Recordings & Info 75. Lord Lovel
[The first extant version dated February 1765 entitled, The Ballad of Lady Hounsibelle and Lord Lovel, was enclosed with a letter from Horace Walpole to Thomas Percy. After Percy's papers were acquired at an auction by the British Museum this ballad was discovered in a volume of Walpole's letters and was first published in 1904 several years after Child's death.
It's important to note that Walpole learned this ballad 25 years before he wrote this letter to Percy with the enclosed ballad. Therefore the date would be 1740.
The letter and ballad text are found in my collection in English and Other Versions and also attached to Recordings & Info (this page).
R. Matteson 2013]
CONTENTS:
1) Alternative Titles
2) Traditional Ballad Index
3) Folk Index
4) Child Collection Index
5) Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
6) Wiki
7) Mainly Norfolk (lyrics and info)
8) Parody: Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate- Traditional Ballad Index
9) Parody: Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate (Virginia Text)
10) Origin: phrase found in Lord Lovel, 'salt sea sand.'
11) Cazden's comments from "Folk Songs of the Catskills"
ATTACHED PAGES: (see left hand column)
1) Roud Number 48: Lord Lovel (350 Listings)
2) Brown Collection
Alternative Titles
Lord Lovinder
Lady Nancy
Lady Nancy Bell
Lord Lovel (Lovell, Lowell, Lovinder, Leven, Lover, etc.)
Lord Lovel and (Lady) Nancy Bell (Nancibell)
Lord Lovel and Lady Nancy
Nancy Bell and Lord Lover
Traditional Ballad Index: Lord Lovel [Child 75]
DESCRIPTION: (Lord Lovel) is setting out on a voyage. (Lady Nancy) begs him not to go, but he is determined. Soon after he reaches his destination, he misses Nancy and turns for home. He finds that she has died for love of him. He proceeds to do the same
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1770 (Percy)
KEYWORDS: separation love death travel
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber,Bord,Hebr),England(All)) US(Ap,MA,MW,NE,Ro,SE,So) Canada(Mar) Ireland
REFERENCES (46 citations):
Child 75, "Lord Lovel" (11 texts, 1 tune) {Bronson's #1}
Bronson 75, "Lord Lovel" (71 versions+3 in addenda)
GlenbuchatBallads, pp. 127-128, "Lord Lovell" (1 text)
Lyle-Crawfurd1 20, "Lord Level" (1 text)
Williams-Thames, pp. 145-146, "Lord Lovel" (1 text) (also Wiltshire-WSRO Wt 371)
BarryEckstormSmyth pp. 139-148, "Lord Lovel" (3 texts plus 1 fragment, 2 tunes); p. 482 (additional notes) {Bronson's #36, #48}
Belden, pp. 52-54, "Lord Lovel" (1 text plus reference to 5 more; also texts of two Civil War parodies, the first of which, Ga, is "The New Ballad of Lord Lovell")
Randolph 17, "Lord Lovel" (2 texts, 1 tune) {Bronson's #38}
Randolph/Cohen, pp. 34-37, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 17A) {Bronson's #38}
Eddy 13, "Lord Lovel" (5 texts plus an excerpt, 4 tunes; the "E" text has its first line from "The New Ballad of Lord Lovell (Mansfield Lovell)" but is still this song) {Bronson's #30, #46, #59, #68}
Gardner/Chickering 6, "Lord Lovel" (1 text plus mention of 2 more, 1 tune) {Bronson's #63}
Peters, pp. 202-203, "Lord Lovell" (1 text, 1 tune)
Flanders/Brown, pp. 215-216, "Lord Lovell" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #22}
Flanders-Ancient2, pp. 148-173, "Lord Lovell" (12 texts plus a fragment, 5 tunes) {L=Bronson's #22}
Linscott, pp. 233-235, "Lord Lovell" (1 text, 1 tune)
Davis-Ballads 20, "Lord Lovel" (12 texts plus 3 fragments, of which "M" may not be this song; 4 tunes; 21 more versions mentioned in Appendix A) {Bronson's #18, #9, #45, #5}
Davis-More 20, pp. 146-151, "Lord Lovel" (3 texts, 3 tunes)
BrownII 21, "Lord Lovel" (2 texts plus 2 excerpts and mention of 3 more)
Chappell-FSRA 11, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #62}
Hudson 12, pp. 90-91, "Lord Lovel" (1 text)
Ritchie-Southern, pp. 16-17, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune)
Boswell/Wolfe 12, pp. 24-25, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune)
Scarborough-SongCatcher, pp. 99-102, "Lord Lovell" (2 texts plus a fragment; 2 tunes on pp. 389-390) {Bronson's #8, #25}
Scarborough-NegroFS, pp. 55-56, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #14}
Brewster 12, "Lord Lovel" (7 texts, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #58, #41}
SharpAp 21 "Lord Lovel" (3 texts plus 2 fragments, 5 tunes){Bronson's #33, #34, #6, #47, #7}
Sharp-100E 26, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #11}
Creighton/Senior, pp. 41-43, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #40, #39}
Leach, pp. 250-252, "Lord Lovel" (2 texts)
Friedman, p. 97, "Lord Lovel" (2 texts, but the "B" text is "Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate")
OBB 155, "Lord Lovell" (1 text)
FSCatskills 33, "In Search of Silver and Gold" (1 text, 1 tune -- a facsimile of an "improved" version by George K. Hamilton which provides a happy ending for the piece)
McNeil-SFB1, pp. 93-95, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune)
Niles 30, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune)
Sandburg, p. 70, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #12}
Lomax-FSNA 209, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune)
LPound-ABS, 2, pp. 4-6, "Lord Lovel"; pp. 6-7, "Lord Lover" (2 texts)
JHCox 12, "Lord Lovel" (3 text plus mention of two more)
JHCoxIIA, #8A-C, pp. 32-37, "Lord Lovell," "Lord Lovell" (3 texts, 1 tune, but the "C" text is "The New Ballad of Lord Lovell (Mansfield Lovell)") {Bronson's #61}
Greig #159, p. 1, "Lord Lovel" (1 text)
GreigDuncan6 1232, "Lord Lovel" (8 texts, 7 tunes) {A=Bronson's #3? (Bronson prints no text), B=#4, E=#31}
MacSeegTrav 9, "Lord Lovel" (1 text, 1 tune)
Munnelly/Deasy-Lenihan 38, "Lord Levett" (1 text, 1 tune)
Darling-NAS, pp. 44-46, "Lord Lovell" (1 text, plus texts of "Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate" and "The New Ballad of Lord Lovell")
Silber-FSWB, p. 178, "Lord Lovel" (1 text)
DT 75, LORDLOVL
Roud #48
RECORDINGS:
Winifred Bundy, "Lord Lovel" (AFS, 1941; on LC55)
Nora Cleary, "Lord Levett" (on IRClare01)
Ethel Findlater, "Lord Lovel[l]" (on FSB4, FSBBAL1)
Tom Lenihan, "Lord Levett" (on IRTLenihan01)
Lucindia Perkins, "Lord Lovell" (on JThomas01)
Frank Proffitt, "Lord Lovel" (on FProffitt01)
Jean Ritchie, "Lord Lovel" (on JRitchie01)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(2205), "Lord Lovel" ("Lord Lovel he stood at his castle gate"), J. Pitts (London), 1833-1851; also 2806 c.13(214), Firth c.21(17), Johnson Ballads 550 [some words illegible], Harding B 11(2204), Harding B 11(955), Harding B 26(380), "Lord Lovel"; Harding B 26(380), "Lord Lovel and Nancy Bell"
LOCSinging, as108050, "Lord Lovel" ("Lord Lovel stood at his castle gate"), J. Andrews (New York), 1853-1859
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Lily Lee" (plot)
cf. "Bright Phoebe" (plot)
cf. "Mother, Mother, Make My Bed" (floating verses)
cf. "Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate" (lyrics, form)
cf. "The New Ballad of Lord Lovell (Mansfield Lovell)" (lyrics, form)
SAME TUNE:
Sam Cowell (BarryEckstormSmyth p. 147; cf. the notes to "Billy Barlow (II)")
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Lord Lovinder
NOTES: Although Child treated this as an entirely serious ballad, Bronson calls it "too too insipid," and believes it survives only because of its tune.
Comic versions are common. Sandy Paton states that Child refused to print a comic text that came to his attention. Cazden et al state that "At least nine of the versions compiled by Bronson may be identified as comic [and we note that many others might be but are fragmentary]"; they find a comic version in America as early as 1836. Numerous other parodies, comic versions, and rewrites are also listed. - RBW
Broadside LOCSinging as108050: J. Andrews dating per Studying Nineteenth-Century Popular Song by Paul Charosh in American Music, Winter 1997, Vol 15.4, Table 1, available at FindArticles site. - BS
Folk Index: Lord Lovel/Lovell/Lovelle/Loven/Lover [Ch 75/Sh 21]
Rt - Lord Duneagle ; In Search of Silver and Gold ; Mother, Mother Make My Bed
At - Lord Lovel and Nancy Bell
Rm - Liverpool ; Land of Rest ; Dulcimer
Pb - Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate ; Lord Lovel Parody
Sandburg, Carl (ed.) / American Songbag, Harcourt, Sof (1955/1928), p 70
de Ville, Paul (ed.) / Concertina and How To Play It, Carl Fischer, sof (1905), # 26
Friedman, Albert B. (ed.) / Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English-S, Viking, sof (1963/1957), p 97 [1840s]
Home Spun Songs, Treasure Chest, Fol (1935), p 8 (Nancy Bell)
Boni, Margaret Bradford (ed.) / Fireside Book of Folk Songs, Simon & Schuster, Bk (1947), p 96
Leisy, James F. (ed.) / Folk Song Abecedary, Bonanza, Bk (1966), p219
Leach, MacEdward / The Ballad Book, Harper & Row, Bk (1955), p250
Leach, MacEdward / The Ballad Book, Harper & Row, Bk (1955), p252 [1800s]
Bancroft, Margaret C.. Scarborough, Dorothy(ed.) / A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, AMS, Bk (1966/1937), p 99 [1930ca]
Boone, Sina. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, I, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p149/# 21E [1918/09/28]
Brown, Susan. Songs and Ballads of Hattie Mae Tyler Cargill, Folk Legacy CD 128, CD (2001), trk# 9
Bryant, Larkin. Bryant, Larkin / Larkin's Dulcimer Book, Ivory Palaces, Fol (1982), p59
Bugg, June. Hootenanny Folk Festival, Palace 757, LP (1964), trk# A.03
Bullard, Linnie. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume I, British Ballads and Songs, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p115/# 17B [1925/11/10]
Bundy, Winifred. Folk Music From Wisconsin, Rounder 1521, CD (2001), trk# 3 [1941/04]
Callahan, Clara. Scarborough, Dorothy(ed.) / A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, AMS, Bk (1966/1937), p100,389 [1930]
Cannon, Lenora. Hubbard, Lester A. / Ballads and Songs from Utah, Univ. of Utah, Bk (1961), p 17/# 8A [1950/12/16]
Cutting, Edith. Thompson, Harold W.(ed.) / Body, Boots & Britches, Dover, Bk (1962/1939), p380 [1930s]
Daley, Susie Evans. Moore, Ethel & Chauncey (ed.) / Ballads and Folk Songs of the Southwest, Univ. of Okla, Bk (1964), p 57/# 20 [1940s] (Lord Lovel and Lady Nanca Bell)
Davidson, Esther. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume I, British Ballads and Songs, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p113/# 17A [1927/02/03]
Day, James William (Jilson Setters). Thomas, Jean & Joseph Leeder / Singin' Gatherin', Silver Burdette, Bk (1939), p29 [1932]
Findlater, Ethel. Folk Songs of Britain, Vol 4. The Child Ballads, I, Caedmon TC 1145, LP (1961), trk# B.05 [1950s]
Fitzgerald, Philander. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, I, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p147/# 21B [1918/05/07]
Galt, Nellie. Folk Songs of America. The Robert Winslow Gordon Collection...., Library of Congress AFS L68, LP (1978), trk# 14a [1928?] (Milk White Stead)
Gant Family. Lomax, Alan / Folk Songs of North America, Doubleday Dolphin, Sof (1975/1960), p401/#209
Gear, Jeanetta. Pound, Louise (ed.) / American Ballads and Songs, Scribner, Sof (1972/1922), p 6/# 2B [1914]
Griffin, Mrs. G. A.. Morris, Alton C. / Folksongs of Florida, Univ. Florida, Bk (1950), p273/#158A [1934-39]
Groves, Maude. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p 81/# 12C [1915]
Hardaman, Mary. Cox, John Harrington(ed.) / Traditional Ballads Mainly from West Virgini, WPA, Bk (1939), 8B [1925ca]
Hays, Lucile. Cox, John Harrington(ed.) / Traditional Ballads Mainly from West Virgini, WPA, Bk (1939), 8A [1916ca]
Henry, Violet. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, I, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p148/# 21C [1917/05/21]
Hewitt, Emma. Cox, John Harrington(ed.) / Traditional Ballads Mainly from West Virgini, WPA, Bk (1939), 8A [1924]
Heywood, Heather. Some Kind of Love, Greentrax 010, CD (1994/1987), trk# 2
Hughes, Ida M.. Morris, Alton C. / Folksongs of Florida, Univ. Florida, Bk (1950), p276/#158C [1934-39]
Hundley, Holley. Folksongs and Ballads, Vol 3, Augusta Heritage AHR 009, Cas (1991), trk# 1.03 [1989/11/08]
Ingersoll, Genevieve. Scarborough, Dorothy(ed.) / A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, AMS, Bk (1966/1937), p102,390 [1930]
Linscott, Jennie Hardy. Linscott, Eloise Hubbard (ed.) / Folk Songs of Old New England, Dover, Bk (1993/1939), p233 [1920-30s]
Lipscomb, Leona DuBois. Wolfe, Charles K.(ed.) / Folk Songs of Middle Tennessee. George Boswell, Univ. Tennesse, Sof (1997), p 24/# 12 [1950s]
Lomax, Alan. Texas Folk Songs, Tradition TLP 1029, LP (1958), trk# 3
Marks, Phyllis. Folksongs and Ballads, Vol 2. Phyllis Marks, Augusta Heritage AHR 008, Cas (1991), trk# 1.01
Mason, S. J.. Pound, Louise (ed.) / American Ballads and Songs, Scribner, Sof (1972/1922), p 4/# 2A [1906/1863]
McAtee, Nancy McDonald. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p 80/# 12B [1920ca]
McSpadden, Lynn. McSpadden, Lynn / Four and Twenty Songs for the Mountain Dulcimer, Dulcimer Shoppe, sof (1970), P25
Niles, John Jacob. Niles, John Jacob / Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles, Bramhall House, Bk (1961), p163/N 30 (Lord Lovat)
Pardon, Walter. English Folk Music Anthology, Folkways FE 38553, LP (1981), trk# 2.03 [1974-1980]
Pierce, Mrs. John. Flanders, Helen H. & George Brown / Vermont Folk Songs and Ballads, Folklore Associates, Bk (1968/1931), p215 [1930]
Pitt, Everett. Up Agin the Mountain, Marimac 9200, Cas (1987/1944), trk# 5 [1949/07/02]
Proffitt, Frank. Memorial Album, Folk Legacy FSA 036, Cas (1968), trk# A.02
Ritchie, Jean. British Traditional Ballads in the Southern Mountains (Vol. 1), Folkways FA 2301, LP (1961), trk# 8
Robertson, Jeannie. Queen Among the Heather, Rounder 1720, CD (1998), trk# 14 [1953/11]
Robertson, Jeannie. Songs of a Scots Tinker Lady, Riverside RLP 12-633, LP (1956), trk# A.06
Roberts, Mrs. Willie. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, I, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p149/# 21D [1918/05/23]
Sanders, Barbara. Rackensack. Volume 2, Rimrock LP 279, LP (1972), trk# B.05
Sands, Mary. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, I, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p146/# 21A [1916/08/03]
Satterfield, Blanche. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p 79/# 12A [1915]
Simmons Family. Stone County Dulcimer, Dancing Doll DLP 112, LP (197?), trk# 2.07
Smith, Alice Louise. Morris, Alton C. / Folksongs of Florida, Univ. Florida, Bk (1950), p274/#158B [1935]
Song Spinners. Johnson, Margaret & Travis (eds) / Early American Songs from ... the Spi, AMP, Fol (1943), #19
Steele, Mrs. Zephyr. Hubbard, Lester A. / Ballads and Songs from Utah, Univ. of Utah, Bk (1961), p 18/# 8B [1947/08/20]
Stevenson, Nancy McCuddy. McNeil, W. K. (ed.) / Southern Folk Ballads, Vol 1, August House, Sof (1987), p 93 [1953-55]
Wells Family. Wells, Evelyn Kendrick (ed.) / The Ballad Tree, Ronald, Bk (1950), p108 [1900s]
Lord Lovel Parody [Ch 75]
Pd - Lord Lovel/Lovell/Lovelle/Loven/Lover
Mairs, T. J.. Cox, John Harrington(ed.) / Traditional Ballads Mainly from West Virginia, WPA, Bk (1939), 8C [1925]
Child Ballad 075: Lord Lovel
Child No.---Artist--- Title--- Album--- Year--- Length--- Have Recording
075 Alan Lomax Lord Lovell Cowboy Songs of the Old West 1994 3:14 Yes
075 Alan Lomax Lord Lovell Texas Folk Songs 1995 3:13 Yes
075 Andrew King Lord Lovel Deus Ignotus 2011 No
075 Ann Corbin Ball Lord Lovel (1) The Library of Congress No
075 Ann Corbin Ball Lord Lovel (2) The Library of Congress No
075 Anna Fiske Hough Lord Lovel The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
075 Annie Tate Moore Lord Lovel The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
075 Barbara Sanders Lord Lovel The Rackensack, Vol. 2 1972 No
075 Barbara Sanders Lord Lovel The Rackensack 2006 No
075 Bascom Lamar Lunsford Lord Lovel The Library of Congress No
075 Belle Luther Richards Lord Lovel The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
075 Capt. Pearl R. Nye Lord Lovel The Library of Congress No
075 Charlotte Renals Lord Lovell Catch Me If You Can - Songs from Cornish Travellers 2003 2:04 Yes
075 Dan Dutton Lord Lovel Pull, Pick, Pluck 2004 6:51 Yes
075 Dan Zanes Lord Lovel Parades and Panoramas - 25 Songs Collected by Carl Sandburg for the American Songbag 2004 4:16 Yes
075 Dave Burland Lord Lovel A Dalesman's Litany 1971 5:35 Yes
075 Debra Cowan, Acie Cargill & Susan Brown Lord Lovel The Songs and Ballads of Hattie Mae Tyler Cargill 2001 4:00 Yes
075 Dennis Williams Lord Lovel (1) The Helen Creighton Collection No
075 Dennis Williams Lord Lovel (2) The Helen Creighton Collection No
075 Dervish Lord Levett Travelling Show 2007 6:08 Yes
075 Dervish Lord Levett 21 Years - from Stage to Stage 2010 6:19 Yes
075 Dervish Lord Levett Live at the Piazza S. Antonio, Locarno, Switzerland 2008 8:14 Yes
075 Dick & Anne Albin Lord Lovell Red Roses, Green Briars and Milk-White Steeds 1975 3:55 Yes
075 Duncan Williamson Lord Lovatt (1) John Howson Collection 1970-1995 No
075 Duncan Williamson Lord Lovatt (2) John Howson Collection 1970-1995 No
75 Eddie & Finbar Furey Lord Lovell I Live Not Where I Love 1975 6:39 Yes
075 Emily Bishop Lord Lovel BBC Recordings No
075 Emily Bishop Lord Lovel Country Songs & Carols 1975 No
075 Ethel Findlater Lord Lovel BBC Recordings No
075 Ethel Findlater Lord Lovel The Folk Songs of Britain, Vol 4: The Child Ballads 1 1961 2:05 Yes
075 Ethel Findlater Lord Lovel Classic Ballads of Britain & Ireland - Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales, Vol 1 2000 3:22 Yes
075 Ethel Findlater Lord Lovel The Lover's Stone 1975 No
075 Ethel Findlater Lord Lovel The Elfin Knight - The Classic Ballads 1 1976 No
075 Everett Pitt Lord Lover Up Agin the Mountain - Traditional Ballads and Songs from the Eastern Ramapos 1987 No
075 Ewan MacColl Lord Lovel [English] The Long Harvest, Vol. 5 - Some Traditional Ballads in Their English, Scots and North American Variants 1967 2:33 Yes
075 Frank Proffitt Lord Lovel Lord Thomas - Frank Proffitt - 2 1987 No
075 Frank Proffitt Lord Lovell Memorial Album 1968 No
075 Frank Warner Lord Lovel Frank Warner Sings American Folk Songs and Ballads 1952 No
075 Frederick Crossman Lord Lovel BBC Recordings No
075 George Farnham Lord Lovel The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
075 Heather Heywood Lord Lovat Some Kind of Love 1987 4:48 Yes
075 Holly Hundley Lord Lovel Folksongs and Ballads, Vol 3 1991 No
075 Isabel Sutherland Lord Lovat The Licht Bob's Lassie 1975 No
075 J.M. Mullins Lord Lovel The Library of Congress No
075 Jean Ritchie Lord Lovel British Traditional Ballads in the Southern Mountains - Child Ballads, Vol 1 1961 4:43 Yes
075 Jeannie Higgins (Robertson) Lord Lovel (1) BBC Recordings No
075 Jeannie Higgins (Robertson) Lord Lovel (2) BBC Recordings No
075 Jeannie Robertson Lord Lovat What a Voice 1975 No
075 Jeannie Robertson Lord Lovat Songs of a Scots Tinker Lady - Traditional Scots Ballads and Songs 1960 No
075 Jeannie Robertson Lord Lovat The Great Scots Traditional Ballad Singer 1959 5:32 Yes
075 Jeannie Robertson Lord Lovatt The Queen Among the Heather 1998 5:13 Yes
075 Jim Rooney & Rooney's Irregulars Lord Lovell My Own Ignorant Way 2003 No
075 Jimmy (Driftwood) Morris Lord Lovel The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection 2:38 Yes
075 Jimmy Hutchison Lord Lovel Hurrah Boys Hurrah - Old Songs & Bothy Ballads 2011 No
075 John Howson, Katie Howson & Duncan Williamson Lord Lovatt John Howson Collection 1970-1995 No
075 June Bugg Lord Lovel Hootenanny Folk Festival - The Incredible Voice of June Bugg 196? 2:18 Yes
075 Lena Bourne Fish Lord Lovel The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
075 Liza Null Lord Lovell The John Donald Robb Field Recordings 1944-1979 5:00 Yes
075 Lizzie Higgins Lord Lovat In Memory of Lizzie Higgins - 1929-1993 2006 No
075 Lizzie Higgins Lord Lovat Up and Awa' with the Laverock 1975 No
075 Lucindia Perkins Lord Lovell American Folk Song Festival - Jean Thomas, the Traipsin' Woman 1960 2:15 Yes
075 Matt Schwarz Lord Lovell The Lost Way 2003 4:20 Yes
075 Moira Craig Lord Lovat On Ae Bonny Day 2001 2:43 Yes
075 Mrs Cameron Lord Lovel The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
075 Mrs. Eleazar Tillett Lord Lovel Barbaree - Songs from the Outer Banks 1987 No
075 Mrs. G.A. Griffin Lord Lover The Library of Congress No
075 Mrs. Jessie Grindell Lord Lovel The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
075 Mrs. L.L. McDowell Lord Lovel The Library of Congress No
075 Mrs McLain (McLean) Lord Lovel The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
075 Mrs. Myra Barnett Miller Lord Lovel The Library of Congress No
075 Mrs. T.F. Guthrie Lord Lovel (1) The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection - Ozark Folksongs 3:55 Yes
075 Mrs. T.F. Guthrie Lord Lovel (2) The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection - Ozark Folksongs 3:31 Yes
075 Mrs. Theodore Sprague Lord Lovel The Helen Hartness Flanders Collection No
075 Mrs. Theodosia Bonnett Long Lord Lovel The Library of Congress No
075 Mrs. W.B.A. Ritchie Lord Loval The Helen Creighton Collection No
075 Mrs. W.M. Brown Lord Lover The Library of Congress No
075 Nellie Galt Milk White Steed Folk-Songs of America: the Robert Winslow Gordon Collection, 1922-1932 1978 2:39 Yes
075 Nick Hennessey Lord Lovet Of Fire, Wind and Silver Stream 1998 No
075 Nora Cleary Lord Levett Around the Hills of Clare 2004 No
075 Ollie Gilbert Lord Lover The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection 1:09 Yes
075 Ollie Gilbert Molly Bell The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection - Ozark Folksongs 1:09 Yes
075 Peggy Seeger Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate [American] The Long Harvest, Vol. 5 - Some Traditional Ballads in Their English, Scots and North American Variants 1967 1:24 Yes
075 Peggy Seeger Lord Lover [American] The Long Harvest, Vol. 5 - Some Traditional Ballads in Their English, Scots and North American Variants 1967 3:50 Yes
075 Peggy Seeger The New Ballad of Lord Lovel [American] The Long Harvest, Vol. 5 - Some Traditional Ballads in Their English, Scots and North American Variants 1967 :55 Yes
075 Peter Bellamy Lord Lovell Peter Bellamy + Fair Annie 2005 4:06 Yes
075 Phillis Marks Lord Lovell The Gwilym Davies Collection No
075 Phyllis Marks Lord Lovel Folksongs and Ballads, Vol 2 1991 No
075 Rita Emerson Lord Lovell The Gwilym Davies Collection No
075 Rita Weill Lord Duneagle Rita Weill Sings Ballads and Folksongs 1968 6:27 Yes
075 Robin Hall Lord Lovel Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads 1960 No
075 Roy Clinging & Neil Brookes Bold Lovell Another Round 2006 No
075 Sam Bennett Lord Lovell The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
075 Sarah & Rita Keane Lord Donegal Once I Loved - Songs from the West of Ireland 1968 6:56 Yes
075 Singer from Fochabers Lord Lovel The James Madison Carpenter Collection 1927-1955 No
075 Skyboat Lord Lovel + Endless Dreams Ship in Distress 1981 No
075 Spriguns Lord Lovell Revel Weird and Wild 1976 4:52 Yes
075 Stanley Robertson Lord Lovat's Lament Sangs and Ferlies - Gaither in Tae Blaw - Traditional Songs and Stories 1992 5:53 Yes
075 Svea Jansson Kärestans Död Den Medeltida Balladen (The Medieval Ballad) - Folk Songs in Sweden 1995 1:37 Yes
075 Terry Duggins & the Zither Band Lord Lovel in the Storm The Coleman's March - a Tribute to Jean Ritchie 2003 No
075 The Broadsiders Lord Lovell The Broadsiders 1970 3:34 Yes
075 The Love Hall Tryst Lord Lovel Songs of Misfortune 2005 2:35 Yes
075 The Simmons Family Lord Lovelle Ozark Mountain & Stone County Dulcimer Instrumentals 197? No
075 Tom Lenihan Lord Levett The Mount Callan Garland - Songs from the Repertoire of Tom Lenihan, Knockbrack, Miltown Malbay, County Clare 1994 No
075 Tom Lenihan Lord Levett Early Ballads in Ireland 1968-1985 1985 5:13 Yes
075 Unidentified Singer Lord Lovel The Robert Winslow Gordon Collection No
075 Walter Pardon Lord Lovel Put a Bit of Powder on It, Father 2000 No
075 Walter Pardon Lord Lovell An English Folk Music Anthology 1981 4:33 Yes
075 Walter Pardon Lord Lovell (1) Jim Carroll & Pat Mackenzie Collection No
075 Walter Pardon Lord Lovell (2) Jim Carroll & Pat Mackenzie Collection No
075 Walter Pardon Lord Lovell (1) Reg Hall Archive 1953-1977 9:47 Yes
075 Walter Pardon Lord Lovell (2) Reg Hall Archive 1953-1977 3:12 Yes
075 Winifred Bundy Lord Lovel The Library of Congress - Folk Music from Wisconsin 2001 2:30 Yes
Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America
by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
75. LORD LOVEL
Texts: Allan's Lone Star Ballads (Galveston, 1874), 31 / Anderson, Coll Bids Sgs, 27 / Barry, Brit Bids Me, 139 / Beadle's Dime Songs of the Olden Tradition (N.Y., 1863), 13 / Belden, Mo F-S, 52 / Brewster, Bids Sgs 2nd, 79 / Brown Coll / BFSSNE, I, 4 / Bull Tenn FLS, VIII, #3, 61 / Bull U SC, #162, #6 / CFLQ, V, 210 / Chappell, F-S Rnke Alb, 27 / Child, V, 294 / Child Mss. / "Celebrated Lord Lovel and Lady Nancy Bell", Comic Ballad argd by y.C.y.j (Oliver Ditson, Boston, 1857) / Cox, F-S South, 78 / Cox, Trd Bid W Va, 24 / Cox, W. Va. School Journal and Educator, XLIV, 358 / Cutting, Adirondack Cnty, 69 / Davis, Trd
Bid Va, 240 / Eddy, Bids Sgs Ohio, 39 / Everybody's Songster, (Sanford and Lott, Cleveland, 1839) / Flanders, Vt F-S Bids, 215 / Focus, IV, 215 / Gardner, F-L Schoharie Hills, 203 / Gardner and Chickering, Bids Sgs So Mick, 43 / Guiding Song Songster (N.Y., 1865), 84 / Hadaway's Select Songster (Portsmouth, N.H., 1832), 86 / Haun, Cocke Cnty, 91 / Hudson,
F-S Miss, 90 / Hudson, F-T Miss, 16 / Hummel, Oz F-S / Clifton Johnson, What They Say in New England (Boston, 1897), 225 / Jones, F-L Mich, 5 / JAFL, XVIII, 291 ; XIX, 283; XXIII, 381 ; XXVI, 352; XXXV, 343 ; XLVIII, 303 / JFSS, VI, 31 / Linscott, F-S Old NE, 233 / Mason, Cannon Cnty, 16 / McDonald, Selctd F-S Mo, 23 / McGill, F-S Ky Mts, 10 / Minish Mss. / Frank Moore's Personal and Political Ballads (N.Y., 1864), 321 / Frank Moore's Songs of the Soldiers (N.Y., 1864), 174 / Morris, F~S Fla, 417 / Musick, F-L Kirksville, 4 / New Pocket Song Book (N.Y., c. 1860), 20 / New York broadsides: c. 1855, J. Andrews; c. 1860,
H. deMarsan / North American Review, CCXXVIII, 220 / Tony Pastor's New Union Song Book (cop. 1862), 66 / Pound, Am Bids Sgs, 4 / Pound, Nebr Syllabus, 9 / Randolph, OzF-S> I, 1 12 / Randolph, OzMtFlk, 193 / Sandburg, Am Sgbag, 70 / Scarborough, On Trail N F-S, 55 / Scarborough, Sgctchr So Mts, 99 / Sharp C, EngF~S So Aplchns, # 18 / SharpK, EngF-S
So Aplchns, I, 146 / Shay, Drawn from the Wood, 134 / Shoemaker, Mt Mnstly, 146 / Shoemaker, No Pa Mnstly, 140 / Shearin and Combs, Ky Syllabus, 8 / Singer's Own Song Book (Woodstock, Vt., 1838), 9 / Bob Smith's Clown Song Book, 51 / SFLQ, II, 70; VIII, 150 / Reed Smith, SC Bids, 121 / Smith and Rufty, Am Antb Old Wrld Bids, 20 / Thompson, Bdy Bts Bnchs, 379 / Thomas, Sngin Gathrn, 38 / Va FLS Builds 210 / Carolyn Wells, A Parody Anthology, 326 / R.G. White's Poetry, Lyrical, Narrative and Satires of the Civil War (N.Y., 1866), 115.
Local Titles; Lady Nancy, Lady Nancy Bell, Lord Lovel (Lovell, Lowell, Lovinder, Leven, Lover, etc.), Lord Lovel and (Lady) Nancy Bell (Nancibell), Lord Lovel and Lady Nancy, Nancy Bell and Lord Lover.
Story Types; A: Lord Lovel tends his horse while Lady Nancy wishes him "good speed". He tells her he is going to see strange countries and says how long he will be gone. Sometimes, he says he is going for "too long" and that she will be dead when he gets back. Lovel leaves. He misses Nancy and comes home early. However, on arriving, he hears funeral bells and discovers his love has died. Dying of grief, he kisses the corpse. Usually, the rose-briar motif follows.
Examples: Barry (A), Belden (C), Davis (A).
B : The story is the same as that of Type A, except that Lord Lovel returns after only two or three miles of travel when the ring on his finger "busts off" and his nose begins to bleed. Nancy's church-knell is underway before he is halfway back! Examples: Cox, F-S South (B).
Discussion: Barry, Brit Bids Me, 146 prints a brief history of this ballad. It is very common in America, and practically all the versions that are over here follow Child H, a London broadside. Most of them agree with each other. This similarity of texts and the song's popularity is undoubtedly due to its frequent inclusion in pre-Civil War songbooks and broadsides. See the bibliography, Belden, Mo F-S, 52 states that the church name (St. Pancras) can be used to judge how close to print a version from oral tradition is. The name has taken a great number of forms, many of which are listed in the introductory, descriptive essay in this study.
Reed Smith has remarked that "the difference between reading it (Lord Lovel) as a poem and singing it is the difference between tragedy and comedy". (See SC Bids, 121). Davis, Trd Sid Va, 2401 also points out that the melodies are too light for the story matter and mitigate the tragedy. For this reason, the song has often been subject to parody. Typical burlesques
appear in Barry, op. cit., 145; Belden, Mo F-S, 54; Cox, F-S South, 78; Cox, Trd Bid W Va, 28; and Davis, op. cit. 258 (on Abe Lincoln).
The conventional ending in Haun, Cocke Cnty, 91 finds one lover buried under an oak and the other under a pine. Their hands touch with the leaves. The Type A, Cox, F-S South, C text implies that Lovel has been false to Nancy and thus gives a more substantial reason for her death. The Type B text reflects the effect a cliche can have on the story of a ballad. The result is, of course, preposterous with respect to time. For a song with some similarities see BFSSNE, I, 4.
Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music; Lord Lovel
[Roud 48; Child 75; Ballad Index C075; trad.]
This tragic ballad appeared in print for the first time at about 1770. According to F.J. Child it is made up of several other ballads including Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor ( Child 73 ), Lady Maisry ( Child 65 ), Death and the Lady, and Barbara Allen ( Child 84 ).
Ethel Findlater from Orkey sang Lord Lovel on the record The Child Ballads 1 (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 4, Caedmon 1961, Topic 1968), and Dave Burland sang Lord Lovel in 1971 on his first Trailer LP, A Dalesman's Litany.
Peter Bellamy sang Lord Lovel unaccompanied in a recording of unknown origin, possibly from the Peter Bellamy recording sessions; at least it was included on that album's CD reissue as part of the Fair Annie 2CD set.
Jeannie Robertson sang a Scottish version as Lord Lovat on her eponymous Topic LP of 1963, Jeannie Robertson. Hamish Henderson commented in the album's sleeve notes:
Better known as Lord Lovel, this classic ballad—number 75 in Child's collection—is still very popular in Aberdeenshire. Professor Child included ten versions of this ballad in his great textual compilation The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, and most texts collected in modern times, as well as the one sung here, appear to have derived from Child's “H” text, a London broadside published in 1846. The English Lord Lovel has in Scotland become Lord Lovat—not unnaturally, for the latter is a famous name in the Highlands. The Lord Lovat of the 1745 rebellion, redoubtable chief of the clan Fraser, was beheaded on Tower Hill in 1747. Hogarth painted a celebrated portrait of hime while he was in captivity awaiting trial.
The ballad has been a popular in both America and Britain. Most versions here have a bouncing melody completely out of context with the tragic seriousness of the ballad tales; Jeannie's version, however, is cloaked in the proper solemnity.
Lyrics
Peter Bellamy sings Lord Lovel
Lord Lovel he stood at his own castle gate
Combing his milk-white steed,
And by came Lady Nancy Belle
To bid Lord Lovel good speed, good speed.
To bid Lord Lovel good speed.
“And where are you going, Lord Lovel?”, she said,
“And where are you going?”, said she.
“I'm leaving, my Lady Nancy Belle,
Strange countries for to see, to see,
Strange countries for to see.”
“Well, how long you'll be gone Lord Lovel?”, she said,
How long you'll be gone?”, said she.
“In a year or two, or three at the most,
I'll return to my Lady Nancy, Nancy,
Return to my Lady Nancy.”
But he'd not been gone for a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
When a sudden thought it came into his mind,
He'd return to his Lady Nancy, Nancy,
He'd return to his Lady Nancy.
So he rode and he rode on his milk-white steed
Until he came to London Town;
And there he heard them church bells ring
And the people in mourning around, around,
The people in mourning around.
“Ah! who is dead?”, Lord Lovel he cried,
“Ah! who is dead?”, said he.
“Well, a lady is dead,” an old woman said,
And they call her the Lady Nancy, Nancy,
They call her the Lady Nancy.”
Well he ordered the coffin to be opened wide
And the shroud to be cast'd around;
And there he kissed her clay-cold cheeks
While tears came trickling down, down, down,
While tears came trickling down.
Now Lady Nancy, she died as it might be today,
And Lord Lovel died as tomorrow.
Lady Nancy died of a broken heart,
Lord Lovel he died from sorrow, from sorrow,
Lord Lovel he died from sorrow.
And they buried Lady Nancy in the higher chancel,
They buried Lord Lovel the lower,
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of Lord Lovel sweet briar, sweet briar,
And out of Lord Lovel sweet briar.
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of Lord Lovel sweet briar,
And they growed and they growed to the top of the church
Till they could not grow no higher, no higher,
Till they could not grow no higher.
Yes they growed and they growed to the top of the church
Until they could not grow no higher.
And it's there they entwined in a true lover's knot
For true lovers all to admire, admire,
For true lovers all to admire.
______________
Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate
DESCRIPTION: "Abe Lincoln stood at the White House Gate... When along came Lady Lizzie Tod, Wishing her lover good speed." Lincoln tries several times to take Richmond, and is foiled each time
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1917 (Davis)
KEYWORDS: Civilwar parody humorous horse
FOUND IN: US(SE)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Davis-Ballads 20, (No title, but filed as an appendix to "Lord Lovel") (1 text)
Friedman, p. 97, "Lord Lovel" (2 texts, but the "B" text is this)
Darling-NAS, pp. 46-47, "Abe Lincoln Stood at the White House Gate" (1 text, filed under "Lord Lovel")
Roud #6867; also 48
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Lord Lovel [Child 75]" and references there
NOTES: Abraham Lincoln's wife was Mary Todd; this apparently become "Lizzie Tod[d]" in the ballad.
The song as collected by Davis appears to be a fragmentary account of the various Federal attempts to take Richmond in 1861-1862. The first attempt lasted only "one or two days," seemingly referring to McDowell's Bull Run campaign of 1861. This was followed by McClellan's Peninsular campaign of spring and summer 1862, seemingly not mentioned in the song.
The final stanza refers to Lincoln's "Burnside horse," which "stuck tight in the mire." Ambrose Burnside was in charge at the Battle of Fredericksburg, which may or may not be alluded to, and also commanded the "mud march," clearly the subject of the last line. - RBW
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ABE LINCOLN STOOD AT THE WHITE HOUSE GATE- Text from Mrs T. C. Cummins of Rumford, Va. (printed in Davis, p 258.) Tune from singing of Philander Fitzgerald, Nash, Va. (Printed in BIB 5, Vol. II, p. 202.)
1 Abe Lincoln stood at the White House Gate
Combing his milk-white steed,
When along came Lady Lizzie Tod,
Wishing her lover good speed, speed, speed,
Wishing her lover good speed.
2 'Where are you going, Abe Lincoln?' she said,
'Where are you going?' said she;
'I 'm going, my dearest Lizzie Tod,
O'er Richmond for to see, see, see,
O'er Richmond for to see'.
3 'When will you be back, Abe Lincoln?' she said,
'When will you be back?' said she.
'In sixty or ninety days at the most,
'I'll return to my Lady Lizzie, -zie, -zie,
I'll return to my Lady Lizzie'.
4 He hadn't been gone more than one or two days,
O'er Richmond for to see,
When back to the White House Gate he came,
All tattered and torn was he, he, he,
All tattered and torn was he.
5 'How do you flourish, Abe Lincoln?' she said,
'How do you flourish,?' said she.
'The rebels have killed my old Scotch horse,
And I have skedaddled, -dee, -dee, -dee, -dee,
And I have skedaddled, -dee, -dee.
6 Abe Lincoln rode his Burnside horse
Which started at the rebel's fire,
He threw the baboon lieels over head,
And there he stuck tight in the mire, -ire, -ire,
And there he stuck tight in the mire.
_____________
North Pennsylvania Minstrelsy: as sung in the Backwood settlements, Hunting cabins and Lumber Camps in Northern Pennsylvania
John C. French says: "The phrase, 'salt sea sand,' I believe, reverts to an ancient practice of covering the coffin with a few feet of clean, white sand, and in some English towns, filling the graves with it, rounding off the graves with the white sand in which vegetation did not grow for a few years, except in flower pots. The quire or quirer was the burial vault beneath the entrance steps or portal of the church or choirgallery."
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"Folk Songs of the Catskills" Cazden et al. pg. 136 - 139:
"But reaching beyond the influence of such publications have been the numerous comic parodies of Lord Lovell. Barry notes the earliest among them to have been sung in 1836 by comedian James Howard of Niblo's Garden (Hadaway). Every-body's Songster in 1839 included another, sung by Thomas Hadaway himself, called Sukey Soapsuds. A sheet music publication of 1844, issued in Edinburgh by Wood and Co., contained The Pathetic Historie of Lord Lovell and Nancy Bell, as sung by Sam Cowell, who made it a spectacular success. Barry further mentions the 1857 sheet music issued in Boston by Oliver Ditson, listed also thus by Dichter, with the title The Celebrated Lord Lovel and Lady Nancy Bell, Comic Ballad, arranged by J.C.J. Finally, Barry notes the Joe Muggins treatment, which may be termed a parody of the parody.
Sam Cowell's comic parody of Lord Lovell was published twice, no later than 1855, in the Musical Bouquet series of London sheet-music issues. The earlier copy (#789) contains spoken interludes, as well as the comic ballad form proper. Information on the song copy (#857) states that both the comicked Lord Lovel and the even more famous Vilikens and his Dinah were sung in Sam Cowell's music hall show called The Ratcatcher's Daughter. One of the many instrumental medleys in which the tune of Lord Lovel appears, also published in the Musical Bouquet series (#787), was arranged by J. Harroway, and called Sam Cowell's Comic Quadrille.
All three copies show the same splendid color engraving on their covers. It depicts Sam Cowell, dressed in the character of Lord Lovell. He wears a formal morning suit, complete with top hat, but his trouser cuffs are turned up as though for wading a muddy stretch. Over one shoulder he carries a travel pack. His theatrically woebegone expression is shown full face, gleaming eyes peering from beneath exaggerated beetle brows.
Variant as well as newly improvised wordings were sure to develop during later performances of such a music-hall success, and some of them were incorporated into their published prints. Cowell's text, as it appeared in Davidson's folio of 1861, contains the slightly altered line:
All true-loviers to admire –rire-rire
Which draws hilarity from the ballad conceit of repeating syllables, such as in truth arises rather from musical structures when these are applied relentlessly to texts that will not support them…??
In H.M.S. Pinafore, verse 8 of Lord Lovell in the Davidson's Musical Library folio reads:
Then he flung himself down by the side of the corpse
With a shivering gulp and a guggle
Gave two hops, three kicks, heav'd a sigh, blew his nose
Sung a stave, and then died in the struggle–uggle-uggle,
Sung a stave, and then died in the struggle.
Cowell's parody form continued to be reprinted in London during the 1860's in Charles Sheard's Great Comic Volume, and in 1876 in D'Alcorn's Musical Miracles.
According to Barry, the Joe Muggins parody text was also introduced by Sam Cowell in the period about 1850. In an 1869 parody by E.F. Dixey, Lord Lovell is left not only with a broken heart but with broken kneecaps, the result of his smashing into a post while riding his velocipede.
Besides both a serious and comic text of Lord Lovel, the Edwin Ford Piper Collection contains a Civil War parody called A New Ballad of Lord Lovell, the brave defender of New Orleans. The item is mentioned by John Harrington Cox, and fragments of other texts are given by Horace M. Belden. Four stanzas have been recorded by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger (ZDA 70). In this New Ballad parody, the original…
…narrative has dropped out, but the tune and the familiar pattern remain, to produce an ending with telling reference. This Lord Lovel was a "rebel swell," who "sat in St. Charles hotel," a-waving his sword on high:
He swore by the black and he swore by the blue
He swore by the stars and the bars
He would never fly from a Yankee crew
While he was a son of Mars, Mars, Mars
While he was a son of Mars
Inevitably, the dénouement to so swaggering an opening was that the hero and his 50,000 men fled, without firing a shot, at the first sighting of Farragut's fleet. But in faithful ballad fashion, the fateful end is satirized with an additional fillip:
When Lord Lovell's life was brought to a close
By a sharp shooting Yankee gunner
From his head there sprouted a red, red rose
From his heels a scarlet runner, runner, runner
From his heels a scarlet runner
Except for Barry, ballad scholars unfortunately appear either to have been oblivious to, or disdainful of, the documented history of these distinctly comic forms of Lord Lovell, while they have seemed hesitant as well to recognize the implications of their music-hall origins. Sandy Paton states (FSA 36F) that Child himself had a comic text, but would not print it with the others. At least nine of the versions compiled by Bertrand Bronson may be identified as comic treatments. Bronson does not single them out or mark them so, and while he does acknowledge that some humorous texts are known, he seems not to sense either that their humor is satirical or that it is stagey. Instead, he thinks of them as children's treatments or "nursery degenerations": "The high seriousness of the parents is the children's favorite joke." The obtuseness of ballad scholars in this regard must be appreciated as a very difficult feat, since the material available to them is hard to pass by without notice. Diversion of the humorous aspects onto this tack means overlooking their theatre-piece beginnings, and it means also ignoring their service as symptoms of the necessary wide previous audience acquaintance with the "straight" versions, such as satire requires.
Tristram P. Coffin mentions "burlesques" of the ballad, and to account for them, he finds no better explanation than a vaguely humorous inclination, somehow implicit in its tune. To this effect he quotes Arthur Kyle Davis, who in truth hardly qualifies as an expert on such musical subtleties: "The melodies are too light for the story and mitigate the tragedy. For this reason, the song has often been subject to parody." Reed Smith also, while otherwise taking note of five printings of the ballad in American songsters between 1836 and 1865, infers nothing from them as evidence of comic theatre forms, but attributes the comic effect to a "lilting tune." So speculative a "reason" becomes less persuasive as we observe that, while most known versions of both the serious and the comic text forms of Lord Lovell have been sung to the tune strain found in #33, which by this definition is "too light" to support a serious text, the identical "light" tune strain is found in use also for numerous versions of Child # 4 Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight; for one version of Child #25, Willie's Lyke-Wake (Greig); and for many versions of Child 73 Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor. For none of these have comic parodies appeared such as would supposedly have been induced by the tune.
Conversely, such "reasoning" or rationalization likewise cannot account for comic parodies of other ballads not known to have been afflicted with "light" tunes. Thus Davidson's Musical Library (ix 1862) contains a "comicked" treatment of Child 84, Barbara Allen, showing the ready application of the practice to "serious" sentimental themes. The common Billy McGee Magar form of Child 26, The Three Ravens (see notes to #99) is another for which neither the oldest nor the most familiar tune strains suggest "lightness."
Apart from the facile pitfall of attributing to a musical tune the verbal meanings and connotations of its associated text, we might do better to adduce rather a contrary principle – namely, that for successful parody, an obvious conflict between tune character and text is eminently desirable. For example, the rather lugubrious minor tune sung by Comical Brown for Billy Vite and Nelly Green helps to emphasize its satire of #66, The Arsenic Tragedy. The slow and mournful manner, in which Marvin Yale sang #142, Missie Mouse, made the ordinarily bouncy tune hilariously funny. It would be fair to say that the speculations of even the most reputable ballad scholars on musical matters, when they are not infused with the needed musical insights, may at times prove nothing short of childish.
Yet the approach they have taken reflects less an academic obtuseness on their part than a underestimation and a misapprehension of the role played by touring theatrical performers in developing and disseminating what later came to be idealized as an archaic oral tradition, romantically immune to such contamination. Instead, the notable uniformity among numerous collected versions of a ballad ought to have alerted students at once to the probability that organized means of mass distribution must have been responsible, rather than the localized, spontaneous, slow, and sporadic process of oral tradition.
Particularly is this evident with regard to ballad and song tunes. For wherever a tune can be located for any of the comic parodies of Lord Lovell, it always belongs to the same tune strain. Barry's designation of this tune as the "vulgate" form is confirmed by the additional examples we have noted, and by the tune of #33. How much this kind of musical uniformity may result in part from the many publications containing the notated music has often escaped consideration; it has been assumed that "the folk" is, by definition, musically illiterate.
George Davidson's Modern Song Book of 1854 contains no tunes. But included with its text (275-76) of Child 275, Get Up and Bar the Door, is a dutiful notice, "music at Duff & Hodgson's." Not only does that imply that the ballad must have been receiving popular notice and acclaim in the music hall sufficient to support the hope of selling the printed copies at a profit; it also implies that word-of- mouth tradition alone may not at all account for the numerous similar versions of the ballad "recovered" at a later date.
A further way in which tunes become familiar is their adaption for dancing. It was common practice, during the heyday of Lord Lovell as a stage hit, to use the latest music-hall numbers in the ballroom. The Musical Bouquet published the tune as part of three quadrilles and in three other instrumental medleys. The rival Musical Treasury in the same period was content with a single waltz adaptation. Other instrumental dance treatments were published during the 1860's by Boosey and Co., by William Chappell and B. Mackenzie in London, and by Elias Howe in Boston. Boosey's Musical Cabinet #5 contains Lord Lovell's Waltz, a salon piece for piano by Henri Laurent."