Lord Randall- Ritchie (KY) c.1959 Folkways REC
[From: Folkways Recording FW02302_204 1960, Child Ballads Volume 2, 1960 as sung by Jean Ritchie. Also on A Folk Concert in Town Hall, New York Jean Ritchie, Oscar Brand and David Sear FW02428.
The 1960 Folkways recording (Child Ballads) is sung a cappella by Jean and the liner notes say: "Jean's version, learned from her Uncle Jason, is similar to many of the versions collected in the Southern Appalachians."
This attribution sends up a red flag for me. This signals to me that this possibly is an arrangement and may not be traditional- but you can never be sure, so we'll examine the melody and text. Jean certainly learned ballads from books and had access to books and recordings. However, the ballads needed to be traditional as sung from her family. At this point she had traveled to England and done some field collecting and had begun her recording career- now she needed more Child ballads. I'd venture guess that this version was not traditional among her sisters and the melody is very similar to Lord Randal as recorded by Artus Moser, also on Folkways in 1955. Moser's version is taken from an "old lady" in North Carolina. But Moser's text is very close to Jean's but Jean has an added an ending verse. The key stanzas for comparison are the first- "wildwood" very rarely used, Child A has "greenwood" --very few US versions have "wildwood" and in the third stanza compare "bloodhounds" again rare. The fourth stanza also is very similar. Of course it's possible this is just a coincidence, but why are the melodies the same. The most obvious similarity is the titles, they are the same- traditional version titled Lord Randall are also rare (also both spelled "Randall" with two l's).
Cf. Lord Randall, Folkways Recording 02112, by Artus Moser, 1955. Cf. Lord Randal- Eva Case (MO) 1916 Belden C
R. Matteson 2014]
Lord Randall- As sung by Jean Ritchie; Folkways REC, 1960
Oh, where have you been, Lord Randall my son,
Oh where have you been, my handsome young one?
I've been to the wildwood, mother make my bed soon
For I'm weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.
Where did you get dinner, Lord Randall my son,
Where did you get dinner, my handsome young man?
I dined with my true love, mother make my bed soon
For I'm weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.
What did you eat for your dinner, Lord Randall my son,
What did you eat for your dinner, my handsome young nan?
I had eels boiled in broth, mother make my bed soon
For I'm weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.
What's become of your bloodhounds, Lord Randall my son,
What's become of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?
Oh they swelled and they died, mother make my bed soon
For I'm weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.
Oh I fear you are poisoned, Lord Randall my son,
I fear you are poisoned, my handsome young man.
Oh yes I am poisoned, mother make my bed soon
For I'm weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.
What will you leave your old father, Lord Randall my son,
What Will you leave your father, my handsome young man?
MY castle and land,mother make my bed soon
For I'm weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.
What'll you leave your old mother, Lord Randall my son,
What'll you leave your old mother, my handsome young man?
MY gold and my silver,mother make my bed soon
For I'm weary with hunting and I fain would lie down.
What'll you leave your own true love, Lord Randall my son,
What'll you leave your own true love, my handsome young man?
Oh I'll leave her hell fire, mother make my bed soon
For it's now I am dying and I got to lie down.