' Sweet William,' arranged in English County Songs. The lads' version of it seemed to go on for ever and ever, and the only words of the refrain which I could catch were:-
'For a maid, a maid I shall never be,
Till apples grows on an orange tree.'
The song must have had at least a hundred verses, for they didn't sing any other all the time I was there.
The Died for Love songs, as well as having a number of core stanzas, has incorporated similar unrequited love stanzas from similar ballads and broadsides. Evidence of these stanzas is found in the 11 stanza "Brisk Young Sailor," a broadside W. Pratt of Birmingham c.1850. The stanzas of A in general are missing any concrete plot. This early broadside, Ab, copied down by Baring Gould about 1888[1], represents the some of the core stanzas of A:
The Effects of Love - A New Song; London, no imprint; c. 1780.
O! Love is hot, and Love is cold,
And love is dearer than any gold;
And love is dearer than any thing,
Unto my grave it will me bring.
O when my apron it hung low,
He followed me thro’ frost and snow;
But now I am with-child by him,
He passes by and says nothing.
I wish that I had ne’er been born,
Since love has proved my downfall;
He takes a stranger on his knee,
And is this not a grief to me.
I wish that my dear babe was born,
And dandled on its daddy’s knee,
And I in the cold grave did lie,
And the green grass grew over me.
Ye Christmas winds when will ye blow;
And blow the green leaves off the tree,
O, gentle Death, when will you call,
For of my life I am quite weary.
The first and last stanzas of Effects of Love are not core stanzas, but stanzas 2-5 represent an early version of "I Wish, I Wish" recently categorized as Roud 495. The "I Wish" stanzas are combined with the two "Alehouse" to form A, which ties A firmly to Roud 60. Versions with the "Brisk Young Lover" opening stanza are categorized as D and share the other stanzas of A. The variants of A have three different endings. Each of the "I wish" stanzas can function as an ending while an alternative ending (see below) is taken from the broadside, The Constant Lady and False-hearted Squire, dated 1686. The Constant Lady ending sometimes used is summarized: The maid lays down on a bed of flowers she has prepared and dies of a broken-heart.
The two core stanzas of "Alehouse" are found similarly in two older broadsides: Nelly's Constancy (c. 1686), and The Jealous Lover (c. 1686). Additional stanzas have been attached to Died for Love from other broadsides especially the previously mentioned Constant Lady and False-hearted Squire (c. 1686) broadside. Its antecedents "The Deceased Maiden Lover" and a companion ballad, "The Faithlesse Lover," were printed together on a single sheet by "the Assignes of Thomas Symcocke" about 1628. "The Deceased Maiden Lover" was fashioned from lutenist Robert Johnson's c.1611 ballad “A Forsaken Lover's Complaint.”
Alehouse core stanzas:
There is an alehouse in yonder town,
Where my love goes and sits him down;
He takes a strange girl on his knee,
O don't you think that's grief to me?
O grief, O grief, I'll tell you why,
Because she's got more gold than I.
But her gold will waste, and her beauty blast;
Poor girl, she'll come like me at last[2].
Alehouse has been regarded as separate from Brisk Young Lover (Sailor) by Kittredge[3] (see his analysis in 1916 JAFL) and also by MacColl and Seeger who wrote a page of Died for Love notes in their Travellers book[4]. For these reasons and others[5] I've separated "Alehouse" from the versions with the "Brisk Young Sailor opening stanza. The two "I Wish" stanzas generally follow the two core Alehouse stanzas and the "frost and snow" stanza:
When first I wore my apron low,
He followed me through frost and snow,
But now my apron is up to my chin,
He passes by and says nothing.
A, therefore is identified by these five core stanzas:
Alehouse (I Wish) core stanzas
1. There is a house in yonder town,
Where my love goes and sits him down;
He takes a strange girl on his knee,
O don't you think that's a grief to me?
2. A grief, a grief, I'll tell you why,
Because she's got more gold than I.
But her gold will waste, and her beauty blast;
Poor girl, she'll come like me at last.
3. For when my apron-strings were low,
He followed me thro' frost and snow;
But now they are up to my chin,
He passes by and says nothing.
4 "I wish, I wish, but 'tis all in vain,
I wish I was a maid again;
A maid again I ne'er shall be,
Till an apple grows on an orange tree."
5. I wish my baby it was born,
Set smiling on its father's knee,
And I was dead and in my grave,
And green grass growing over me.
Notice that there's no final resolution to the maid's dilemma, she "wishes she was dead and in her grave" and her death may be impending but there's no indication when of if she will die. Both stanzas 4 and 5 are used as ending stanzas and both provide no finality to the fate of the maid. Only when a stanza is added from "Constant Lady" is her death apparent. This is sung by
Emma Overd of Langport, Somerset on August 19, 1904 (Sharp MS):
She chose the green grass for her bed
And a wreath of roses round her head;
She closed her eyes and never more spoke
Alas, poor girl, her heart was broke.
* * * *
The variants of B have a different plot. In Ba, the broadside The Cruel Father or Deceived Maid ("A squire’s daughter near Aclecloy,") from the Madden Collection c.1790, her love is sent to sea by her cruel father and dies of a cannonball. That same night his bloody ghost visits the father. When he returns home one evening, his daughter is missing. He goes to her room and finds her dead- hanging from a rope. After he cuts he down he discovers a note which blames him for her lover's death. B sometimes ends with the "Go dig a grave" stanza. Only one complete version of B has been found in tradition in the UK and only two in the US. A number of corrupt versions in the US mention the cannonball. Although very corrupt and with few other common plot identifiers, they have been categorized as past of the B ballads. See also the study by Roger deV. Renwick for details[6].
"The Cruel Father or Deceived Maid"- from the Madden Collection, c.1790.
A squire’s daughter near Aclecloy,
She fell in love with a 'prentice boy,
Buy when her father came to hear,
He separated her from her dear.
[Now all for to increase her pain[7]
He lent her true love to the main;]
To act his part with a gallant tar,
On board the Terrible man of war.
He had not been three months at sea,
Before he fell in a bloody fray;
It was tins young man's lot to fall.
And he lost his life by a cannon-ball.
That very night this man was slain,
His Ghost unto her father came,
With dismal moans by the bed he stood,
His neck and breast all smear'd with blood.
A fortnight after this lady fair
She fell in fits for her only dear
That very night on her bed awoke,
And hung herself in her own bed-rope.
He took a knife and cut her down
And in her bosom a note was found.
It was wrote in blood by a woman's hand,
These few lines as you shall understand.
A cruel father you was [worst] of men,
'Tis you have brought me to my sad end,
You sent my jewel where the stormy winds did blow,
Now, alas! it has prov'd my overthrow.
Once my dear love is slain
And bury'd in the watery main,
May this warning be, for your cruelty,
I will die a maid for my jewel's sake.
Dig me a grave, both wide and deep;
Place a marble-stone for to cover it,
And in the middle a turtle dove,
To show young virgins I dy'd for love!"
Colonel Balfour took down a stanza of the same text in the fishing village of Orkney. His version are dated circa 1830s and were published 1885 and reprinted in the JFSS in the early 1900s.
B is entirely different from all the other main branches except for G, Queen of Hearts, where her lover is also sent to sea and dies of a cannonball. B is missing the floating core stanzas and instead has a plot. B is included as a Died for Love ballad because of three main commonalities:
1. B begins similarly to C which was derived from or is similar to B.
2. B has the suicide with the same general wording as found in C and the other branches that have the suicide: C, rarely D, E, rarely F and H.
3. B occasionally has the standard Died for Love ending.
Whether B represents an idealized version with a plot created from C, a skeleton with floating stanzas or, B was removed of its plot and became C-- is unknown. What is known is the abbreviated plot of B was attached to the ballads of G in the early 1800s.
* * * *
C, The Rambling Boy ("I am a wild and a rambling boy") is Roud 18830. It was first printed in The Musical Companion, London about 1765:
1. I am a wild and a rambling boy,
My lodgings are in the Isle of Cloy,
A wild and a rambling boy I be,
I'll forsake them all and follow thee.
2. O Billy! Billy! I love you well,
I love you better than tongue can tell
I love you well but dare not show,
To you my dear, let no one know.
3. I wish I was a blackbird or thrush,
Changing my notes from bush to bush,
That all the world might plainly see,
I lov'd a man that lov'd not me,
4. I wish I was a little fly,
That on his bosom I might lie.
And all the people fast asleep,
Into my lover's arms I'd softly creep.
5. I love my father I love my mother,
I love my sisters and my brothers
I love my friends and relations too,
I would forsake them all to go with you.
6. My father left me house and land,
Bid me use it at my command
But at my command they shall I never be;
I’ll forsake them all love and go with thee.
7. My father coming home late one night
And asking for his heart's delight.
He ran up stairs, the door he broke.
And found her hanging in a rope.
8. He took a knife and cut her down,
And in her bosom a note was found:
Dig me a grave both wide and deep.
And a marble stone to cover it.
Ca, dated 1765, was reprinted several times in the 1800s by Pitts and others. The plot of B is missing-- instead there are floating stanzas about the maid's love for the rambling boy and how she would forsake all others and go with him. At the end she mysteriously[8] hangs herself and her father cuts her down. There is an abbreviated two-line ending of "Dig me a grave." C has a similar opening as B as well as the suicide and "Dig me a grave" ending. The location of B and C is given as "Isle of Cloy" or "Aclecloy," for Aughnacloy, sometimes spelt Auchnacloy, a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. This location is another important identifier for both B and C and is another reason to keep B, a different ballad, as part of the this ballad family.
* * * *
The ballads of D, the Brisk Young Lover ("A brisk young sailor courted me,") are found under Roud 60. There are two early broadsides Da, "The Lady's Lamentation for the Loss of her Sweetheart," from the Manchester Central library; c.1775; and Db, "A New Song Call'd the Distress'd Maid," London, (no imprint) in the Madden Collection Cambridge University Library (Slip Songs H-N no. 1337) c.1785. D uses the standard theme established by A but adds an opening stanza: A maid is courted by a brisk young sailor (sometimes lad, miner, farmer etc.) by whom she becomes pregnant (he takes away her liberty- the word "liberty" itself has sexual connotations). He stole her heart but she loves him still. When she wasn't pregnant (wore her apron low), he followed her frost and snow-- but now that she's getting round (her apron's to her chin), he passes by and won't come in. The famous stanza used also in Butcher Boy is next: "There is an alehouse in the town/My love goes in and sits him down/He takes a stranger to his knee/Which is a most sad grief to me." This stanza is an identifier of A, D, E and F. The second Alehouse stanza, which is found similarly in the 1686 Nelly's Constancy, begins: "A grief to me I'll tell you why/ because she's got more gold that I" is also found in A, D, E and F.
D is identified by the opening stanza beginning "A brisk young sailor courted me." Most versions follow with the "There is an alehouse" stanza found in A. The Scottish tradition associated with "Foolish Young Girl (Irish Boy)" usually do not have the "brisk young lover" stanza. The "alehouse" stanza is also present in many of the Scottish versions found in A, "I Wish, I Wish" and F, "Foolish Young Girl (Irish Boy)." The "I Wish" and "Alehouse" versions are given under A and they are categorized as Roud 495 and Roud 60.
* * * *
E, The Butcher Boy, has rarely been found in the UK[9] and is an American variant with the "Alehouse" stanzas found in A as well as the suicide found in B and C. The core stanzas printed in broadsides from Philadelphia (1858) and New York (c.1860s) begin: "In Jersey City." The name "Jersey" as found also in "New Jersey" and "New Jersey City" comes from the Isle of Jersey off the coast of south England and France. The origin of the broadside text seems to be a single arrangement of a traditional version from New England which was reprinted. Belden says in Songs and Ballads (1940) that "the 'in Jessie's city' of the Essex text in JFSS II 159 looks as if this text had traveled back from America to England." Steve Gardham has also expressed similar sentiments[10]. This is the evidence of Butcher Boy/Jersey City in the UK and British Colonies:
1) In Jessie's City- from maid (Essex) 1905 Williams
2) Down Jewry (Drury) Lane I met a Butcher Boy- Collected by Miss Winifred M. Gill from the singing of Barton Hill (Bristol) children in 1924.
3) In Jersey City- sung by Miss F. Watts and Miss A. Teesdale 1943 [From Late Joys at the Players' theatre - page 69; Jean Anderson (acting director of the Players' theatre, London) - 1943.
4) Jersey City- sung by Mrs. Julia Barnes of Chideock, Dorset as collected by Peter Kennedy in 1952 (single stanza).
5) The Butcher Boy- sung by Sarah Makem of Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. From one of Sarah Makem's two 1956 recordings made by Diane Hamilton.
6) The Butcher Boy- sung by "Queen" Caroline Hughes of Blandford, Dorset in in April 1968. Taken from Topic anthology
"I'm a Romany Rai."
British Colonies:
1) The Butcher Boy- text (written down by Agnes Rogers) from Lily Green, a native of Tristan da Cunha c. 1938. The Song Tradition of Tristan da Cunha; 1970 by Peter Munch.
2) The Butcher Boy- sung by Maybelle Simmonds of Lowlands, Nevis, collected c. 1962.
Certainly the popularity of Butcher Boy in the US meant Americans traveling abroad or moving to the UK brought the ballad with them. The US broadside prints could also have made their way to the UK (see: Bodleian broadside Collection). These possibilties are points validating the "crossing over" theory of Belden and Gardham.
One thing is clear, the "Butcher Boy" ballad was brought to America long before 1860 when the "In Jersey City" versions associated with the US broadsides were printed. The two versions from British colonies, Tristan da Cunha and Nevis, show the possibility that the ballad at one time was current Britain and was exported to the islands. This also validates the theory that Butcher Boy, with its unique opening stanza and form, was printed in the UK long ago. The opening stanzas of the London print version of Sheffield Park (c.1760) are very similar to stanzas found in Butcher Boy[11] including a common opening stanza. My theory is that boy Butcher Boy and Sheffield Park come from a common antecedent-- a missing broadside from the late 1600s or early 1700s. The Butcher Boy dropped out of currency in the UK by the 1850s[12] when it was replaced by various Died for Love current versions including Rambling Boy (early 1800s to 1850s), Brisk Young Sailor (1850s), Alehouse (late 1800s) and I Wish I Wish (Late 1700s and 1800s). The missing print ancestry explains how the ballad traveled to the British colonies and remote areas of North America while preserving the opening stanza and form. The original location was probably "London City" which after traveling to New England became localized and became "Jersey City." This missing broadside was probably printed by the last half of the 1700s since the ballad (through family lines) had, by my guestimation, arrived in the US in multiple areas by then.
Because the "Died for Love" songs are composed of a set of core stanzas (see Rambling Boy above) several similar but different ballads have been confused with the "Died for Love" songs. One is "Love has Brought Me To Despair," which is derived from the c. 1686 "Constant Lady and False-hearted Squire." The earliest version of D, "The Lady's Lamentation for the Loss of her Sweetheart," (Brisk Young Sailor from the Manchester Central library about 1775) is completed with stanzas from Constant Lady (after stanza 4). These stanzas from Constant Lady are found in some version of the various "Died for Love" ballads and songs:
The Lady round the meadow run,
and gather'd flowers as they sprung;
Of every sort she there did pull,
until she got her apron full.
"Now there's a flower," she did say,
"is named Heart's-ease, night and day;
I wish I could that flower find,
for to ease my love-sick mind."
The green ground served as a bed, and flowers,
a pillow for her head;
She laid her down, and nothing spoke:
alas! for love her heart was broke.
Constant Lady is a different ballad and not part of the Died for Love songs although it is the antecedent of several members of the extended family. The Contstant Lady broadside is partially derived from "The Diseased (Deceased) Maiden Lover" and a companion ballad, "The Faithlesse Lover" printed on a single sheet about 1628. In turn "The Diseased (Deceased) Maiden Lover" was a recreation of lutenist Robert Johnson's 4 stanza composition, “A Forsaken Lover's Complaint,” c.1611. The Constant Lady is the antecedent for two members of the extended Died for Love family: "Love has Brought me To Despair," "She's Like a Swallow" and the ending of the modern print versions and traditional versions of Sheffield Park.
The Pitts and Birt broadsides titled "Sheffield Park" were printed at Seven Dials in London in the 1820s. These nearly identical new versions of Sheffield Park were derived from the last four stanzas of Constant Lady. One new stanza introduced in the Pitts broadside which was modified Constant Lady has been added to some versions of "Died for Love":
How can she think how fond I'd be,
That I could fancy none but she,
Man was not made for one alone,
I take delight to hear her mourn.
A number of other added stanzas collected in the UK that have also been collected in American versions-- indicating their antiquity.
There is a bird all in yonder tree,
Some say 'tis blind, and cannot see,
I wish it had been the same by me,
Before I had gained my love's company.
There is a man on yonder hill,
He has a heart as hard as steel,
He has two hearts instead of one,
He'll be a rogue when I am gone.
The "There is a bird" stanza was collected in America a half dozen times and is a fairly common addition to UK versions. It was printed in the G.R. Axon collection of broadsides by John Bebbington, printer of Manchester about 1855. The two hearts stanza is also found in a UK version of "Love has Brought Me to Despair," "She's Like a swallow," and is a central stanza in "Early, Early by the Break of Day."
Evidence of the early Irish circulation of Died for Love can be found in two early broadsides: A New Love Song- broadside: Gil, No. 6, printed by Bart. Corcoran, Inn's Quay, Dublin and is dated 1774 and Killarney Tragedy, a Dublin broadside c1850 printed by Nugent. The Corcoran broadside has stanzas of "Foolish Young Girl" and related songs while the Nugent broadside is a unique rewrite of B, the Cruel Father and features the "Go dig a grave" ending stanza. Following is an excerpt from the 1855
"Day and Night Songs" by Irish poet William Allingham (1824-1889) of Donegal, Ireland:
XII.
THE GIRL'S LAMENTATION.
(To an old Irish Tune.)
With grief and mourning I sit to spin;
My Love pass'd by, and he didn't come in;
He passes by me, both day and night,
And carries off my poor heart's delight.
There is a tavern in yonder town,
My Love goes there and he spends a crown,
He takes a strange girl upon his knee,
And never more gives a thought to me.
Says he, "We'll wed without loss of time,
And sure our love's but a little crime;"—
My apron-string now its wearing short,
And my Love he seeks other girls to court.
O with him I'd go if I had my will,
I'd follow him barefoot o'er rock and hill;
I'd never once speak of all my grief
If he'd give me a smile for my heart's relief.
In our wee garden the rose unfolds,
With bachelor's-buttons, and marigolds;
I'll tie no posies for dance or fair,
A willow twig is for me to wear.
For a maid again I can never be,
Till the red rose blooms on the willow tree.
Of such a trouble I heard them tell,
And now I know what it means full well.
* * * *
F, "Foolish Young Girl," or, "Irish Boy" ("What a foolish girl was I," Roud 60) is identified by the following stanza sung by Jean Elvin, of Buchan[13]:
A foolish young girl was I, was I,
To lend my love to a farmer's boy;
A farmer's boy although he be,
He spoke broad Scotch when he courted me.
F, is Scottish and Fa, as sung by Elizabeth St. Clair of Edinburgh, is the oldest extant traditional Died for Love version dated c.1770[14] It begins:
O what a foolish girl was I
To fall in love with an Irish Boy
Who could not speak good English to me
Which was the thing that did undo me.
Of great interest is St. Clair's suicide stanza which is later found in Scotland by Greig:
Home her father dear came then
Asking for his daughter Jean
Up stairs he ran and the door he broke
He found her hanging on a rope.
The suicide stanzas found in the UK provide further evidence that "Butcher Boy"-- with the same suicide stanza-- came from an unknown UK print version from the 1700s which has disappeared. St. Clair's suicide stanza also disappeared, since many subsequent versions found in Scotland do not have the suicide. Aside from two Scottish versions and three English versions (one is a variant of the Sailor Boy) the suicide disappeared in the early 1900s only to emerge again in "Maiden's Prayer (see Died for Love, J)."
Other versions of "Young Foolish Girl" include "The Irish Boy," a broadside from Poet's Box, 80 London Street, Glasgow, c. 1872; "The Maid's Tragedy," a broadside from St. Bride's Printing Library S447 (my ref BS 1900), c.1790; "A New Love Song," Gil, No. 6, printed by Bart. Corcoran, Inn's Quay, Dublin c. 1803; "Foolish Young Girl" From John Strachan, of Strichen, b. 1875 heard the song as a child. His mother used to sing it, c.1885 and "The Young Foolish Girl," sung by Jeannie Hutchison, Traditional Music from the Shetland Isles (online) SA1974.13.
The "Foolish Young Girl" stanza is the second stanza of a version with the suicide collected by Grieg as sung by Sam Davidson 1863–1951 of Auchedly, Tarves Aberdeen:
1. A brisk young sailor came courting me,
He stole frae me my liberty;
He stole it with my ain free goodwill,
And I canna deny but I love him still.
2. Such a foolish young girl was I
To lay my love on a sailor boy;
A sailor boy altho' that he be,
He aye pro'ved true when he courted me.
This along with the St. Clair version show the "foolish young girl" stanza was part of the older tradition in Scotland-- a tradition that has included the suicide which is part of the American "Butcher Boy." In Scotland the "Butcher Boy" title is known as a variant of an entirely different ballad- The Berkshire Tragedy.
F begins with a grand deception perpetrated by an Irish Boy[15] on a young maid: "A foolish young girl was I, was I/To lend my love to an Irish boy/An Irish boy altho' he may be/He spoke braid Scots when he coortit me." According to St. Clair's version it was "the thing that did undo me." And being "undone" she falls madly in love with her Irish Boy who promptly leaves her. Following this opening stanza are a variety of stanzas showing the maid's love for her Irish boy and his rejection of her. In two versions (Fb and Fc) her lover gives her a letter showing that he no longer cares for her. The oldest versions (Fa and Fb) have the suicide and Fb has the "dig my grave both wide and deep" ending. Fc is from Dublin with a different opening and has the "foolish girl" stanza near the end.
* * * *
G, titled "Queen of Hearts" is a variant of B, The Cruel Father and found only in England. It's different enough to warrant its own letter designation. The common stanzas in B and H -- the father sends her lover to sea and he dies of a cannonball-- are found at the very end of H. It's almost as if the two "Cruel Father" stanzas were added at the end to give the broadside some plot. Two broadside versions titled "The Queen of Hearts" are found at Bodleian Library and one version was collected by Baring-Gould who published it in 1905 in the new and revised (the 3rd) edition of Songs of the West (now out of print. One broadside was printed by Evans and Batchelor which Baring-Gould printed (the first stanza only) in Songs of the West. The longest broadside is nine stanzas by Wright of Birmingham as dated about 1833 which follows in full:
"The Queen of Hearts" Wright (Printer), 113, Moor-Street, Birmingham c. 1833
1. Oh my poor heart-- my heart is breaking
For a false young man or I am mistaken
He is gone to Ireland long time to tarry,
Some Irish girl I'm afraid he will marry.
2. The Queen of Hearts and the ace of sorrow,
He is here today and gone to-morrow,
Young men are plenty sweethearts few
But if my love leaves me what shall I do.
3. When he comes in, I gaze all around him,
When he goes out my poor heart goes with him,
To meet is a pleasure, to part is a sorrow,
He is here to-day and gone to-morow.
4. I wish I was on yonder mountain
Where gold & silver I could have for coun[t]ing
I could not count it for thinking on him
He is not kind to me, what makes me love him?
5. I love my father and likewise my mother,
I love my sister and also my brother
I love my friends and relations too,
I will forsake them all, and follow you.
6. My father will give me both houses and land
If I'll consent to be at his command,
At his command I never will be,
I will forsake them all, and go with thee.
7. O Billy O Billy I love thee well,
I love you better than tongue can tell,
I love thee dearly, and dare not show it,
You do the same, and no one shall know it.
8. But when her father came to hear,
That he was a courting his daughter dear,
He had him press'd and sent to sea,
To keep him from her sweet company.
9. He had not been there passing years three,
On board the ship called the Royal victory
It was his misfortune there for to fall
And killed he was by a cannon ball.
Part of stanza 4 appears in the first two lines of stanza 1 of Crawfurd's "Bonnie Blue-Eyed Lassie." His text runs:
O gin I were at the tap of yon mountain,
Gold in my pocket and money for the counting,
Stanzas 5-7 are commonplace stanzas found in many of the "Died for Love" songs. The last two stanzas are similarly found in B. In the last stanza line 2 appears these words, "On board the ship called the Royal victory." "Royal victory" is likely a corruption since the ship in the other broadsides is referred to as the "Victory" which is likely the HMS Victory, a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, ordered in 1758, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is best known as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Sabine Baring Gould in his notes dated "Queen of Hearts" to the reign of Charles II but it appears to be a creation by broadside writers after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tune in a minor key, reminiscent of a late baroque melody, was published by Baring-Gould in 1905 and has become standard melody for versions by Martin Carthy (1965), Joan Baez (1965), Liz Dyer (1970) and many others. "Baring-Gould's tune," says Greg Stephens of Canada[16], "is very unusual in the English tradition by being in a minor key with a variable second (in A minor, say, the second note of the scale varies between B and B flat), an eerie and beautiful effect. There is an English fiddle air called the Northern Lass which deploys this effect also, and these are the only two tunes that do this in our tradition that I've ever heard."
* * * *
H. The Darling Rose ("My love he is a false love,") is a Died for Love text that's an imitation of a minstrel version. It's a broadside published Glasgow Poet's Box (585) on October 4, 1851 in Glasgow, Scotland sung to the air- Beauty and the Beast. The text of chorus is written in a pseudo-minstrel style as is the last stanza. Neither are related to Died for Love, however stanzas 1-6 are. Here's the text:
1. My love he is a false love
He is loved and like by everyone;
He has my heart and my free good will
And I must confess that I love him still.
CHORUS: For I'm the girl that will make them sing,
With the white wash teeth and the coal black chin,
With the red red lips and the turn up nose
For I'm the beauty darling Rose.
2. I went upstairs to make the bed,
The mistress followed and this she said
What ails you, what ails you, the mistress said
What ails you, what ails you, my pretty maid
For I'm the girl &c
3. Oh mistress dear if you were to know
The killing pain that I do undergo;
It is the pain, the pain I do protest
It is the killing pain lies in my breast.
For I'm the girl &c
4. When my apron it was low,
The rogue followed me through frost and snow
But now my apron is up to my chine,
He passes by and says nothing.
For I'm the girl &c
5. My love he goes to yonder town,
He goes in an alehouse and there sits down;
He places another girl on his knee,
And is that not a grief to me.
For I'm the girl &c
6. There are three eagles in yonder plain,
Two of them blind and the other lame;
I wish it was the case with me,
Before his face I ere did see.
For I'm the girl &c
7. If you go down to town,
Do look around and you'll see your Brown;
He's as nice a man as ere you saw,
With his big big lips and black black jaw.
For I'm the girl &c
Stanza 1 is similar to Brisk Young Lover texts with modified first and second lines. Stanzas 2 ans 3 are from the related Sheffield Park and are standard in Butcher Boy except it's "mother" instead of "mistress." Stanza 4 is the famous "apron low/frost and snow" stanza while stanza 5 is "Alehouse." Stanza 6 is a variant of the "There is a bird" stanza sung famously as "three worms" by Mr. Bartlett of Dorset in 1905. H, because of its chorus, Sheffield Park stanzas and pseudo-minstrel text, is unique.
* * * *
I, "There is a Tavern in the Town" is a composition/arrangement attributed to William H. Hills who published it in his 1883 edition of Student Songs. The opening stanza of Hills arrangement is clearly rewritten from Alehouse while stanzas two and three of "Tavern" are recreated from the basic sentiment of Alehouse. The last stanza of "Tavern"-- "Go dig my grave both wide and deep"-- is borrowed nearly exactly from the Died for Love songs.
Notes about Hills' song were included in Broadwood's "English Traditional Songs and Carols" of 1908: A much shortened version of the old words, set to a frankly modern and jingly air and chorus, is in the (1891) Scottish Student's Song Book, as "There is a Tavern in the Town." It is there described as "adapted from a Cornish folk song." This version has found its way into cheap sheet music form, Paxton printing it. Another edition, with more modernised words and slightly altered chorus, is published by Blockley, with "The Best of Friends must part" as its first title. In its jaunty modern form it is a great favourite amongst our soldiers.
Cornwall, in southwest England, may have had versions of Alehouse sung there but attributing Hills' song to Cornish miners is one of the most outlandish attributions of all time. "Tavern," attributed to Hills as composer, was published by R. March & Co., St. James's Walk, Clerkenwell, London about 1884. Clearly "Tavern" was known widely in the UK if, as Broadwood suggested, it was a "great favourite amongst our soldiers." Hills' song is not similar to the "Tavern in the Town" collected in Wiltshire as sung by Mrs. Lucy Jane Lee of South Marston collected by Alfred Williams in 1916. Although the first stanza is similar the Wiltshire version has the suicide and clearly was influenced by other Died for love songs.
The origin of Hills "Tavern" appears to be based on three separate songs: 1) Alehouse, 2) Radoo, Radoo, Radoo, 3) "Fare Thee Well," a song by Scottish poet Robert Gilfillan.
The mysterious "Radoo," an African-American "creole" song, was published in 1893 in London and New York with a tune by Bessie O’Connor (Elizabeth Paschal O'Connor), a Texan who married an Irishman and lived in the UK. It was heard in the US south by Irish politician and writer Justin McCarthy on tour in 1869. "Radoo" with music was included in his 1886 book, "The Right Honourable" co-authored with Australian writer Rosa Campbell Praed. Here are the standard lyrics- the first stanza is repeated at the end:
Radoo, radoo, kind friends, radoo, radoo, radoo,
And if I never more see you, you, you,
I’ll hang my harp on a weeping willow tree,
And may this world go well with you, you, you.
Shall I be bound, shall I be free, free, free,
And many is de girl dat don’t love me, me, me,
Or shall I act a foolish part,
And die for de girl dat broke my heart, heart, heart.
Give me a chair and I’ll sit down, down, down,
Give me a pen, I’ll write it down, down, down,
And every word that I shall write,
A tear will trickle from my eye, eye, eye.
"Shall I be bound" is a common added Died for Love stanza while "Give me a chair" is found in Butcher Boy-- the pen is used to write the suicide note. The "Give me a chair" stanza is also common in traditional versions of Sweet William/Sailor Boy.
"Fare Thee Well" was written c. 1835 by Robert Gilfillan, who was born in Dunfermline, Fifeshire. It begins:
Fare thee well for I must leave thee,
But O! let not our parting grieve thee;
Happier days may yet be mine,
At least I wish them thine- believe me!
Hills' popular "Tavern" is a combination of three different older songs and should be regarded as an arrangement rather than a composition. Here's is Hill's text of "Tavern," the penultimate stanzas does not appear in Hills' 1883 edition:
There is a tavern in the town, (in the town),
And there my dear love sits him down, (sits him down),
And drinks his wine 'mid laughter free,
And never, never thinks of me.
Chorus: Fare thee well, for I must leave thee,
Do not let this parting grieve thee,
And remember that the best of friends
Must part, must part.
Adieu, adieu kind friends, adieu, adieu, adieu,
I can no longer stay with you, stay with you,
I'll hang my harp on the weeping willow tree,
And may the world go well with thee.
He left me for a damsel dark, (damsel dark),
Each Friday night they used to spark, (used to spark),
And now my love who once was true to me
Takes this dark damsel on his knee.
And now I see him nevermore, (nevermore);
He never knocks upon my door, (on my door);
Oh, woe is me; he pinned a little note,
And these were all the words he wrote:
Oh, dig my grave both wide and deep, (wide and deep);
Put tombstones at my head and feet, (head and feet)
And on my breast you may carve a turtle dove,
To signify I died of love.
* * * *
J, titled "Maiden's Prayer[17]" (Roud 18828) begins "She was a maiden young and fair" and was created by an anonymous source during World War I or about 1918. This variant was popularized and spread by various branches of the military Allied Forces but was particularly popular in UK and AU Armed Forces in both World Wars and has remained popular in the UK. Curiously the maid's suicide that left the UK in the form of the Butcher Boy, returned back again in the Maiden's Prayer, a shortened variant aligned with "My Blue Eyed Boy" and sung to it's melody. Equally puzzling is popularity in the UK of the Blue-Eyed Boy" melody of America origin of a short ballad that never caught on in the US where it probably originated. One of the earliest versions, dated about 1925 but possibly older was sung by Fred Cottenham, of Chiddingstone, Kent who learned it from his father when he was young.
The Soldier's Love- sung by Fred Cottenham, of Chiddingstone, Kent.
A soldier came on leave one night,
He found his house without a light,
He went upstairs to go to bed,
When a sudden thought came to his head.
He went into his daughter's room,
And found her hanging from a beam,
He took his knife and cut her down,
And on her breast these words were found.
My love was for a soldier boy,
Who sailed across the deep blue sea,
I often thought and wrote to him,
But now he never thought of me.
I wish my baby had been born,
Then all my troubles would have gone,
So dig my grave and dig it deep,
And place white roses at my feet.
Now, all you maidens, bear in mind,
A soldier's love is hard to find.
But if you find one good and true,
Never change the old love for the new.
The last stanza "change the old one for the new" is new to the Died for Love ballads but dates back hundreds of years. Here are two examples from the 1600s[18]:
O, art thou gone away from me,
And bidst no not adue?
Hast thou forsaken thy olde true love,
And changed me for a new.
---The woeful complaint of a love-sick maid, ZN292
My dearest love farewell!
A thousand times adew!
Seeing thou hast forsaken me,
And changed me for a new
I alwaies waile in woe,
i travaile still in paine:
I see my true love where shee goes;
I hope shee'l come againe.
---Lover's Complaint, ZN1345 Cf. "My fancie did I fix" in 'A Handful of Pleasant Delights.'
Note also the "Go dig a grave" ending stanza has been shortened in this this and other versions to:
So dig my grave and dig it deep,
And place white roses at my feet.
Other versions of the ending have four lines, retaining the "white roses at my feet" text. Steve Gardham who has collected and published Maiden's Prayer comments[19]: "The longest version I have of 18828 the English 'Died for Love' which I think probably derives from 'Butcher Boy'. It invariably uses the tune of the American 'Blue-eyed Boy'. I have no versions that predate WWII. The page is from my book 'An East Riding Songster, 1982. My uncle and my sister sang slightly shorter versions. The tune is from my uncle's version. There is another version of the same length in Kennedy, p. 381, Sod's Operas over here in WWII. The English 'Died for Love,' Roud 18828, is basically the same tune as the American 'Blue-eyed Boy' Roud 18831."
The following full version was collected by Gardham in 1974 from Mrs. Doreen Cross of Hessle. East Riding of Yorkshire, England:
THE MAIDEN'S PRAYER (Died for Love)
1. A maiden young and fair was she,
Not born of high society,
A sailor young and bold was he,
The cause of all her misery.
2. A man came home from work one night,
And found his house without a light;
He went upstairs to go to bed,
When a sudden thought came into his head.
3. He went into his daughter's room,
And found her hanging from a beam;
He took a knife and cut her down,
And on her breast this note he found,
4. My love was for a sailor boy,
Who sailed across the deep blue sea,
I often wrote and thought of him,
But he never wrote or thought of me.
5. Oh, Lord, I wish my babe was born,
Then all my troubles would be gone,
For I could never bear the shame,
To have a babe without a name.
6. So dig my grave and dig it deep,
And place white lilies at my feet,
And at my head please lay a dove,
To signify I died for love.
7. So all ye maidens bear in mind,
A sailor's love is hard to find,
But if you find one that is true,
Don't change an old love for the new.
The version by Doreen Cross has the standard first stanza (A maiden young and fair was she) sung in some full versions. Although "Maiden's Prayer" is reminiscent of "Butcher Boy," which has the suicide, the differences suggest another antecedent needs to be considered. The phrase "hanging from a beam" is not found in version of the Butcher Boy; neither is the ending phrase "place white lilies at my feet." The stanza "My love was for a sailor boy" is found in English versions of "My Blue-eyed Boy." The first and last stanzas are not part of Butcher Boy. Although Maiden's Prayer may be an amalgamation, only three of the stanzas of the Doreen Cross version above can be held in common with Butcher Boy and even those have a specific-- yet slightly different-- wording.
Conclusions:
From the early antecedent broadsides (such as Nelly's Constancy) of the 1600s came A, "Alehouse" to which the "I Wish" stanzas have been combined. From parallel broadsides of the 1600s, represented by the 1686 "Constant Lady" came additional stanzas and a new ending for A. In the 1700s a new opening stanza was used which is represented by D, Brisk Young Lover (Sailor). New broadsides of the 1700s were created using "Died for Love" stanzas with the rejected maid's suicide. B, Cruel Father, had a coherent plot while C used floating stanzas. E, Butcher Boy, and F, Irish Boy, were creations of the 1700s and the suicide for the most disappeared in the UK by the mid-1800s along with E which was brought to the British colonies and America. The suicide in F disappeared but it has been found in rare versions mostly in Scotland. G, Queen of hearts, was created with the floating stanzas and two stanzas of B in the early 1800s along with H, a unique variant. I, Tavern in the Town, was created from three songs by William Hills around 1883. J, a short recreation with stanzas of E and the suicide, was formed about the time of the First World War and remains popular in the UK.
The following appendices of "Died for Love" have been created which are related by theme and common text/stanzas. They represent the extended family of the Died for Love ballads and songs:
7A. The Sailor Boy, or, Sweet William
7B. Love Has Brought Me To Despair
7C. Sheffield Park (The Unfortunate Maid)
7D. Every Night When The Sun Goes In
7E. Will Ye Gang Love, or, Rashy Muir
7F. My Blue-Eyed Boy
7G. Early, Early by the Break of Day
7H. She's Like the Swallow
7I. I Love You, Jamie
7J. I Know My Love
7K. Love Is Teasing (Love Is Pleasing)
7Ka. Oh Johnny, Johnny
7L. Careless Love
7La. Dink's Song
7M. The Colour of Amber
7N. Through Lonesome Woods
7O. Must I Go Bound?
7P. I am a Rover (The Rover)
7Q. Deep in Love (Deep as the Love I'm In)
7R. Yon Green Valley (Green Valley)
7S. Down in a Meadow (Unfortunate Swain)
7T. Bury Me Beneath The Willow
7U. Wheel of Fortune
7Ua. Young Ladies (Little Sparrow)
7V. The Ripest Apple (Ripest of Apples)
The following Appendices are found in the UK:
7A. The Sailor Boy, or, Sweet William
7B. Love Has Brought Me To Despair
7C. Sheffield Park (The Unfortunate Maid)
7E. Will Ye Gang Love, or, Rashy Muir
7F. My Blue-Eyed Boy
7G. Early, Early by the Break of Day
7H. She's Like the Swallow
7I. I Love You, Jamie
7J. I Know My Love
7K. Love Is Teasing (Love Is Pleasing)
7Ka. Oh Johnny, Johnny
7M. The Colour of Amber
7N. Through Lonesome Woods
7O. Must I Go Bound?
7P. I am a Rover (The Rover)
7Q. Deep in Love (Deep as the Love I'm In)
7R. Yon Green Valley (Green Valley)
7S. Down in a Meadow (Unfortunate Swain)
7U. Wheel of Fortune
7Ua. Young Ladies (Little Sparrow)
7V. The Ripest Apple (Ripest of Apples)
See main headnotes for additional information. Individual versions are attached to this page on the left-hand column.
R. Mateson 2017]
-----------------------------------------
Footnotes:
1. From the Sabine Baring-Gould Manuscript Collection (SBG/1/2/688). Baring Gould wrote down The Effects of Love broadside text (British Museum 11 621, R.4) in his notebook which he copied from the British Library before 1888, presumably the same time when he was looking at broadsides for Francis J. Child. After his A version, a copy of The Effects of Love broadside, he writes James Parsons, then write B and follows with a nearly identical version. No other versions have been found in tradition.
2. From a version in Publications; Volume 41; page 278 by the English Dialect Society, 1896.
3. In Kittredge's quote made in 1916, "The piece appears to be an amalgamation of “The Squire's Daughter” (also known as “The Cruel Father, or, Deceived Maid”) with “There is an Alehouse in Yonder Town” (well known as a student song in this country under the title “There is a Tavern in the Town”)," Alehouse is mentioned but Brisk Young Sailor is not.
4. In the Died for Love notes in "Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland" by Ewan Maccoll, Peggy Seeger" the Brisk Young Lover is not mentioned but Alehouse is.
5. Another compelling reason to separate Alehouse and Brisk Young Lover is two antecedents of Alehouse-- Nelly's Constancy and Jealous Love of the 1680s-- do not have a "Brisk Young Lover" stanza.
6. See "Oh Willie" in Recentering Anglo/American Folksong: Sea Crabs and Wicked Youths by Roger DeV Renwick p. 114.
7. These missing lines were added from another early broadside.
8. The abrupt suicide indicates that something is missing or taken out.
9. The six extant traditional versions found in the UK that mention Butcher Boy could possibly be from American sources or are remnants of a tradition that disappeared in the UK in the early 1800s.
10. See Mudcat Discussion Forum (Died for Love) and personal correspondence.
11. See Belden's headnotes in Ballads and Songs, 1940-- copied below my US and Canada Versions headnotes.
12. Although there is no exact date, one Lutz version from New York was first learned in Birmingham in the mid-1800s.
13. "Foolish Young Girl," sung by Jean Elvin, Turriff, 1952- recorded by Hamish Henderson. From "Tocher: Tales, Songs, Tradition" - Issue 43 - Page 41, 1991.
14. "The Irish Boy," Elizabeth St. Clair of Edinburgh, c.1770; Clark, The Mansfield Manuscript (2015) pp. 4-6.
15. Although he is an "Irish boy" in many versions he's also a "student boy" or a "trav'ller boy."
16. Greg Stephens of Ontario was quoted from the Mudcat Discussion Forum.
17. Not to be confused with Bob Wills, "Maiden's Prayer."
18. Both versions are taken from Bruce Olson's website.
19. Gardham's comments are taken from Mudcat Discussion Forum as well as personal correspondence.
_____________________________________________________
CONTENTS: (Click on titles of Individual ballads attached to this page- green highlight -on the left-hand column. Or, click on blue highlighted titles below)
1) The Maidens Complaint for the Loss of her Love (Lon) c.1750 broadside-- From British Library (ref. Gardham: BL 14.11.17, 1880 b.29, No imprint, 18th century, next BS no.5 dated 1743.) 1 sheet; 1/40. 1880.d.29(4) A song. REFERENCE: ESTCT8451.
2) Wild Rover (Rambling Boy)- Musical Companion (London) 1765-- first extant text of Rambling Boy from "The musical companion: Being a chosen collection of the new and favorite songs, sung at the theatres and public gardens" a collection of 18 songs which was printed in London, about 1765.
3) The Irish Boy- Elizabeth St. Clair (Edin) c. 1770-- From Clark, The Mansfield Manuscript (2015) p. 4-6.
4) A New Love Song- (Dub) Corcoran broadside c1774
5) Lady's Lamentation- broadside (Manch) c.1775
6) The Effects of Love- (Lon) broadside BL, c.1780
The Distress'd Maid- (Lon) Madden broadside c.1785
Cruel Father or Deceived Maid- (Lon) Madden c.1790
Rambling Boy- (Limer) chapbook Groggin, 1790
Rambling Boy- (Glas) chapbook, 1790
The Maid's Tragedy- (Lon) St. Bride's PL c.1790
Rambling Boy- (Glas) Robertson chapbook, 1799
Answer to Rambling Boy- (Glas) chapbook, 1799
Squire's Daughter- (Manch) Shelmerdine c.1800
The Rambling Boy- (Lon) Pitts broadside c. 1806
Faithful Shepherd- John Clare (Northamp) c.1818
Queen of Hearts- (Lon) Pitts broadside c.1820
Rambling Boy- (Manch) broadside, c.1830
Queen of Hearts- (Birm) Wright broadside c.1833
Brisk Young Sailor- (Birm) W. Pratt; c.1850
Killarney Tragedy- (Dublin) c1850 Nugent broadside
The Darling Rose- (Glas) Poet's Box broadside 1851
Brisk Young Sailor- (Manch) Bebbington c.1855
Strange House- unknown (Ulster) c.1860s BK
The Irish Boy- (Glas) Poet's Box broadside, 1872
Sweet William- Mrs. Hughes (Here) 1875 Leather
Brisk Young Sailor- S. Lovell (Wales) Groome 1881
Sailor Boy- Georgina Reid (Aber) c.1882 Duncan C
There is an Alehouse- W.H Lunt (Liv) 1882 Kidson
There's An Alehouse- H. Collins (Cam) 1886 Bull
There is An Alehouse- H. Collins (Cam) 1886 Bull-2
Brisk Young Miner- J. Parsons (Lew Down) 1888 B-G
Love Is Hot- J. Parsons (Dev) 1888 Baring-Gould B
Foolish Young Girl- John Strachan (Aber) 1889 REC
True Love Once Courted Me- Halliday (York) 1891
There Is An Alehouse- Holgate (Leeds) 1891 Kidson
Rich Young Farmer- Lolley (Riding) 1891 Kidson C
There Is A Bird- Lolley (E. Riding) 1891 Kidson D
Brisk Young Miner- S. Fone (Dev) 1893 Baring-Gould
Queen of Hearts- navvy worker (Dev) B.-Gould 1894
Brisk Young Miner- Woodrich (Dev) 1896 Bar-Gould
There is a House- (UK)1896 English Dialect Society
Down in the Meadows- White (Som) 1903 Sharp
There is an Alehouse- old singer (Lanc) 1904
Brisk Young Sailor- Emma Overd (Som) 1904 Sharp
Brisk Young Sailor- W. Spearman (Som) 1904 Sharp
Brisk Young Farmer- Bowes (York) 1904 V. Williams
Bold Young Farmer- Denny (Essex) 1904 V. Williams
In Jessie's City- from maid (Essex) 1905 Williams
In Yorkshire Park- R. Barratt (Dor) 1905 Hammond
Bold Young Sailor- Anderson (Lon) 1905 V. Williams
There Was Three Worms- Bartlett (Dorset) 1905
I Wish I Wish- Lucy White (Som) 1905 Sharp MS
Apron Strings- John Collinson (West) 1905 Grainger
Brave Young Sailor- Gulliver (Som) 1905 Hammond
Died for Love- James Brown (Hamp) 1906 Gardiner
There Is An Ale-House: Clark (Linc) 1906 Grainger
Died for Love- Joseph Taylor (Linc) 1906 Grainger
Brisk Young Sailor- Thomas Colcombe (Here) 1906
The Alehouse- Henry Way (Dors) 1906 Hammond
I Wish Ma Baby- Gouldthorpe (Linc) 1906 Grainger
Gin my Bonnie Babe- G. Riddell (Aber) 1906 Greig E
I Wish, I Wish- A. Barron (Aber) 1906 Greig F
Farmer's Son- William Bailey (Som) 1906 Sharp
There is an Alehouse- Asell (Hamp) 1907 Gardiner
A Grief- Mrs. Goodyear (Hamp) 1907 Gardiner
There is an Alehouse- Channon (Ham) 1907 Gardiner
The Alehouse- Mrs. Duncan (Aber) 1907 Grieg K
Apron Strings Low- T. Jones (Hamp) 1907 Gardiner
Brisk Young Sailor- S Davidson (Aber) 1907 Greig I
Apron String Low- Thomas Jones(Hamp) 1907 Guyer
Brisk Young Sailor- Richards (Glou) 1907 Sharp
Brisk Young Sailor- Ford/Mrs. Cranstone (Sus) 1908
There is an Alehouse- Harrington (Hamp) 1908 Guyer
Brisk Young Sailor- Smithers (Glou) 1908 Sharp MS
In Halifax Town- David Lyall (Aber) c1908 Duncan
Brisk Young Sailor- anon (Norfolk)1908 V. Williams
I Wish, I Wish- H. Rae (Aber) 1908 Greig A
Student Boy- Wallace (Aber) 1908 Duncan B
Student Boy- Mrs. Walker (Aber) 1908 Duncan D
I Wish, I wish- Mrs. Willox (Aber) c1908 Greig L
There Is a Tavern- Annie Shirer (Aber)1908 Greig M
Knutsford Town- W. Hill (Hamp) 1908 Gardiner
Irish Boy- Mr. Thompson (Aber) 1908 Grieg
Irish Boy- Annie Shirer (Aber) c. 1908 Greig J
Brisk Young Drummer- Alexander(Hamp) 1908 Gard
There Is An Ale House- Ash (Som) 1908 Sharp MS
Brisk Young Sailor- Bayliff (Wes) 1909 Gilchrist
Apron Strings- Mrs Collinson (Wes) 1909 Gilchrist
Brisk Young Carter- W. Cole (Hamp) 1909 Gardiner
Brisk Young Drummer- Alexander (Ham) 1909 Gard
Apron Low- Charles Benfield (Oxf) 1909 Sharp MS
Brisk Young Sailor- Bowker (Lanc) 1909 Gilchrist
I Wish I Wish- Jones (Heref) c.1910 V. Williams
British Young Waterman- Hollingsworth (Essex) 1911
Brisk Young Soldier- Robert Feast (Ely) 1911 Sharp
Died For Love- Mrs. Williams (Berk) 1912 Carey
A Sailor Bold- Mrs. Joiner (Herts) 1914 Broadwood
Apron Low- George Barrett (Wilt) 1916 A. Williams
There is a Tavern- Mrs Lee (Wilt) 1916 A. Williams
I Wish, I Wish- Ethel Findlater (Ork) c.1918 REC
Betsy Williams- K. Williams (Glou) 1921 Sharp
Down Jewry Lane- W. Gill (Glou) 1924 Collinson
The Soldier's Love- Fred Cottenham (Kent) c.1925
Isle of Cloy- Hill and Waspe (Suf) 1931 Moeran
A Maiden Young and Fair- Airman song (UK) 1933
I Wish I Wish- Mrs. Oliver (Kent) c.1936 Collinson
Apron of Flowers- Mrs. Dinsmore (Col) 1936 Henry
Butcher Boy- Lily Green (Tris) 1938 Munch
Died for Love- Lionel Hall (Faeroe) c.1941 Palmer
All You Maidens- Army ballad (UK) 1942 Henderson
In Jersey City- Watts and Teesdale (Lon) 1943
Miner Came from Work- kixgrix (Wales) c.1945
The Sailor’s Lament- Vern Williams (AU) 1947
In London City- Ythanside (Scot) c.1950 Mudcat
Died of Love- Isla Cameron (Perth) 1951 Lomax
I Wish, I Wish- Cecilia Costello (Birm) 1951 REC
Foolish Young Girl- Jean Elvin (Buchan) 1952
Jersey City- Mrs Barnes (Dors) 1952 Kennedy
Foolish Young Girl- Willie Mathieson (Aber) 1952
Early All in the Spring- Winnie Ryan (Belf) 1952
There is an Alehouse- Pops Connors (Wex) c1953
What a Voice- Jeannie Robertson (Aber) 1953 REC
I Wish I Wish- Charlotte Higgins (Perth) 1953 REC
Brave Young Sailor- A Davies (Glou) 1954 Collinson
A Man Came Home- Sheila Stewart (Aber) 1954
Silly Young Maid- Bella Stewart (Ross) 1955 REC
A Maiden's Prayer- Duffems (Shef) c. 1955
Butcher Boy- Sarah Makem (Arm) 1956 Hamilton
I Wish, I Wish- Elsie Morrison (Moray) 1956 REC
Died For Love- Jack Le Feuvre (CI) 1957 Kennedy
A Student Boy- Norman Kennedy (Aber) 1958 REC
A Sailor Coming Home- Derek Sarjeant (Kent) 1958
Died For Love- Emily Sparkes (Suf) 1958 Herring
Borstal Boy- Brendan Behan (Wales) 1958 BK
Young British Waterman- Harvey (Essex) 1958 Kennedy
Maiden’s Prayer- Harry Cavanagh (AU) c. 1959
Maiden's Prayer- "Cat" McManus (AU) 1959 Meredith
There is an Alehouse- Tom Willett (Sus) 1960 REC
Died for Love- Tom Willett (Sus) 1960 REC
Died For Love- Sarah Porter (Sus) 1961 Matthews
I Wish I Wish- Sam Larner (Norf) 1961 REC
The Irish Boy-Joan Cron (Wigton) c.1962 Martin
Blind Beetles- Caroline Hughes (Dors) 1963 REC
There is A Tavern- E. Vickers (Lanc) 1963 Hamer
I Wish (Till Apples Grow)- R. Drew (Dub) 1964 REC
I Wish, I Wish- Pemberton (Nevis) 1965 Abrahams
Butcher Boy- Simmonds (Nevis) c.1965 Abrahams
Sailor Coming Home- Lower Mess Deck (UK) 1966
Bold Fisherman Courted Me- L. Brazil (Glou) 1967
Man Returning Home- H. Sykes (Hull) 1967 REC
I Wish, I Wish - Duncan Williamson (Perth) 1968
A Miner Coming Home- Rugby song (UK) 1968
Butcher Boy- Caroline Hughes (Dor) 1968 Kennedy
Died for Love - Alf Wildman (Bedf) c.1969 REC
A Sailor's Leave- Georgiansilver (UK) 1970s
I Wish I Wish- Belle Anne MacAngus (Ross) 1971
I Wish I Wish- George Dunn (Staf) 1971 Palmer
There is an Alehouse- Andy Cash (Wex) 1973 REC
I Wish, I Wish- Johina J. Leith (Ork) 1973 REC
Maiden's Prayer- Doreen Cross (York) 1974
Foolish Young Girl- Jeannie Hutchison (Shet) 1974
Died for Love- Geoff Ling (Suf) 1974 Summers
Died for Love- Army song (UK) 1975 Kennedy
Died for Love- Jasper Smith (Surrey) 1975 Yates
Over Yonder’s Hill- Amy Birch (Dev) 1976 REC
Sailor Boy- Tony Ballinger (Glos) 1977 Davies
I Wish I Wish- Walter Pardon (Nor) 1978 Yates
Over Yonder’s Hill- Jean Orchard (Dev) c.1980
A Working Man- Brian Collins (Cyprus) 1984 REC
A Girl Who Led- Stan Walters (Essex) 1989 REC
A Father Came Home- Lauralillee (Suf) 1991
Brisk Young Sailor- David Savage (Suf) 1993 REC
Father He Came Home- Vicky S (UK) c. 1994
I Wish I was a Maid- E. McEldowney (Dub) 2004
On Yonder Hill- Viv Legg (Corn) 2006 REC
A Soldier Boy Came Home- mellyjane (JAM) 2010
Died For Love- nikivec (UK) 2011 posted
Lay White Lilies- Harrytheheat (UK) 2011 posted
A Soldier Boy- AJxKraZe (UK) 2011 posted
Died for Love- Freda Black (Som) 2012 REC
Died of Love- Derek Hobbs (NE Eng) 2012 Bladey
_________________________________________________________
Following are random notes and missing versions
----------------------
http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Peter-Kennedy-Collection/025M-C0604X0091XX-0001V0#_
Peter Kennedy Collection
Kitty Harvey, Thaxted, Essex 1958
The young British waterman (died for love) talk [0'52"] song [2'28"].
------------------------
From: Ancient Orkney Melodies by E. A. White and Anne G. Gilchrist
Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Dec., 1938), pp.183-194
Published by: English Folk Dance + Song Society
"Colonel Balfour was born in 1811 and died in I887. He was very musical, and as a small boy would spend much of his time with the people of the village listening to these melodies, which at a later date he played on his guitar. This led at a still later date to the publication of the book which he distributed only to his friends." Though published in 1885, we can regard the collection as giving us tunes as they were actually sung a hundred years ago.
6. I WISH IN VAIN
XXIX. (Tune: The Sailing Trade) Air: I WISH IN VAIN. [dated c. 1930s]
Dorian. [music and text]
[1. I wish, I wish, but 'tis all in vain,
I wish I were a sweet maid again,
But a maid again I'll never be
Till an orange grows on an apple-tree.]
XV. SECOND VERSION. UNNAMED.
[music]
This is the well-known ballad of unhappy love, variously known as" The Alehouse in the Town," "Died of love," "A Brisk Young Sailor (or " Rich Young Farmer") courted me," etc. Four north-country versions are given in Frank Kidson's Traditional Tunes, and many others-nearly all to the same type of tune-have been printed, including " I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain" (The Complete Petrie, No. 811) and two other Irish fragments with tunes in the Bunting collection. See Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society, Vol. xxvii, pp. 110-112. The tune given above, however, seems also to be associated in Scotland with "The Sailing Trade " or "Early, early all in the Spring." See Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, i, 248-an AEolian form. Christie says it was also sung to "My love was lost in the Ramillies." The second version above printed is also, I think, a Died of love" tune. See also Journal, i, 252; ii i68; v. I08-9.
One may add that a false true-love is not such an anomaly as it appears. A true- love once meant a troth-pledge or a troth-plighted person. Cf. the Danish trolove, to plight the troth, and trolovet, affianced-compounded of words meaning " truth"
and "promise." The lierb-Paris was called Truelove because it suggested a truelove knot. A "brisk young sailor "may have been substituted when a "false truelove no longer seemed reasonable. A. G. G.
[Excerpt] Our Remarkable Fledger by Harvey Buxon, 1900.
The doors of the inn were shut and the blinds drawn close, but the windows glowed with a ruddy light; a drowsy revelry came from within, laughter and joking and the scrape of a fiddle. Some farm-hands with their doxies had come up from Kendon to make merry upon bread and cheese and ale, round the roaring wood-fire in the tap-room, and their simple cheer reminded the hapless man of the bottle in his pocket; so he drew it forth and emptied it down his throat. But the folks had started an old-time song, and its unromantic measures floated out about his ears,—
'I wish, I wish, but it's all in vain,
I wish, I wish I were a maid again;
A maid again I ne'er shall be,
Till apples grow on an orange tree.'
'Devils! you are mocking me,' howled the poor maniac, as, jumping up from the trough, he hurled his empty bottle through the bar-room window; then, with a loud, wild cry, he turned and dashed across the road into the dark labyrinth that seemed to be yawning for him.
___________________________________________________________________
Variant on "I wish" text:
[Excerpt:] Highland Light Infantry Chronicle (Jan 1902-Oct 1904) - Page 820:
No, no ; for I frequently sing—
"I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain —
I wish I was a laddie again ;
But that wish ne'er will be
Till rilles grow on an old crab tree."
But if such a thing could be I would again enlist.
_____________________________________________________
One Hundred English Folksongs- Sharp No. 94 [compilation, no informant named.]
A brisk young sailor came courting me
Until he gained my liberty.
He stole my heart with free good will
And he's got it now, but I love him still.
There is an ale house in yonder town
Where my love goes and he sits him down.
He takes some strange girl on his knees
And he tells her what he does not tell me.
Hard grief for me and I'll tell you why,
Because that she has more gold than I.
her gold will waste, her beauty pass,
And she'll come like me, a poor girl, at last.
I wish to God that my babe was born,
Sat smiling all on its father's knee;
And I in my cold grave was lain
With the green grass growing all over me.
There is a bird all in yonder tree;
Some say he's blind and he cannot see.
I wish it'd been the same by me
Before I'd gain'd my love's company.
The greenest field it shall be my bed.
A flow'ry pillow shall rest my head,
The leaves which blow from tree to tree,
They shall be the coverlets over.
No. 101. The Brisk Young Lover.
Texts without tunes:—Gavin Greig's Folk-Song of the North-East, ii, art. 175. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxv. 13 ; xxxix. 122. Broadside by H. de Marsan (New York). W. R. Mackenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs of Nova Scotia, No. 55.
387 C c 2
Notes
Texts with tunes -.—Journal of the Folk-Song Society, i. 252 ; ii. 155 and 168 ; v. 181. Miss Broadwood's Traditional Songs and Carols, p. 92. Butterworth's Folk Songs from Sussex, No. 7. Kidson's Traditional Tunes, p. 44, E. M. Leather's Folk-Lore of Herefordshire, p. 205. Folk-Songs of England, ii. 9. Kidson's Garland of English Folk Songs, p. 36. English Folk Songs (Selected Edition), ii. 40 (also published in One Hundred English Folk-Songs, p. 220). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxii. 78 (tune only); xxxi. 73; xxxv. 360 (tune only). Cox's Folk Songs of the South, pp. 430 and 530. Sandburg's American Songbag, p. 324.
_____________________________________________________________________
Journal - Volumes 4-6 - Page 34
English Folk Dance and Song Society - 1940
58, " Love has brought me to despair," should be carefully distinguished from " The Brisk Young Sailor" (My true love once he courted me). It is an interesting and close, though incomplete, form of the lengthy old English broadside ballad "Near Woodstock Town " (The Oxford Tragedy or The Death of Four Lovers), see Chappell's National Airs, 1840. The first part consists of eighteen verses, and it is to this that the American stanzas belong.
--------
[Gardham] The Queen of Hearts printed by Wright of Birmingham which has the beginning of a ballad called Bonnie Blue 'eyed Lass' derived from a Roxburghe Ballad and the last 6 stanzas of 18830. (See Bodl. Harding B28 (120).
-------
Excerpt The Dublin University Magazine, Volume 28, 1846
The black prophet
a tale of Irish famine trasits and stories of the Irish peasantry"
By William Carleton London 1847
"Did yez hear that ?" said Dalton, "ha, ha, ha ; an' it's all thrue—she has tould me nothing but the thruth; here, then, take the ould vagabond away with you, and do what you like with him—
"' I'm a bold and rambling boy,
My lodging's in the Isle of Throy;
A rambling boy although I be,
I'd lave them all an' folly thee!'
Ha, ha, ha! but come, boys, pull away; we'll finish the wreck of this house, at any rate."
--------------------
Bonnie Blue eyed Lass [has one stanza in common with Queen of Hearts]
Andrew Crawfurd's collection of ballads and songs - Volume 2 -has one stanza in common with Queen of hearts [my copy]
Roud 3195 Queen of Hearts.
___________________________________________________________________
Cover song
Irish Boy (cover song?)from Fields of the North by Michael Kelly released February 1, 2003
Vocals - Stacy Hilton; Backup Vocals - Michael Kelly, Dan Lindenberger; Guitar - Michael Kelly; Cello - Christina Zaenker
A delightful but somewhat obscure anglicized version of a Scottish traditional ballad that has defied most of my
attempts to find out more about its origins. Some sources place it as being from southwestern Scotland in the region
of Wigtownshire, and as a song about a Scottish girl lamenting her betrayal by the Irish boy that she loved, who managed to pass himself off as Scottish due to the similarity of the languages of Scots and 'Galoway Irish'.
In yonder wood there is a bird
They say he's wild as he can be
Oh, how I wish that bird was me
Since my true love has left me
CHORUS
And oh, what a foolish young girl was I
Who fell in love with an Irish boy
An Irish boy he may well be
But he spoke Braid Scots when he courted me
I wish, I wish, I wish in vain
I wish I were a maid again
But a maid again, I ne'er shall be
Till an apple grows on a rowen tree
(Chorus)
The song of birds may glad the world
Yet bring to mind a sorrow key
For he is gone, now I must bide
Would I had love instead of pride
(Chorus)
_____________________________________________________________________
Notes from: Songs of Love and Country Life
by Lucy E. Broadwood, Cecil J. Sharp, Frank Kidson, Clive Carey and A. G. Gilchrist
Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 5, No. 19 (Jun., 1915), pp. 174-203
Published by: English Folk Dance + Song Society
The text of Mr. Hammond's interesting version is obviously old, and, like Miss Broadwood's Herts version, differs from the usual copies. (Cf. also " A Brisk young Sailor" in Mrs. Leather's Folk-Lore of Herefordshire for an unusual last verse.) The
three worms, deaf and blind, are, I am inclined to think, the earlier form of the blind bird symbol of other versions, e.g. one in Mr. Kidson's Traditional Tunes. The allusion seems to be to the blindworm (of which " blind bird " may be a corruption), identi-
fied by many country people (see Mr. Frank Gibson's Superstitions about Animals) with the deaf adder of the Psalmist, " which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer" -this legendary deafness being " no mere lack of the hearing faculty "-as Mr. F. E. Hulme says-" but a deliberate turning away from peril." As the Traditional Tunes version runs:
I wish it had been the same with me
Ere my false love deceiv-ed me.
Several English folk-rhymes, however, differentiate these two " worms " (an old English name for any snake, serpent, or creeping thing), for example:
"If I could hear and thou couldst see
There would none live but you and me
As the adder said to the blindworm.
To these popuilar types of deafness and blindness may be added the mole. Northall in his English Folk-Rhymes quotes from Randolph's Muses Looking Glass, 1638:
How happy are the moles that have no eyes,
How blest the adders that have no ears!
-A. G. G.
Mr. Hammond's tune to " The three Worms " is often used by country singers for the ballad of " Barbara Allen," and almost invariably in 5-time.-L. E. B
_____________________________________________________________
Caroline Hughes version notes: Sheep-Crook and Black Dog (MTCD365-6) recorded MacColl, Seeger and Parker about 1963
Although Steve Roud has this song as Died For Love (Roud 9) in his Folksong Index, Mrs Hughes’ version contains more floating verses’ than anything else - most particularly the last one. Mike Yates tell us that there’s a folktale about this, well known to Gypsies and Travellers. Before Jesus was captured by the Roman soldiers he was being pursued, and the soldiers were asking everybody if they had seen Jesus. Everyone said no, except the beetle, who told the soldiers where Jesus had gone. As a result of this Jesus was captured and, as a punishment, he turned the beetle blind, so that he would not be able to help the Romans any further. Duncan Williamson had a very fine short version of the tale, printed in Scottish Traditional Tales by Alan Bruford and Donald MacDonald, Polygon, 1994.
It’s a song everyone knows - even today in the right company - so it’s no surprise that there are 289 Roud entries, or that 61 of these are sound recordings, encompassing almost every singer you care to think of. Closer to the truth is that everyone knows a version of it, because it’s one of those songs which attracts ‘floating verses’ like a magnet, while being alarmingly close to countless other songs which musicologists tell us are actually different. Who cares - it’s a great wallow in almost any circumstances!
Other versions available on CD: Sarah Porter (MTCD309-10); Jasper Smith (MTCD320); May Bradley (MTCD349); ‘Pop’s’ Johnny Connors (MTCD325-6); Amy Birch (TSCD661); Alf Wildman (MTCD356-7); Emma Vickers (EFDSS CD 002);
Jean Orchard (VT151CD); Viv Legg (VT153CD).
____________________________________________________________
Brisk Young Sailor; BM 193/PM (Broadside from Gardham; same as Axon 55 Bebbington printer, Manchester c.1855)
A brisk young sailor courted me,
He stole away my liberty,
He stole my heart with a free good will,
I must confess I love him still.
Down in the meadows she did run,
A gathering flowers as they sprung,
Every sort she gave a pull,
Till she had gathered her apron full.
When first I wore my apron low,
He followed me through frost and snow,
But now my apron is up to my chin,
He passes by and says nothing.
There is an alehouse in this town,
Where my love goes and sits him down,
He takes another girl on his knee,
Why is not that a grief to me.
Ah, griev'd I am, I'll tell you why,
Because she has more gold than I,
Her gold will waste, her beauty blast,
Poor girl she'll come like me at last,
I wish my baby it was born,
Set smiling on its father's knee,
And I was dead and in my grave,
And green grass growing over me.
There is a bird all in yonder tree,
Some say 'tis blind, and cannot see,
I wish it had been the same by me,
Before I had gained my love's company,
There is a man on yonder hill,
He has a heart as hard as steel,
He has two hearts instead of one,
He'll be a rogue when I am gone.
But when they found her corpse was cold,
They went to her false love and told,
I am glad says he, she has done so well,
I long to hear her funeral knell,
In Abraham's bosom she does sleep,
While his tormenting soul must weep,
He often wished his time o'er again,
That his bride he might make her merry & marry her soon.
______________________________________________________
Sung by 38 and other squadrons in India and elsewhere in the early 30s to the tune of 'In Jersey City'. All of this backs up my theory that the song was brought over from America by troops in WWI and is based on Butcher Boy.
[Gardham]
---------------------------------------------
There is an Alehouse
Source: Mrs Packer, Winchcombe. Collected by Percy Grainger 4th April 1908 [unconfirmed?]
3. There is a tavern in the town,
And there my true love sits him down
And takes another lass on his knee,
And never ever thinks of me.
A Brisk Young Sailor
Roud Folksong Index (S329128)
First Line:
Source: Percy Grainger Phonograph (Cylinder) Collection (VWML CDA Tape Collection No.3)
Performer: Packer, Mrs.
Date: 1908 (5 Apr)
Place: England : Gloucestershire : Winchcombe
Collector: Grainger, Percy
----------------------------------------
Posted on a web-site is Sir Samuel Ferguson (1810–86) is the author of 'apron of Flowers: The paradox of this song is that it is a tale of loss and sadness set to a very light hearted melody. It was written by the Ulster poet, Samuel Ferguson, in 1856.
The Apron Of Flowers [Same text as Sam Henry- missing one line]
I loved a young man, I loved him well;
I loved him better than tongue can tell.
I loved him better than he loved me,
For he did not care for my company.
There is an ale house in this town
Where he goes in, and there sits down;
And he takes a strange girl on his knee
And tells her what he once told me
But there’s a flower grows in this place
And some does call it, the heart’s ease;
And if I could but this flower I’ll find
I would ease my heart and my troubled mind.
Unto the green meadows there I’ll go
[And watch the flowers as they grow ]
And every flower I will pull,
Until I have my apron full.
____________________________________
Title - Irish Boy [different yet somewhat similar song to Foolish Young Girl or Irish Boy]
Contributors - Elsie Morrison
Reporters - Hamish Henderson
Summary - The singer recalls her Irish boy, a handsome heartbreaker, and their frolics in the country. He has left Ireland, and she is afraid he will wed someone else, and vows to follow him. When she dies she wants her bones returned to Ireland and her gravestone to say that she died of love.
_____________________________________
Penguin Book Of English Folk Songs, Ed Pellow's rendition of the tune of I Wish, I Wish can be found here.
"Most English songs tell a story. However, there are also songs that are merely lyrical expressions of a mood-- usually arising from love denied or betrayed. Such songs are not held together by any narrative; instead they employ a number of images and symbols that are combined and recombined in song after song. Thus whole songs may be made up from "floating" verses familiar in other contexts, or attached to other melodies. The verses of I Wish, I Wish are most commonly found either in the song called Waly Waly or in Died For Love. Jazz enthusiasts may be interested in the apron-low, apron-high motif, which re-appears in the Blues called Careless Love. It was also used by John Clare in The Faithless Shepherd, a poem largely made up of traditional 'floaters'". -R.V.W/A.L.L.
___________________________________
[Associated songs; Will Ye Gang Love" The Scots Magazine - Volume 78 - Page 427 D.C. Thompson; 1962 - Willie Mathieson
For Love (Text taken from the MS collection of the late Willie Mathieson)
My lovie stands in yon stable door
A combing doon his yellow hair.
His curly locks they enticed me
But I'll never tell you who is he.
Chorus Oh will ye gang love and leave noo
Oh will ye gang love and leave me noo
Will ye forsake a lover true
And go with the one ye never knew.
I was in the garden the other day
I pulled a rose baith fresh and gay,
I pulled the violets as they grew blue
But I little kent what love can do.
I was standing at the door one day
I saw my love go across the moor
My heart grew sick and my eyes grew dim
To think my bonnie love left me ahin
As lang as my apron it did bide low
He followed me through frost and snow
But noo its up aye tae my chin
My love gangs by but he comes nae in.
There is a Tavern in the toon
My love gaes in and he sits him doon
He taks anithcr girl on his knee
And isna that a grief to me.
A grief to me and I'll tell you why
Because this girl has more gold than I.
But her gold it will waste and her beauty fade
And this poor girl she will be like me.
But I'll tak aff my hose and sheen
And I'll follow him through Aberdeen,
But I'll scorn him as he scorned me
But I'll never tell you who is he.
You'll dig my grave both wide and deep
Put a marble stone at my head and feet
And in the centre two turtle doves
To let them know that I died for love.
_______________________________________________
Early Early By the Break of Day
Roud Folksong Index (S174224)
First Line: It was early, early by the break of day
Source: BBC recording 24841
Performer: Cinnamond, Robert
Date: 1955 (Aug)
Place: N. Ireland
Collector: O Boyle, Sean
Roud No: 495
--------------------------
"Forsaken Lover. Tune Farewel You Flower Of False Deceit" (ca. 1780, ESTC T040047, available at ECCO) shares three verses with "The Unfortunate Swain" and and includes variant forms of two more known from "Oh Waly, Waly":
I run my finger into a bush,
Thinking the sweetest rose to find,
I prick'd my finger to the bone,
And left the sweetest rose behind.
If roses be such a fading flower
They must be gather'd when they're green;
And she that loves an unkind man,
'Tis like striving against the stream.
Against the stream, love, I dare not go,
Because the stream it it runs so strong;
I'm deadly afraid I'm one of those,
That lov'd an unkind man too long.
I wish to Christ my babe was born,
And smiling in its daddy's arms,
I myself wrapt up in clay,
Then should I be free from all harm.
I leant my back against an oak,
Thinking it a trusty tree:
First it bow'd, and then it broke,
And so did my false love to me.
Had I but kept my apron down,
My love had ne'er forsaken me,
But now he walks up and down the town
With a harlot, and not with me.
What makes the Western winds to blow,
to blow the green leaves from the tree?
Come death, come death, and end my woe,
For a maiden more, love, I ne'er can be.
I cast my anchor in the sea,
And it sunk doen into the land;
And so did my heart in my body,
When I took my false love by the hand.
---------------------
Stephanie Hladowski learned Died for Love from Jasper Smith's recording and sang it accompanied by Chris Joynes on their 2012 CD The Wild Wild Berry.
Lyrics
Jasper Smith sings Died for Love
Jasper Smith sang Died for Love to Mike Yates in Epsom, Surrey, in 1975. This recording was published two years later on the Topic anthology
A man came walking home one night,
He found his house without a light.
He walked upstairs to go to bed
Then the second thought came in his head.
He walked into his daughter's room
And found her hanging by the beam.
He drawed a knife and cut her down
And on her breast this is what he found:
“My love is for a sailor boy
Who sails across the deep blue sea.
So all you maidens good and true
Never change the old love for the new.
“Oh Lord I wish my child was born
And all my troubles could be gone.
So all you maidens good and true
Never change the old love for the new.”
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Ulster Folklife - Volumes 29-33 - Page 2
https://books.google.com/books?id=d0wd6Uy8cOUC
1987 - Snippet view - More editions
sold wholesale by Alex. Mayne, High-treet, Bellast: A NEW SONG CALLED WILLIAM & NANCY.
It's early early by the break of day,
Down by the green fields I chanced to stray.
I heard a fair maid both sign and say
The in love is gone far away,
heard a fair maid both sigh and say
The in love is gone far away,
He is gone and left me in grief and woe,
And where to find him I do not know;
I'll search those green fields and valleys low,
If the hills were covered with frost and snow
What voice! what voice! is that I hear
2 It's like the voice of my Willy dear
Sam Henry's Songs of the People - Page 287
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0820336254
Gale Huntington, Lani Herrmann - 2010
Early early, Maria Doherty of Clooney Magilligan- known as Ellen Lowry's song which she brought from Dungiven, 1925
Key F.
Oh, it's early, early by the break of day,
Down by yon green fields I chanced to stray,
I heard a fair maid to sigh and say,
'The lad I love is gone far away.
'He's gone and left me now in grief and woe,
And where to find him I do not know
I'll search those green fields and valleys low,
Should the hills be clad, ay, with frost and snow.
'What voice , what voice now is yon I hear?
It's like the voice of my Willie dear.
Oh, had I the wings, love, I'd feel no fear,
But fly forever till I knew thee near.'
---------------
Died for Love (III) (Early, Early)
The words as sung here are strikingly close to a mid-19th century broadside titled 'A New Song called William and Nancy or The Two Hearts', published by E. Hodges of Grafton Street, London, c. 1855-1861. It appears in the Bodleian Library broadsides collection, shelfmark Firth b.25(433). Geordie Robertson sings verses 1 and 2, followed by 2 lines of verse 4 plus 2 lines of verse 8, and verse 7 to finish, as printed on the broadside.
There are many versions of 'William and Nancy' songs, this reflects these names' currency amongst broadsheet writers. The version here is quite unusual compared to most broadsheets about 'William and Nancy', and the striking similarity between the broadsheet and Geordie Robertson's text suggests a printed source at some point.
Robert Cinnamond, "Early, Early, by the Break of Day" (on IRRCinnamond03)
Robert came from Ballinderry, Co.Antrim, and learnt his songs from his parents, from Lough Neagh, from fishermen, travelling basket-makers and others.
The Two Hearts
Early, early by the break of day,
Doon by yon green field I chanced to stray
I spied a fair maid
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/68916/4;jsessionid=7DAE68F22D086847272CD371D6F14E40
Title - William and Nancy
Alternate Title - The Two Hearts
Contributors - Geordie Robertson
Reporters - Hamish Henderson
A new song called William and Nancy or The two hearts
--------------
Early Early By the Break of Day [see Died for Love III ballad index]
Roud Folksong Index (S204144)
First Line: It was early early by the break of day
Source: Folktracks 90-159 (`The Rambling Boy')
Performer: Cinnamond, Robert
Date: 1955
Place: N. Ireland : Co. Antrim : Ballinderry
Collector: O Boyle, Sean
Roud No: 495
----------------
Old Ireland Free
Roud Folksong Index (S393990)
First Line: Oh the small birds whistle and gently [feed?]
Source: Ken Stubbs Field Collection (tape 9) KS-09-2-21
Performer: Smith, Bill (Mousey)
Date: 1967
Place: England
Collector: Stubbs, Ken
Roud No: 495
--------------------
I Wish I Wish
Roud Folksong Index (S340299)
First Line: I wish I wish, it's all in vain
Source: Mike Yates Collection: British Library National Sound Archive C 796/47 (VWML 15 CDA Yates)
Performer: Jones, Joe 'Sharper's'
Date: 1973 (12 Sep)
Place: England : Kent : Orpington
Collector: Yates, Mike
----------------
I Wish I Wish
Roud Folksong Index (S336855)
First Line: I wish I wish it hadna been
Source: Peter Hall Sound Collection (copy in School of Scottish Studies and Vaughan Williams Memorial Library)
Performer: Hutchison, Lizzie Mary
Date: 1960s - 1980s (?)
Place: Scotland
Collector: Hall, Peter
Roud No: 495
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Penguin: I Wish, I Wish [mudcat post]
From: GUEST,KB - PM
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 07:20 AM
Om & I sing a version that goes:
I wish I wish and I wish in vain
I wish I was a maiden again
but maiden again I can't never be
til the green apple grows on the red cherry tree
Ah many's the night love with you I wandered
Many's the night with you I've strayed
And I thought our love would go on for ever
but now I find that it was all in vain
And I wish I wish and I wish in vain
I wish I was a maiden again
but maiden again I can't never be
til the green apple grows on the red cherry tree
Ah dig me a grave and you dig it deep my dear
with the devil below me and the angels above
and I will lay down and I'll go to sleep my dear
and you tell the world I died for love
And I wish I wish and I wish in vain
I wish I was a maiden again
but maiden again I can't never be
til the green apple grows on the red cherry tree
------------------
----------------------------
VTC10CD words - Veteran Mail Order
www.veteran.co.uk/vtc10cd_words.htm
... it's all in vain, I wish I was a maid again, But a maid again I never will be, 'til an apple grows on an orange tree.” Another similar rendition to David's can be heard sung by his cousin Geoff Ling on TSCD660 'Who's that at my Bed Window?'
-------------
Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield which advises a lovely foolish young girl cheated and deserted by her lover, to lay down her life in order to make him repent.
---------
Journal - Volume 7 - Page 168
https://books.google.com/books?id=V5sJAQAAMAAJ
English Folk Dance and Song Society - 1952 - Snippet view - More editions
O when my apron it hang low He followed me through frost and snow And now I am with child by him He passes by, and says nothing. 4. Ye Christmas winds when will ye blow And blow the green leaves from the tree, O gentle death when will
-----------------------------------
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/17775/3
I love you Jamie I love
I love you more than you love me,
My darling
Oh what a foolish girl was I
To fall in love with an Irish boy;
A Irish boy although he may be,
He spoke the braid Scots when he courted me.
He courted me through frost an’ snaw
At when my apron strings did blow;
But noo that they can scarcely tie
He looks at me and passes by.
But I wish, I wish my babe was born
An’ sat upon my nurse’s knee;
I wish that I were dead and gone
An’ the green, green grass growin’ over me.
I’ve wished, I’ve wished, I’ve wished in vain;
I’ve wished to become a fair maid again.
A maid again I never will be
Till an orange grows on an apple tree.
---------
Agincourt Song 15th century tune
I wish my baby it was born And smiling on its father's (or nurse's) knee," occurs in the allied Scottish song " O waly, waly up the bank
The Scots Magazine - Volume 78 - Page 427
https://books.google.com/books?id=h48eAQAAMAAJ
1962 -
As lang as my apron it did bide low
He followed me through frost and snow
But noo its up aye tae my chin
My love gangs by but he comes nae in.
There is a Tavern in the toon
My love gaes in and he sits him doon
He taks anither girl on his
--------------------------------
------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Bebbington's broadside No. 193
"I am a rake and a rambling Boy"
Rambling Boy, The (t)
Short Title Hawkins MS, 1794
Date 1794
Number A29.161
-------------
The owner of this equipage, against which so many sarcasms were launched, was hitherto coolly rubbing down his hOrses with a whisp ofstraw; and singing, or rather humming,"
I am a rake and a rambling Boy
My logging 'tis near Aughnaghcloy
Florence Macarthy: An Irish Tale: By Sydney Owenson
By Jenny McAuley
1818: The London Literary Gazette and Journal of Belles Lettres ..., Issues 50-101
---------------
An Excellent Garland Manchester G. Swindells 1800
The cruel father, or, deceived maid
A slip-song - "A squire's daughter near Aclecloy,".
[London?, 1750?]
1 sheet : ill. ; 1/4A.
Madden Ballads
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The Dramatick Works of John Dryden, Esq: Don Sebastian, king of ...
https://books.google.com/books?id=Eck0AAAAMAAJ
John Dryden, William Congreve - 1717
... Oswald's Magick cannot fail J A long To-M»trow, ere your Arms prevail : Or. if I fall, make Room ye Blest above, For one who was undone, and, dy'd for Love
------------------------
North Lincolnshire Music Festival, Mabel Peacock's servant Anne Hiles sang 'There is an alehouse' sang 'There is an alehouse' for Percy Grainger.
---------
gillygirls
1
Reply Wed 31 Aug, 2011 03:19 pm
@glynis,
a man came home from work one night to find his house without a light
he went upstairs to go to bed a sudden thought came to his head
he went into his daughters room and found her hanging from a rope
he took a knife and cut her down and on her breast these words were found
"oh lord i wish my child were born then all my troubles would be gone
so dig my grave and dig it deep and plant white lillies at my feet"
They dug her grave they dug it deep and planted lillies at her feet
and on her grave they carved a dove to signify she died of love
So all you Thornley boys take heed a girl like that is hard to find
so if you find one good and true dont swap the old love for the new
I remember that my mam said her dad used to sing it to her when he came home from the mine she remembers him singing it while he was in the tin bath in front of the fire
My mum used to sing this to us in the car coming back from holiday that and "paper roses" by maria osmond I have memorised the song and i used to sing it to my children so they would go to sleep. The girls are now 26 24 and 21 time goes by quickly and im sure they will sing it to their children
URL: http://able2know.org/topic/52-2
-------------
Lizzie Higgins sings What a Voice
What a voice, what a voice, what a voice I hear,
It's like the voice of my Willie dear.
An if I had wings like that swallow high
I would clasp in the arms of my Billy boy.
When my apron it hung low
My true love followed through frost and snow.
But now my apron is tae ma chin;
He passes me by and he'll ne'er speir in.
It's up and doon yon white hoose brae,
He's called a strange girlie to his knee
An he's telt her a tale that he's once told me.
There is a blackbird sits on yon tree,
Some says it is blind and it cannae see.
Some says it is blind and it cannae see
And that's what my true love's tae me.
Oh I wish, I wish, oh I wish in vain,
I wish I was a maid again.
But a maid again I will never be
'Til a apple it grows on a orange tree.
I wish, I wish my babe was born
An smiling on some nurse's knee.
An for myself to be dead and gone
An the long green grass growing over me.
2-9 What a Voice (I Wish, I Wish) (Roud 495, G/D 6:1189)
Recorded by Peter Hall at the Jeannie Robertson Memorial Concert, 1977
What a voice, what a voice, what a voice I hear
It's like the voice of my Willie dear
An if I had wings like that swallow high
I would clasp in the arms of ma Billy boy
When my apron it hung low
My love true love followed through frost and snow
Bet now my apron is tae ma chin
He passes me by and he'll ne'er speir1 in
It's up and to yon white hoose grey
He's called a strange girlie to his knee
An he's telt her a tale that he's once told me
There is a blackbird sits on yon tree
Some says it is blind and it cannae see
Some says it is blind and it cannae see
And that's what my true love's tae me
Oh I wish, I wish, oh I wish in vain,
I wish I was a maid again
But a maid again I will never be
'Til a aipple it grows on a orange tree
I wish, I wish my babe wes born
An smilin on some nurse's knee.
An for myself to be dead and gone
An the long green grass growing over me.
1 enquire.
Despite there being only 28 entries in Roud, some 17 of them are of sound recordings, and Walter Pardon - Topic TSCD665 As Me and My Love Sat Courting; George Dunn - Musical Traditions MTCD317-8 Chainmaker; and Jeannie Robertson - Rounder CD1720 The Queen Among the Heather, can still be heard on CD.
A song found mostly in England, where it is generally known as I Wish, I Wish. Only Lizzie and her mother Jeannie have been recorded singing it in Scotland, and only they begin the song with the words 'What a voice ...' This was the first time Lizzie sang this - her mother's song - in public.
---------------
English Dance and Song - Volume 61
https://books.google.com/books?id=Y_bZAAAAMAAJ
1999 - Snippet view - More editions
He courted me my life away
And with me then he would not stay.
l 4. The song is one of the most popular of folksongs, known throughout the English-speaking world in many widely varying forms. My uncles sang versions they'd sung in the
---------
Oxford press 1920
Notes and Queries - Page 215
https://books.google.com/books?id=zD5SAQAAMAAJ
1920
The Irish Book Lover ... - Volumes 9-13 - Page 130
https://books.google.com/books?id=nI2jWRRmTfUC
John Smyth Crone, Seamus O'Cassidy, Colm O Lochlainn - 1917
In "Notes and Queries," once again published weekly, for 10th April,
Mr. Joesph J. MacSweeney pointed out the close resemblance between a poem by
William Allingham "The Girl's Lamentation," an English folk song in Kidson and Neal's Collection, and a Gaelic song " Tiocfaidh an Samhradh," in Mrs. Costello's recent collection published by the Irish Folk Song Society. Being interested both in Allingham and folk songs, I sent the following note:
The theme of both poem and folk song-- the betrayal and desertion of a young girl is, of course, as old as the hills and wide as the world.
When I was a boy in rural Ulster in the sixties of last century I often heard a folk-song which I always considered the foundation upon which Allingham built.
The words and the pathetic old Irish air to which it was sung cling to my memory yet. Here are a few stanzas which show a close resemblance to both poem and song:
There is a strange house in this town
Where my true love goes in and sits down,
He takes a strange girl on his knee,
And he tells her the tale that he once told me.
I wish, I wish, but it's all in vain,
I wish that I was a maid again,
A maid I was, but ne'er shall be
Till the apples grow on yon ivy tree.
I wish, I wish, now I'm all forlorn
I wish my baby it was born,
And sitting on its dada's knee,
And the long, green grass growing over me.
An esteemed Cork correspondent informs me that a memorial cross has recently been erected in St Joseph's Cemetery, Cork, over the grave of Timothy Murphy, who died on 13th April, 1919
---------------------
The Irish Boy sung by Sangschule of Linlithgow (The West Lothian Traditional Song Group) no source indicated
There sits a bird in yonder tree
Some say he's blind as blind can be
But how I wish that bird was me
Since my fause love has forsaken me
And it's oh what a foolish young girl was I
Who fell in love with an Irish boy
An Irish boy he may well be
But he spoke braid Scots when he coorted me
I wish, I wish, I wish in vain
I wish I were a maid again
But a maid again I ne'er shall be
Till apples grow on an orange tree
I wish my baby it was born
And smilin on his daddy's knee
And me, poor girl, to be dead and gone
Wi the long green grass growin over me
Sangschule’s version is similar to that sung by Phyllis Martin of Dumfries, included in Come Gie’s a Sang edited by Sheila Douglas. Phyllis took our second verse as a chorus, and added a further verse:
I leaned my back against an aik / Thinkin it was a trusty tree
But first it bent and then it broke/ Just as my true love did unto me.
Sheila Douglas’s note says:
“This version of the widespread song of the forsaken girl with its lines: I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain, / I wish I were a maid again was learned by Phyllis from her mother in Wigtonshire. The reference to Irish is often taken to mean Gaelic, but the proximity of the area to Ireland, the existence of a section of the population called Galloway Irish and the similarity of the Antrim dialect to Scots, make another interpretation possible. Three of the four verses of this song are “floating” verses that appear in many other songs of the same kind, but that in no way detracts from its lyrical beauty.”
In 1788, “Waly, Waly” appeared in The Scots Musical Museum. Of this song’s 40 lines many are familiar from other versions eg its second verse is Phyllis’s last: I leant my back unto an aik - and our last verse appears as:
Oh, oh! If my young babe were born / And set upon the nurse’s knee
And I myself were dead and gane / For maid again I’ll never be.
Another example is:
O waly, waly, love is bonny, A little time when it is new, / But when ‘tis auld, it waxes cauld / And wears away like morning dew - appearing with little change in Love is teasing and love is pleasing/ and love’s a treasure when first it’s new.
Another version similar to ours in The Scottish Folksinger, “I Wish, I Wish” has the floating verse:
Now there’s a tavern into the town/ Where my love goes and plants himself down
He calls another girl to his knee / And tells her the tale that he once told me
“Will Ye Gang Love” in 101 Scottish Songs P61, has the two I wish, I wish verses along with others including the one which identifies the song:
Will ye gang love an leave me noo?/ Will ye gang love an leave me noo?/
Will ye forsake your ain love true, /An gang wi a lass that ye never knew
“ I Wish I Wish” as sung by traveller Charlotte Higgins in Travellers’ Songs of England and Scotland edited by MacColl and Seeger has the usual I wish, I wish chorus but also:
O I wish my father ne’er had whistled / I wish my mother never had sung
And for myself was dead and gone / And the green grass growing over me
Charlotte had another floating verse:
It’s when my apron it was new, /It wis a bricht and bonny blue
But noo my apron’s to my knee, / He cares nae mair what becomes o me
In that book Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger sort out seven categories of the “large group of love-lamentations which have enough verses in common to be called a ‘family’. They are all based upon a man’s infidelity to his avowed lover…” “’Died for love’ texts are always brief – they do not tell a love-story, they only emit a short, sharp cry of pain.”
Scottish Songs
Tales of Scottish traditional and newer songs sung by Sangschule of Linlithgow (The West Lothian Traditional Song Group)
-----------
Died for love | Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/resource/afc9999005.25187.0
sound recording | Sung by Nemonie Balfour. (Statement Of Responsibility). Library of Congress. Recording Laboratory (Venue). Sound Recording (Form).
------------------------------------------
Unloose those chains love, and set me free
And let me at liberty;
For was you hear (sic) instead of me,
I’d unloose you love, and set you free.
----------------------------------------------
Brisk Young Sailor (broadside)
A brisk young sailor courted me,
He stole away my liberty,
He stole my heart with a free good will,
I must confess I love him still.
Down in the meadows she did run,
A gathering flowers as they sprung,
Every sort she gave a pull,
Till she had gathered her apron full.
When first I wore my apron low,
He followed me through frost and snow,
But now my apron is up to my chin,
He passes by and says nothing.
There is an alehouse in this town,
Where my love goes and sits him down,
He takes another girl on his knee,
Why is not that a grief to me.
Ah, griev'd I am, I'll tell you why,
Because she has more gold than I,
Her gold will waste, her beauty blast,
Poor girl she'll come like me at last,
I wish my baby it was born,
Set smiling on its father's knee,
And I was dead and in my grave,
And green grass growing over me.
There is a bird all in yonder tree,
Some say 'tis blind, and cannot see,
I wish it had been the same by me,
Before I had gained my love's company,
There is a man on yonder hill,
He has a heart as hard as steel,
He has two hearts instead of one,
He'll be a rogue when I am gone.
But when they found her corpse was cold,
They went to her false love and told,
I am glad says he, she has done so well,
I long to hear her funeral knell,
In Abraham's bosom she does sleep,
While his tormenting soul must weep,
He often wished his time o'er again,
That his bride he might make her merry & marry her soon.
"Brisk Young Sailor", as printed in Axon Ballads No. 55, Washington, printer; Mancester
Axon Ballads No.55 - Donnely and Oliver; Brisk young sailor
______________________________
BBC from Ben Baxter of Norfolk
Duncan Williamson (Fife) - Kyloe CD 101.
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[Songs Collected by Percy Grainger]
Lucy E. Broadwood, Percy Grainger, Cecil J. Sharp, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frank Kidson, J. A. Fuller-Maitland, A. G. Gilchrist
Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 3, No. 12 (May, 1908), pp. 170-242
[Journal]
---------------------
Seven Songs: Recorded by the B.B.C. from Mrs. Costello of Birmingham
Patrick Shuldham-Shaw and Marie Slocombe
Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society
Vol. 7, No. 2 (Dec., 1953), pp. 96-105
SEVEN SONGS
RECORDED BY THE B.B.C. FROM MRS. COSTELLO OF BIRMINGHAM
TRANSCRIBED BY PATRICK SHULDHAM-SHAW
INTRODUCTORY NOTE BY MARIE SLOCOMBE
Mrs. Cecilia Costello (nee Kelly) was 65 when the B.B.C. recordings were made.
She is of Irish extraction; her mother was from Co. Galway and her father (from
whom she gets most of her songs) from Ballinasloe, Co. Roscommon. The family
moved early to North Shields. Mrs. Costello herself was born in England and has
spent nearly all her life in Birmingham.
I doubt whether we should have made for the second largest industrial city in
Britain in our search for folk singers, had we not learnt about Mrs. Costello by her
son writing to us after a folk-music broadcast. He said his mother remembered some
old songs and gave the words of several, including one which I recognized as a version
of The Cruel Mother. I paid her a visit and decided that Mrs. Costello, although she
had been ill and was obviously not singing as well as she used to do, must certainly be
recorded, as her songs seemed of considerable interest. Her son had also written to
Mr. Shuldham-Shaw, who had been broad
2. FOR I AM A MAID THAT'S DEEP IN LOVE
(8w lower) 7
[music]
1. For I am a maid that's deep- in love, and I dare not once complain,
For- I'm in search of my. true love and John- fy is his name.
Enqur - ing for tile cap - tain my- pass - age. to go free, That
I might find the lad- I love while cross- ing the deep sca.e .ee
W. We?l thn sh,ip it went on gaily and the winid it did blow fair,. And
when I reached Co - lum - ba's shore no dan - ger did I fear.. It is
was a man on sea but a maid I am on shore,
So a--dicu, a - dieu - sea cap - tain bold, a dieu for ev - er - more.
3. 0 comeback, corme back my pret - ty Mol - lie
Won't you come and mar-ry m e? .
I save a hand some for - tune and all I'll give to thee.
Oh, it's I had my own true. love and- John - ny was lios name,
And un til I find- that lad . I love I'll live and die a maid.
(B.B.C., R.P.L. No. 17033)
This song is difficult to transcribe accurately as it was sung with great freedom
Nevertheless an attempt has been made to note down as exactly as possible the varia-
tions and style of singing the three verses of the song. Mrs. Costello started slowly
and gradually got faster. V indicates a slight hesitation before starting the next phrase;
-..... slightly slower;,____,slightly quicker.-P.S.-S.
For I am a Maid that's Deep in Love: this is something of a find too, though of
humbler order. The Maid on the Shore is such a familiar song in north-east America
that it is a wonder that its traces are so rare in the land of its birth. To the best of
my knowledge, the only vestige of the song recovered on this side of the Atlantic is the
single stanza entitled The Mermaid in Joyce's Old Irish Folk Music (and even there, the
story of the song seems to be different from the American versions). The various
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Maine versions seem to be much alike, and may be
related to a broadsheet print. This present version is very fragmentary, of course,
and is quite lacking in the central theme of the story (The Broomfield Hill theme,
one might call it) of the girl outwitting the amorous captain. But it does contain
what the north-eastern American versions usually miss, which is the motive of
search for a lost lover. A Missouri version of the song begins: "There was a fair
damsel all crossed in love, And deeply sunk in despair, 0".
Mrs. Costello's melody is more familiar as one of the Lowlands of Holland
sets.-A.L.L
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The Pitman's Love Song
The Bishoprick Garland: Or, A Collection of Legends, Songs, Ballads, ...
https://books.google.com/books?id=ZpNEAQAAMAAJ
1834
A PITMAN'S LOVE SONG.*
I wish my love she was a cherry,
Growing upon yon cherry tree;
Dame, what made your ducks to die,
Ducks to die, ducks to die;
Dame, what made your ducks to die,
On Christmas day in the morning.
You let your lazy maidens lie,
Maidens lie, maidens lie;
You let your lazy maidens lie,
On Christmas day in the morning.
It is the practice in some parts of this County to preserve the ashes of one yule clog, to sprinkle upon the next, which may have given birth to the following original and beautiful lines:
“Yule sits upon yule clog,
With a white feather in his cap-
Red Rose, when wilt thou spring?”
* This song is simple and ancient; it was written down from the dictation of Mr. George Wood, of Bridge Street, Bishopwearmouth, whose tenacious memory is a well-filled treasury of local recollections.
The locality of the following fragment is doubtful; yet it was frequently sung by an old lady, who had it from her grandmother, who firmly believed it belonged to the Bishoprick. :
Picking of lillies the other day;
Picking of lillies both fresh and gay;
Picking of lillies, red, white, and blue,
I little thought what love could do.
I set my back against an oak,
Thinking it was a stately tree–
But first it bended, and then it broke,
And so did my true love to me.
I saw a ship sailing on the main,
As deeply laden as ship could be ;
But not so deep as in love I am;
I car'd not whether I sunk or swam.
And aw mysel, a bonny blackbird,
How aw would pick that cherry, cherree.
O, my hinney, my bonny hinney,
O, my hinney, my bonny hinnee;
The mair I think on her, my heart's set upon her.
She's fairer than ever she us'd for to be.
I wish my love she was a grey Ewe,
Grazing by yonder river side;
And aw mysel a bonny black Tup,
By that Ewe's side aw always would bide.
Aw wish my love she was a Fish—
Aye, a fish in yonder sea:
And aw mysel a bonny fisher lad,
How aw would fish that fishy, fishee!
I wish my love was in a Kist,
And aw mysel to carry the key;
I would open the kist, and give her a kiss,
And kiss her again for company.
_________________________________________
MacColl "Family" of Songs from Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland
Ewan Maccoll, Peggy Seeger - 2015
55. DIED FOR LOVE. There is a large group of love-lamentations which have enough verses in common to be called 'a family.' They are all based upon a man's infidelity to his avowed lover.
1. Deep in Love- "Must I go Bound"
2. Butcher Boy
3. Love has brought me to despair "blind worm" motive
4. Waly Waly
5. Tavern in the town "Let him go, let him tarry" The alehouse verse is vital to this type. "
6. Careless Love
7. Died for love
________________
[One of the early important broadsides, not a version but several stanzas appear in tne mix]
THE CONSTANT LADY, AND Fals Hearted Squire,
Being a Relation of a Knights Daughter near Woodstock in Oxford-shier, that dy'd for Love of a Squire. To a New Tune.
Near Woodstock Town in Oxford shire
As I Walk'd forth to take the Are,
To vew the fields and Meadows Round,
Me thought's I hear'd a Mournful Sound.
Down by a Christal River side,
A gallant Bower I espi'd
Wher a fair Lady made great moan,
With many a sigh and bitter Groan.
Allas! quoth she, my love's unkind,
My sight and Tear's he will not mind,
But is so cruel unto me,
Which Causes all my Misiry.
My father is a worthy Knight,
My Mother she a Lady bright,
And I their child and only heir,
Yet love his brought me to dispair.
A wealthy Esquire lives hard by,
Who an my Beauty cast an Eye;
He courted me both day and night,
For to be his Jewel and delight.
To me these words he often said,
Fair Beautious Lady, lovly maid,
Oh! pitty me I you Imploar,
For it' is you I do adore
He still did beg me to be kind,
And ease his love Tormented mind,
For if, says he you should deny,
For love of you alass I dye.
These words did peirce my tender heart
I soon did yeald to ease his Smart,
And unto him made this reply,
Dear Sir for me you shall not dye.
With that he flew unto my Aarmes,
And swore I had a thousand Charms,
He call'd me Angel, Saint, and he,
Did sware for ever true to be.
Soon after he had gaind my Heart,
He cruelly from me did part,
An other Maid he does pursue,
And to all his Vows has bid adieu.
Tis he that makes me to Lament,
He causes all my discontent,
Tis he that causes my dispair,
Tis he's the cause of all my care.
This Lady round the Meadow run,
And geather'd flowers where they sprung
Of every sort she there did pull,
Until she had her Apron ful.
There is a Flower she did say,
Tis call'd hearts ease by night and day,
I wish I could that Flower find,
For to ease my heart and cure my mind.
But oh! alass it is in vain,
For me to sigh or to complane,
Theres nothing now can ease my smart,
For his disdain has broak my Heart,
The Green it serv'd me for a Bed,
The Flowers Pillows for my Head,
I lay'd me down and no more Spoak,
But a lass for love my heart Broak.
But when I found he Corps was cold,
I went to her fals Love and told.
What unto this fair Maid befel,
I am glad, quoth he, she is so well.
Oh did she think I so fond would be,
That would fancy none but she,
Man was not Made for one a lone,
For I take delight to hear their moan.
Oh! Cruel man I find thou art,
Thus for to break a Virgins Heart,
In Abraham's Bosom may she Sleep,
While they Tormented Soul shall weep:
LONDON, Printed for R.B. near Fleet-Street.
__________________________
Missing versions (versions without known text)
Ralph Vaughan Williams Manuscript Collection (at British Library) (RVW2/8/10)
There Is An Alehouse
First Line:
Performer: [Unnamed gipsy]
Date: 10 Sep 1912
Place: England : Herefordshire : Monkland
Collector: Vaughan Williams, Ralph
----------------
Ralph Vaughan Williams Manuscript Collection (at British Library) (RVW2/1/50)
There Is An Alehouse
First Line:
Performer: Dann, Mrs.
Date: 3 Aug 1907
Place: England : Cambridgeshire : Cottenham
Collector: Vaughan Williams, Ralph
---------------------------------
The Mayflower
Roud Folksong Index (S154333)
First Line: There is a mayflower that I have been told
Source: Plunkett Collection (Sussex Texts typescript)
Performer: Elliott, Harry
Date: 1956c - 1959c757 (M60
Place: England : Sussex : Three Bridges
Collector: Plunkett, Mervyn
-----------------------------
The lass wi' the twa-handed wheel: To which is added, Bonaparte's gone to St. Helana. The rambling boy. And Up in the morning early. Published Falkirk : T. Johnston, Printer 1817
------------------
Title; The brisk young sailor. To which are added, The widow's lamentation. The dying swan. To Signora Cuzzoni.
Published [S.l.], 1799?
Subject Chap-books.
Direct Link
http://copac.jisc.ac.uk/id/29156154?style=html&title=The%20brisk%20young%20sailor.%20To%20which%20are%20added%2C%20The%20widow's
Format
-----------
Brisk young sailor (2nd version) : from Six English Folk-songs / freely arranged by R.O. Morris.
Other titles Published London : xford University Press c1929
---------------------
In Woodstock Town [related different song]
Roud Folksong Index (S149090)
First Line: In Woodstock town in Oxford shore
Source: Carey, Sailor's Songbag pp.72-73
Performer:
Date: 1778c
Place:
Collector:
Roud No: 60
----------------------
The Alehouse [No text given for this version music only]
Roud Folksong Index (S227352)
First Line:
Source: H.E.D. Hammond MSS (VWML) D543
Performer: Tuck, Mrs.
Date: 1906 (Jun)
Place: England : Dorset : Beaminster
Collector: Hammond, Henry
Roud No: 60
-------------------------
The Alehouse [Music only no text]
Roud Folksong Index (S227353)
First Line:
Source: H.E.D. Hammond MSS (VWML) D677
Performer: Lillington, Miss
Date: 1906 (Nov)
Place: England : Dorset : Wareham
Collector: Hammond, Henry
Roud No: 60
---------------------------------------
The Sailor's Love
Roud Folksong Index (S160218)
First Line: Her father came home late one night
Source: Edwards, Overlander Songbook p.180
Performer:
Date: 1948
Place: Australia
Collector: Edwards, Ron
Roud No: 18828
--------------------------------
Clive Carey Manuscript Collection (CC/1/345) [cover of the print version]
There Is A Tavern In The Town
First Line: There is a tavern in the town
Performer: Stead, Pollie
Date:
Place: England
Collector: Carey, Clive
Roud No: 18834
------------------
The Foolish Young Girl
First Line: I love you Jamie, I love you well
Source: Greig, Folk-Song of the North-East art. CLXXV
------------------------------
The Sailor Boy
Roud Folksong Index (S220487)
First Line: Oh what a foolish young girl was I
Source: Folktracks FSA 099 (`The Knife in the Window')
Performer: Howard, Louisa
Date: 1956 (13 Jul)
Place: England : Suffolk : Thorpeness
Collector: Kennedy, Peter
FTX-099 - YOUNG RAMBLEAWAY--SEVEN SUFFOLK SINGERS
27 songs (2 of them variants) recorded in Suffolk from Louisa & Ernie Howard, at Thorpeness, and Annie & John Markwell, from Lowestoft, both had husbands who played melodeon for them. Alec Bloomfield and his uncle, Harry List, from Framlingham, gamekeeper & molecatcher, had a very important repertoire of old ballads. Woodbridge singer, Herbert Last, has some amusing songs of the Music Hall type. The Brightwells, Velvet and his son, Jumbo, were star performers at "The Eels Foot", Eastbridge, near Leiston.
Louisa Howard & Annie Markwell rec by Peter Kennedy 1956:-
1. THE SAILOR BOY (or DIED FOR LOVE) Louisa Howard with Ernie (melodeon) talk before & after - 1'45"
--------------
Gardham: The longest version I have of 18828 the English 'Died for Love' which I think probably derives from 'Butcher Boy'. It invariably uses the tune of the American 'Blue-eyed Boy'. I have no versions that predate WWII. The page is from my book 'An East Riding Songster, 1982. My uncle and my sister sang slightly shorter versions. The tune is from my uncle's version. There is another version of the same length in Kennedy, p. 381.
Sod's Operas over here in WWII,
English 'Died for Love' Roud 18828, is basically the same tune as the American 'Blue-eyed Boy' Roud 18831.
I Wish, I Wish [Sweet William] - sung by Mrs Hughes Rowland of Herefordshire. Recorded by her husband for Mary Ella Leather on Oct. 18, 1905. Mrs Hughes Rowland learned it about 1875 from an am who was then over 65 years old.
I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain,
I wish I was a maid again;
A maid again I shall never be
Till an apple grows on an orange tree.
[post Craog S.]There is a song, THE QUEEN OF HEARTS, which is of Scottish origin, and relates to the marriage of Elizabeth, who was the elder sister of James I of England, and a very nice person, to the ELector of Hanover, who was a complete pillock save for the fact that Elizabeth loved him dearly. The Queen of hearts does not come with the chorus - Martin Carthy did a very nice version - I know my love is later, Irish, and sets the same events into a more common surrounding. While I know my love is more commonly known, much of the sentiment and meaning (Jacobite in nature) is lost in it
Instrumental melody in the Stanford-Petrie collection no. 811, "I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain," and there are two fragments in Bunting 1796.
A different broadside also "Effects of Love" [one stanza is in ballad title Betsy Watson in GlosTrad site] has traditional ballads titled Miss Betsy Watson/ also called Sarah Wilson (print). See also Sabine Baring-Gould Manuscript Collection (SBG/1/3/511). The GlosTRad site has a version of Brisk Young Lover titled Bessie Watson after Roud title-- it has only the first stanza of the "Bessie Watson" ballad. The name in this version is actually Betsy Williams.
The chorus or opening stanza of one of the Scottish love songs "I love You Jamie" appears to b taken from first stanza of Nelly's Constancy:
I lov’d you dearly I loved you well
I loved you dear(ly) no tongue can tell.
You love another, you love not me
You care not for my company.
Several Scottish variants have borrowed the first stanza of The Young-man's Lamentation; His Passionate Complaint of his Unconstant Lover; Together with his Resolution to leave her who scornfully slighted him. printed by Busby, Deacon, Blare and Back, c.1690.
1. Meeting's a pleasure,
But parting's a grief,
An Unconstant Lover
Is worse than a Thief;
A Thief he can Rob me,
And take what I have,
But an Unconstant Lover
Will bring me to the Grave.
Butterworth, George : Songs from A Shropshire Lad / Folk Songs from Sussex (English Song, Vol. 20) tune Mr. Ford, Text Mrs. Cranstone:
[7] A brisk young sailor courted me
A brisk young sailor courted me,
He stole away my liberty,
He won my heart with a free good-will,
He’s false, I know, but I love him still.
There is an alehouse in yonder town,
Where my love goes and sits him down,
He takes another girl on his knee,
And don’t you think that’s a grief to me?
A grief to me! I’ll tell you why,
Because she’s got more gold than I,
Her gold will waste and her beauty blast,
And she’ll become like me at last.
O what a foolish girl was I
To give my heart to a sailor boy,
A sailor boy although he be,
I love him better than he loves me.
Notice that Butterworth's fourth stanza is not part of Mrs. Cranstone text (see below)!
[two different song wit the same title]:
George Privett-- Sailor Boy 1974
A Hampshire Collection
Traditional songs and tunes collected by Gwilym and Carol Davies
Hedingham Fair Publications, ISBN 978-0-9556475-4-3, pp.33, A4
One version begins: My love is like a sailor boy,
I love
If I only had the one I love, I love
he belongs
-----------------------------------
Ralph Vaughan Williams Manuscript Collection (at British Library) (RVW2/5/24)
Died For Love
First Line: [no text]
Performer: Broomfield, Mr.
Date: 4 Dec 1903
Place: England : Essex : West Hornden
Collector: Vaughan Williams, Ralph
Mr. Broomfield, woodman, of Ingrave (Essex)
------------------
Lucy Broadwood Manuscript Collection (LEB/7/37/5) [has one verse in common]
Shule Agra
First Line: I wished I was in yonder hill
Performer: [Geary, Bridget] [Geary, Michael]
Date: [1906]
Place: [Ireland : County Waterford]
Collector: Broadwood, Lucy E.
-----------------
The Rambling Boy
Roud Broadside Index (B153231)
First Line: I am a raking rambling boy
Source: 'The Rambling Boy, to which is added..' (British Library 11622.df.34.(15))
Roud No: 18830
Format: Chapbook
Src Contents: Text
Other nums:
Printer/Publisher: W. Goggin (Limerick) [c1790?]
-----------------------------
Melody Sheet Music Lyrics Midi [source not given or verified- online Google books]
By Richard Hewlett
A bold young farmer courted me,
He stole my heart and my liberty,
He stole my heart without free good will,
And i must confess that I love him still.
---------------------------------------
I WISH, I WISH 2 (Died in Vain)
Grainger coll. 1906 from Ron Clarke Songbook online [source not verified; he is unable to provide source at this time]
http://mysongbook.de/mtb/r_clarke/songs/iwish.htm
A bold young farmer courted me,
He stole away my liberty,
He stole my heart with a free good will,
Although he's false, I love him still.
There is a flower, I've heard them say,
That's called heartsease by night and day.
I wish I could that flower find,
Would ease my heart and troubled mind.
Down in the meadows she did run,
A-gathering flowers as they sprung,
Some she plucked and some she pulled,
Until she had her apron full.
When first I wore my apron low,
He followed me through frost and snow,
But now my apron strings won't pin
He passes by and says nothing.
I wish to God my babe was born,
And smiling on his daddy's knee,
And I was dead and in my grave,
And the green grass growing over me.
I wish, I wish, but all in vain,
I wish I was a maid again,
But a maid again I cannot be
Since that a young farmer lay still by me.
There is a bird on yonder tree,
Some say he's blind and cannot see.
I wish it had been the same with me
Before that I met with your company.
Tune coll. by Percy Grainger, 1906; "widespread in Britain."
-----------------------------------
The Sailor Boy
Roud Folksong Index (S220487)
First Line: Oh what a foolish young girl was I
Source: Folktracks FSA 099 (`The Knife in the Window')
Performer: Howard, Louisa
Date: 1956 (13 Jul)
Place: England : Suffolk : Thorpeness
Collector: Kennedy, Peter
Roud No: 60
---------------
A Brisk Young Lover [reprint of Sharp]
Roud Folksong Index (S139563)
First Line: Brisk young lover came courting me, A
Source: Reeves, Idiom of the People (1958) pp.90-92
Performer:
Date:
Place:
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J.
Roud No: 60
------
The Sailor's Lament
Roud Folksong Index (S321058)
First Line: Ma came home from work one night
Source: Scott, A Collector's Songbook (1993) p.7
Performer: Beck, Ian
Date:
Place: Australia
Collector: Scott, Alan
Roud No: 60
-------
Mavourneen Slaun [Shuile Agra] [Shule ]
Roud Folksong Index (S335680)
First Line: I wish, I wish, I wish in vain
Source: Fred Hamer MSS (Vaughan Williams Memorial Library) FH/4/3/47
Performer: Murray, Dennis
Date: [c1946-1968]
Place: Ireland : Co. Cork
Collector: Hamer, Fred
Roud No: 495
----------------------
Died For Love
Roud Folksong Index (S173417)
First Line: All you young girls, where'er you be
Source: BBC recording 24837
Performer: Cinnamond, Robert
Date: 1955 (Aug)
Place: N. Ireland
Collector: O Boyle, Sean
Roud No: 60
---------------------
Apron Strings
Roud Folksong Index (S325397)
First Line: Oh when my aperon strings were low
Source: Anne Gilchrist MSS Collection (Vaughan Williams Memorial Library) AGG/3/59g
Performer:
Date:
Place:
Collector: Gilchrist, Anne G.
Roud No: 60
---------------------------------------------
"Kirsty" Susan Hutchison (cousin of Davie Stewart?) rec by PK (see Davie STEWART)
May BRADLEY, rec byFred Hamer, Ludlow, Salop: EFDSS VWML-003 1989 cass "The Willow Tree"
Ruth BURDON of Sandwich, Kent rec herself on cassette Feb 1982: CASS-90-0626 (frag) "Hanging by a rope" - Caitriona Ni Cheannabhain (unacc) Galway CIC 013 CASS-0900 -
-----------------------
Died For Love
Roud Folksong Index (S173420)
First Line: In yonder wood there stands an alehouse
Source: BBC recording 23099
Performer: O'Connor, Frank
Date: 1956 (23 Jul)
Place: England : Cambridgeshire : Friday Bridge
Collector: Kennedy, Peter
Roud No: 60
--------------------
Died For Love
Roud Folksong Index (S142606)
First Line: There is a flower as I've heard say
Source: Plunkett Collection (Sussex Texts typescript)
Performer: Glew, Ernest
Date: 1957 - 1960
Place: England : Sussex : North Bersted
Collector: Plunkett, Mervyn
Roud No: 60
______________________________
Died For Love
Roud Folksong Index (S328246)
First Line:
Source: Ralph Vaughan Williams MSS Collection (British Library 54189) Vol.1, MS bk 1, p.43; RVW2/1/18
Performer: Tavers, James?
Date:
Place: England : Suffolk (?)
Collector: Vaughan Williams, Ralph
Roud No: 60
------------------------------
The Alehouse-
Elizabeth Cronin of Macroom, Co. Cork, singing this song as The Alehouse was included on the anthology Sailormen and Servingmaids (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 6; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1970).
Elizabeth Cronin Singer
Wikipedia Born: 1879 Died: 1956 Elizabeth "Bess" Cronin was an Irish singer who specialized in traditional music. Born in West Cork, the daughter of Seán Ó hIarlaithe, a schoolteacher, she lived in the Baile Bhuirne area all her life. She spent her teenage years on her uncle's farm nearby. She married Seán Ó Croinin and they lived at Carraig an Adhmaid, Ballymakeera.
--------------
Small Birds Whistle, the (old Ireland Free)
Roud Folksong Index (S393989)
First Line: [I wish I wish but it's all in vain]
Source: Ken Stubbs Field Collection (tape 9) KS-09-2-19
Performer: Smith, Geoff / Smith, Bill (Mousey)
Date: 1967
Place: England
Collector: Stubbs, Ken
Roud No: 495
----------------------------
Airman's Song Book, p 126 by C Ward Jackson and Leighton Lucas.
---------------------
Died For Love
Roud Folksong Index (S173418)
First Line: I wish, I wish my child was born
Source: BBC recording 22158
Performer: Baxter, Ben
Date: 1955 (Nov)
Place: England : Norfolk : Southrepps
Collector: Ennis, Seamus
Roud No: 60
----------------
Brisk Young Sailor
Roud Folksong Index (S139573)
First Line:
Source: Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.320)
Performer: Collett, John
Date: 1907 (17 Nov)
Place: England : Gloucestershire : Stanton
Collector: Grainger, Percy
Roud No: 60
-----------------
The Working Man
Roud Folksong Index (S256947)
First Line:
Source: Gwilym Davies Collection
Performer: Collins, Brian Jumper
Date: 1984
Place: Great Britain (Royal Navy) (Cyprus)
Collector: Davies, Gwilym
---------------
Sailor Boy
Roud Folksong Index (S250764)
First Line:
Source: Gwilym Davies Collection
Performer: Unknown singer
Date: 1988 (5 Mar)
Place: England : Gloucestershire : Cromhall
Collector: Davies, Gwilym
Roud No: 60
------------------
A Sailor's Song
Roud Folksong Index (S220554)
First Line: Man came home from work one night, A
Source: Keeping, Cockney Ding Dong p.124
Performer:
Date:
Place: England : London
Collector: Keeping, Charles
Roud No: 60
----------------------
Oh If My Heart Was Made of Glass [?]
Roud Folksong Index (S325193)
First Line: Oh if my heart was made of glass
Source: Lucy Broadwood MSS (Vaughan Williams Memorial Library) LEB/4/144
Performer:
Date: 1860s
Place:
Collector: Kidson, Frank
Roud No: 495
------------------------------
Shannon Water, The; Or, Mabel Kelly [melody- no text]
Roud Folksong Index (S251351)
First Line: I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain
Source: Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society 27 (1930) pp.110-111
Performer:
Date:
Place: Ireland
Collector: Bunting, Edward
Roud No: 495
--------------------
Butcher boy sung by Melcena SMITH & Elias FAZER rec by John Storm Roberts, Tortola, Virgin Islands 1982: ROOT & BRANCH #1 EFDSS 1999.