I Wish, I Wish- Cecilia Costello (Birm) 1951 REC

I Wish, I Wish- Cecilia Costello (Birm) 1951 REC

[From Cecilia Costello "Old Fashioned Songs" (MTCD363-4). Liner notes follow. Recorded by Marie Slocombe and Patrick Shuldham-Shaw, 30.11.51. See also Penguin Book Of English Folk Songs.

R. Matteson 2017]


I Wish, I Wish- sung by Cecilia Costello. Recorded by Marie Slocombe and Patrick Shuldham-Shaw, 30.11.51

 I wish, I wish, but it's all in vain,
 I wish I were a maid again;
 But a maid again I never shall be
 Till apples grow on an orange tree.

 I wish my baby it was born,
 And smiling on its papa's knee,
 And I to be in yon churchyard,
 With long green grass growing over me.

 When my apron-strings hung low,
 He followed me through frost and snow,
 But now my apron's to my chin,
 He passes by and says nothing.

 Oh grief, oh grief, I'll tell you why -
 That girl has more gold than I;
 More gold than I and beauty and fame,
 But she will come like me again.

____________________________

Cecilia Costello (bio
24.10.1884 – 20.4.1976
Cecilia Costello (née Kelly) was born in 8, Court 2, Pershore Street, behind the Bull Ring, Birmingham, on October 24th 1884.  ‘Ciss’ was the youngest of ten children- five boys and five girls. Her mother (Margaret Kelly, née Higgins), was from Galway (and said to be related to Ned Kelly, the bushranger) and her father (Edward) from Ballinasloe in County Roscommon.    They  moved  to  Birmingham, coming  across,  as  did  many,  on  the boats to escape the poverty and unemployment in their home land.  They lived at various  addresses  in  Birmingham:  7  Court  4,  Allison  Street;  6/85  Dean  Place, Pershore Street; Park Street; Coventry Street; Milk Street; Great Hope Street.

Notes:  It’s rather surprising that this song, made up of some of the most common floating verses  in  the  canon,  should  have  only  39  Roud  entries,  and  that  almost  all  the named singers are very well known.  Most come from England and Scotland, with just a handful from Ireland and North America. Although  seemingly  a  distinct  song  in  its  own  right, I  Wish,  I  Wish  comprises  a number of verses that can also be found in a group of songs which include Since Love Has Brought me to Despair(Roud 60. Laws P25) and In Sheffield Park (Roud 860). Three American versions from Madison County, NC, can be heard on the CD Dark Holler – Old Love Songs and Ballads (Smithsonian –Folkways SFW CD 40159). The  songs  are When  I  Wore  My  Apron  Low (sung  by  Dellie  Norton), Love  Has Brought  Me  to  Despair (sung  by  Berzilla  Wallin)  and I  Wish  My  Baby  Was  Born (sung  by  Dillard  Chandler).  The  version  of  Wish  My  Baby  Was  Born that  was heard  in  the  movie Cold  Mountain was  based  on  the  Chandler  set.  The  Carter Family recorded a version as Carter’s Blues in 1929 (reissued on JSP box set The Carter Family. 1927 – 1934. (JSPCD7701).
Other  recordings  available  on  CD:  Lizzie  Higgins  (MTCD  337-8);  George  Dunn (MTCD  317-8);  Walter  Pardon  (MTCD  305-6  and  TSCD  665);  Jeannie  Robertson (Rounder 1720).