Henry my Son- Fred Jordan (Shrop) 1964 Yates
[From the Musical Traditions 2004 recording, The Birds Upon the Tree (MTCD333), recorded by Mike Yates. His notes follow and are at the bottom of this page.
R. Matteson 2018]
The late Fred Jordan must be one of the best-known English country singers today. He was 'discovered' by the BBC in 1952 and, for the rest of his life, he continued to delight audiences throughout the length and breadth of the country. I first recorded Fred at his home in 1965. Some of these recordings, together with many others, have been lovingly assembled by John Howson who has issued them on a superb double CD A Shropshire Lad (Veteran VTD148CD).
Henry my Son- sung by Fred Jordan of Washwell Cottage, Corve Dale, Shropshire, 1964.
"Where have you been all day, Henry my son?
Where have you been all day, my beloved one?'
'In the meadow, in the meadow.
Oh, make my bed, I've a pain in my head,
And I want to lie down.'
'Who gave you poison berries, Henry my son?
Who gave you poisoned berries, my beloved one?'
'Sister, mother. Sister, mother.
Make my bed, I've a pain in my head,
And I want to lie down.'
'What will you give your father, Henry my son?
'What will you give your father, my beloved one?'
A rope to hang him, a rope to hang him.
Make my bed, I've a pain in my head,
And I want to lie down.'
'What will you give your mother, Henry my son?
'What will you give your mother, my beloved one?'
'All my jewels, all my jewels.
Make my bed, I've a pain in my head,
And I want to lie down.'
'How will you have your grave, Henry my son?
How will you have your grave, my beloved one?'
'Deep and narrow, deep and narrow.
Oh, make my bed, I've a pain in my head,
And I want to lie down.'
Professor Child called this Lord Randal and gives over a dozen examples. Attempts have been made in the past to try to tie this ballad to an actual event, usually to the family of Ranulf, sixth Earl of Chester (d.1232), but as it is known in one form or another all over Europe, this has never been successful. Child noted that the ballad was popular in Italy c.1629, so it is probably quite an old story. Like the ballad Edward (Roud 200. Child 13), we have little idea of what actually lies behind this apparently motiveless murder. Not that this has bothered singers, who continue to enjoy the piece. Usually we find that the ballad's victim has been poisoned by eating either 'sma fish', snakes or eels. But Fred's version, with its 'poison berries', reminds us of another Shropshire version, Ray Driscoll's The Wild, Wild Berry (EFDSS CD02 A Century of Song). There are quite a number of other versions available at the moment, including those by George Spicer (MTCD 311-2), George Dunn (MTCD 317-8), Gordon Hall (Country Branch CBCD095) and Joe Heaney (Topic TSCD518D - this latter being sung in Irish). Jeannie Robertson's superb version, Lord Donald, is regretfully only available in a truncated form (along with similar versions from Elizabeth Cronin, Thomas Moran, Colm McDonagh and Eirlys & Eddis Thomas) on the CD Classic Ballads of Britain & Ireland - volume 1 (Rounder CD 1775).