Six Pretty Maids- Fred Jordan (Shrop) 1952 REC
[From Fred Jordan's recording A Shropshire Lad, VTD148CD ‘English Folk Singer,’ album notes follow.
R. Matteson 2018]
Fred Jordan was first recorded in 1952 (Oct. 30, 1952 first recording of Six Pretty Maids, Kennedy) singing songs he had learnt from his family, from workmates and visiting Gypsies in his native Shropshire. With the emerging folk revival of the 1960s he began singing at folk clubs all over the country and over the next forty years he appeared at most major folk festivals.
Six Pretty Maids- sung by Fred Jordan of Shropshire in Oct. 30, 1952 which was the first recording of Six Pretty Maids by Kennedy.
(Spoken ) The first time I heard this song was one night in the summer time. Some Lockes was camped just by us and they were singing it one night, one of them was. I said, “I should like to learn that song” and he said, well, “If you listen a time or two you’ll soon learn them”, so I did.
It’s of a young fellow from the North Country
And he came a-loadin[1] to me
He promised he’d take me up to the North land
And there he’d marry me.
“Come bring to me your father’s gold
And your mother’s wealth”, said he
“And the two best horses that stands in the stalls
Where there stands thirty and three.”
She brought him out her milk-white steed
Also a dapple-grey
Many miles they rode till they reached the sea
So long before it was day.
“Come light, come light from off your steed
Deliver him now unto me
For six pretty fair maids I have drownded here
The seventh one you shall be.
Come strip me off your fine silken clothes
And all your jewels”, said he
“For better I sell them for what they are worth
Than they rot with you under the sea.”
“Oh stay, oh stay, you false-hearted man
And turn your head”, said she
“For not fitting it is that a ruffian like you
A naked lady should see.”
So he turned his head while she undressed
To where the leaves were green
But she caught him by the small of the waist
And she flung him into the sea.
He plunged high, he plunged low
And at last the side reached he
“Oh save my life, my pretty fair maid
And my bride you shall be.”
“Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man
Lie there instead of me
For if six pretty fair maids you have drownded here
The seventh one has drownded thee.”
She mounted on her milk-white steed
And she led the dapple-grey
And she rode until she reached her house
Just as it was breaking the day.
Now, the parrot that was in the window so high
Looked out as he saw her ride by
“Oh where hast thou been, thou wilful child
Some ruffian has led thee astray.”
“Don’t prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly
And tell no tales on me
And thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold
The door of the best ivory.”
“Why shoutest so loud, my pretty Polly
So loud and so early, Polly”
“Oh the cat has climbed up in the window so high
I fear that he will have me.”
“Well done, well done, my pretty Polly
You’ll change your tale for me
So thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold
The door of the best ivory.
Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold
And the door of the best ivory.”
1. "Alluding unto me," derived probably from "a-wooing"