ClassiC English anD sCottish BallaDsfolkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkways/SFW40218.pdfClassiC English anD sCottish BallaDs ... narrative song , a short tale in ...

ClassiC English anD sCottish BallaDsfrom SmITHSoNIAN foLKWAYS

from The Francis James Child Collection

1. LordThomasandFairELLEndEr(Chi ld No. 7 3) Mike Seeger 3:50

2. GoLdEnVaniTy(Chi ld No. 2 86) Doug Wall in 3:23 (ar r. Doug las Wall in /Smi t hsonian Folk ways Pub. , BMI)

3. ThEmErmaid(Chi ld No. 2 89) T he Golden E ag le S t r ing Band 4:14

4. maThiEGroVEs(Chi ld No. 81) Di l lar d Chandler 6:14

5. ThEhanGinGoFGEorGiE(Chi ld No. 209) Ir on Moun tain S t r ing Band1:56

6. GypsydaVy(Chi ld No. 200) Mar gar e t Mac A r t hur1:57

7. ThomasThErhymEr(Chi ld No. 3 7 ) Ewan MacCol l 6:52

ClassiC English anD sCottish BallaDsfrom SmITHSoNIAN foLKWAYS

from The Francis James Child Collection

CompiledandannotatedbyJeffplace

introductionbyscottalarik

sFW40218 2017smithsonianFolkwaysrecordings

8. LadymarGarET(Chi ld No. 74) Pe te Seeger 2:51

9. LordrandaLL(Chi ld No. 12) Jean R i tchie2:54

10. prETTypoLLyandFaLsEWiLLiam(Chi ld No. 4) Paul Clay ton 3:46

11. andrEWBaTan(Chi ld No. 250) War de For d 3:36

12. ThrEEniGhTsdrunk(Chi ld No. 2 74) E .C . and Or na Bal l 2:36

13. LordBaTEman(Chi ld No. 5 3) T he New L os t Ci t y R ambler s 5:34

14. ThETWosisTErs(Chi ld No. 10) E l len S teker t1:37

15. GaLLispoLE(Chi ld No. 95) L ead Bel l y 2 :47 (ar r. Huddie L edbe t ter-A lan L oma x / T RO -Folk ways Music Publ isher s , Inc . , BMI)

16. LordBarnETT(Chi ld No. 68) E l la Par ker2:35

17. ThEFaLsEkniGhTuponThEroad(Chi ld No. 3) A r t us Moser2:23

18. BarBaraaLLEn(Chi ld No. 8 4) Dan Tate 2:52

19. ThEGrEaTsiLkiEoFsuLEskErry(Chi ld No. 113) Paul Clay ton 5:03

20. ThEhousECarpEnTEr(Chi ld No. 24 3) Dor ot hy Ror ick2:38

21. ThEFarmEr’sCursTWiFE(Chi ld No. 2 7 8) Hor ton Bar ker 3:07

4

eingfounded

onwhatispermanentand

universalintheheartof

man,andnowbyprinting

putbeyondthedanger

ofperishing,[theballad

tradition]willsurvive

thefluctuationsoftaste,

andmayfromtimeto

timeserve…torecall

aliteraturefromfalse

andartificialcoursesto

natureandtruth.”

—FrancisJamesChild,“Balladpoetry,”1877

‘‘b

5

Twobirthsareregisteredinthesingingoftheseballads,eachcrucialtofolkmusichavingbecomewhatitistoday.Thefirstistheballadtradition,thebirthhowlsofanyculture’sliterature,music,andpoetry.Whenpreliterateculturesfirstseektocreatestoriesthatcollectivelyexpresstheiridentityandvalues,andtopreservethosestoriesforfuturegenerations,theyusemusic,meter,andrhymetodothat.Theycreatefolkballads.

Thesecondbirthismoremodern:thefolkloremovement,whichhasdonesomuchtopreservewhatisleftofvanishingfolktraditions.Whilethisworkhadbegunearlier,whatwenowcalltheChildBalladcollectionwasprofoundlyinfluentialinencouragingamoresystematizedandscientificdisciplineforcollectingfolktraditions,andfosteringanethosamongscholarstoauthenticallydocumentwhattheyfound—andpreserveeverything.

TheancientsongsinthisanthologyarecalledChildBalladsbecausetheywerecollectedinthe1800sbyameticulous,inventive,andauthoritativescholarnamedFrancisJamesChild,whospenthisadultlifeintheemployofharvarduniversityinCambridge,massachusetts,andcompiledhisentirecollectionfrompreviouslypublishedsources.Thegoalofhisepicworkwastodocumentandpublish,inoneplace,everythingthatremainedofthefolkballadtraditioninEnglandandscotland,especiallythoseworksthatcouldbereasonablytracedbacktothepre-literateoralcultureinwhichtheballadtraditionwasborn.

Childbelievedinthehumilityofscholars,thattheyshoulddisappearbehindtheircollecting,ratherthanimposingtheirvoiceuponit.“iregardmychiefdutytobe

ntroduction i scott alariki

6

Songstogivealltheknowntextsandtogivethempure,”hewrotetodanishballadcollectorsvendGrundtvigin1883.ChildwouldsurelyhavebeenhorrifiedthathiscollectionbecameknownastheChildBallads.ThetitlehegaveitwasTheEnglishandscottishpopularBallads,EditedbyFrancisJamesChild.Theywerecompiledintenvolumes,whichwerepublishedasfivebooksfrom1882to1898.

Childdiedin1896,beforecompletinganintroductiontohiscollection.Thathascausedconsiderableconfusion,sincethemanwhocollectedtheChildBalladsneveractuallydefinedthem.Theclosesthecamewasan1877articlecalled“Balladpoetry”thathewroteforJohnson’snewuniversalCyclopædia.“Thewordballad,”hewrote,“signifiesinEnglishanarrativesong,ashorttaleinlyricverse….Thepopularballad…isadistinctandveryimportantspeciesofpoetry.itshistoricalandnaturalplaceisanteriortotheappearanceofthepoetryofart,towhichithasformedastepamongeverypeoplethathasproducedanoriginalliterature,andbywhichithasbeenregularlydisplaced,and,insomecases,allbutextinguished.Wheneverapeopleinthecourseofitsdevelopmentreachesacertainintellectualandmoralstage,itwillfeelanimpulsetoexpressitselfinliterature,andtheformofexpressiontowhichitisfirstimpelledis,asiswellknown,notprose,butverse,andinfactnarrativeverse.”

soChildmeantballadtoreferspecificallytotheancientnarrative-songtradition,andpopulartomean“createdbythepeople”—thefolk.healsodrewsharpdistinctionsbetweenthenatureofpreliterateoralculturesandlater,learnedones,inwhichliteracyandcomposedartwereoftenusedtoseparatetheclasses:“[pre-literatesociety]isaconditioninwhichthepeoplearenotdividedbypoliticalorganizationandbook-cultureintomarkedlydistinctclasses,inwhichconsequentlythereissuchcommunityofideasandfeelingsthatthewholepeopleformanindividual.”

Tohighlightthat“communityofideasandfeelings,”ChildcollectedeveryEnglishandscottishversionofaballadhecouldfind.healsoincludedreferencestosimilarballadsandlorefromothercultures.

“TheunquietGrave”(Childno.78),forexample,tellsofaghostreturningtowarnagrievingloverthathertearsaredisturbinghissleep.ChildincludedfourBritishvariants,butalsofascinatingexamplesofrelatedlore.

7

“itwasheldinireland,”hewroteinintroducingtheballad,“thatinordinatetearswouldpierceaholeinthedead.”hecitedaGermanictaleinwhichadeadboyappearstohismother,begginghertostopweepingforhimbecausehertearswethisshirtandkepthimfromsleeping.inaheart-wrenchingvariation,adeadchildisforcedtocarryhismother’stearsinapitcher,preventinghimfromplayingwithotherchildreninheaven.ChildcitedsimilarbeliefsdatingbacktoancientGreece,rome,andpersia.

Tosome,thismayseemlikepedantry,buttoloversoftheuniversaltruthsfoundinfolktradition,Child’smeticulous,inclusivescholarshipdisplayedthedeeplyhumanwisdomofthefolk.allculturesfoundwaystoteachusthatendingourgriefwasthelastgiftwecouldgivethedeparted.Byshowingushowuniversallythatwasbelieved,Childrevealedwhatwasbestandmostenduringaboutbeinghuman.

Toachieveallthat,ChildbecamefluentinboththeancientandcontemporarylanguagesofmanyEuropeancultures,andwasknownforaneccentrichabitofunconsciouslyslippingintowhateverlanguagehewasthinkingabout.sohemightbeginanobservationaboutaBritishballadinEnglish,thenconcludeitinGerman,ashecomparedittoaGermanicvariant.itisjustoneofthereasonsChildwastheperfectmanforthejob.

FrancisJamesChildwasbornonFebruary1,1825,inBoston,massachusetts,thesonofasailmaker.itneveroccurredtohisparentsthattheirconspicuouslybrightthirdchildmightgotocollege.Thatwasforthewell-to-do,notthesonsofsailmakers.ButBostonhadapublicpreparatoryschoolcalledBostonLatin,andChildwassentthere.ashelackedthefundstoattendharvard,hisprincipal,Epessargentdixwell,arrangedforhistuition,whichChildlaterrepaidwithinterest.

in1842,Childwenttoharvardandneverleft,becomingoneofitsmostimportantandbelovedprofessors,helpingtocreateitsfirstmodernEnglishdepartment.in1876,hebecameharvard’sfirstprofessorofEnglish,andlaterhechairedtheEnglishdepartment.ThereisaChildmemorialLibraryinharvard’sWidenerLibrary,andaChildhalldormitory.

ChildmadeaninternationalreputationwithacclaimedscholarlyworksonearlyEnglishwritersspenser,Gower,andChaucer,forwhichhetooktheextraordinarystepofbecoming

8

fluentinthemiddleEnglishlanguageofChaucer’sday.inabiographicalsketchofChildfirstpublishedintheatlanticmonthlyin1986andincludedinsubsequenteditionsoftheballadcollection,Child’sprotégéandsuccessoratharvard,GeorgeLymankittredge,wrote,“itisdifficult,atthepresentday,toimaginethestateofChaucerphilologyatthemomentwhenthispaperappeared.scarcelyanything,wemaysay,wasknownofChaucer’sgrammarandmetreinasureandscientificway.”

Child’spassionfordiggingtooriginalsources,seekingtounderstandancienttextsastheywereunderstoodbythepeoplewhocreatedthem,andhisdeeprespectforthegeniusofthepeoplecaughttheattentionofmanyearlyBritishfolklorists,thencalledantiquarians.

in1853,Childwasaskedtoedita150-volumecollectioncalledTheBritishpoets.hepersonallyeditedvolumesonspenserandtheballads.Britishscholarsbegancoaxinghimtoundertakeadefinitivecollectionoftheballads.atfirst,hewasreluctantbecauseheknewthatthegreatestsinglecollectionofBritishballadry,thepercyFolio,wasprivatelykeptbythepercyfamily,andunavailabletoscholars.Withoutit,anauthoritativecollectionofBritishballadswasimpossible.

inthe1760s,BishopThomaspercyhadfoundamanuscriptinaneighbor’skitchen,beingusedbymaidstostartafire.heretrievedwhatwasleft,anddiscovereditwasananonymous17th-centurycollectionofancientfolkballads.hepublishedhisown,highlyalteredversionsof180balladsasreliquesofancientEnglishpoetry.Theoriginalmanuscripthadneverbeenreleased.

Child’sprincipalallyinpryingitfromthepercyfamilywasBritishscholarFrederickJamesFurnivall,bestknownasoneofthreefoundersoftheoxfordEnglishdictionary.Thepercyfamilywasfinallyencouragedtoreleasethemanuscript,whichFurnivalleditedin1868,withoutalteringanyoftheoriginalballads.hededicatedthebooktoChild,whoreturnedthefavorbydedicatinghisballadcollectiontoFurnivall.

Childwoulddevotetherestofhislifetotheballads.hewaskeenlyawareofanessentialcontradictioninhiswork:hewasdocumentingpreliteratetraditionsusingonlypublishedsources.

in“Balladpoetry,”hewroteabouttheproblemsthatpresented:“balladswhichhavebeenhandeddownbylong-repeatedtraditionhavealwaysdepartedconsiderablyfromtheir

9

hild’spassion

fordiggingtooriginal

sources,seekingto

understandancient

textsastheywere

understoodbythe

peoplewhocreated

them,andhisdeep

respectforthegenius

ofthepeoplecaughtthe

attentionofmanyearly

Britishfolklorists,then

calledantiquarians.”

‘‘c

10

originalform.ifthetransmissionhasbeenpurelythroughthemouthsofunlearnedpeople,thereislessprobabilityofwillfulchange,butonceinthehandsofprofessionalsingersthereisnoamountofchangewhichtheymaynotundergo.Lastofallcomesthemoderneditor,whoseso-calledimprovementsaremoretobefearedthanthemischancesofathousandyears.”

Childapproachedthisproblembyincludingeveryversionhecouldfind,andpresentingthemintheexactconditionhefoundthem.Fragmentswereleftasfragments,dubiousversionsplacedalongsideauthenticones.

asurveyofwhatChildwroteintheintroductionsofthe38robinhoodballadsheincludedoffersarevealingglimpseintohisprocess.hewasconvincedoftheauthenticityof“robinhoodandthemonk”(Childno.119),andrevealedhisfrustrationthatsofewoftheballadswereaswellpreserved.“Toomuchcouldnotbesaidinpraiseofthisballad,”hewrote,“butnothingneedbesaid.itisveryperfectioninitskind;andyetwehaveothersequallygoodandbeyonddoubtshouldhavehadmore,iftheyhadbeenwrittendownearly,asthiswas,andhadnotbeenlefttothechancesoftradition.”

hewasnotshyaboutblastingwhatheconsidered“forgeries,”bywhichhemeantfauxballadsartfullycomposedbywriters,musicians,andeditors.of“robinhoodandtheTinker”(Childno.127)hewrote,“Thefewestwordswillbestbefitthiscontemptibleimitationofimitations.”hewasevenmoreemphaticabout“robinhoodrescuingWillstutly”(Childno.141):“Thisisaballadmadeforprint,withlittleofthetraditionalinthematterandnothinginthestyle.”

andyetheincludedthemboth.

headmittedhewasuncertainabout“robinhoodandthepedlars”(Childno.137):“iseenosufficientreasonforregardingthisparticularpieceasspurious,andtherefore,thoughishouldbegladtoberidofit,acceptitforthepresentasperhapsacopyofabroadside,oracopyofacopy.”

Bybroadside,hemeantaspeciesofballadscreatedbyliteratesongwriters,andsoldonprintedsheetscalledbroadsides.Buttheyemergeddirectlyfromtheolderballadtradition,soheconcludedtheywerecloseenoughdescendantstowarrantinclusion.

11

Likemostloversoffolkmusic,Childcametoadmiretraditionforthemysteriesitkeeps.in1891,ascottishscholarnamedWilliammacmathwrotetoapologizeforfailingtodiscoverthemeaningofanarchaicscotsword.“itissomethingtoknowthatnothingisknown,”Childrepliedcheerfully.“Totellthetruth,ilikehavingtheballadsquiteintheair.itisthenextbestthingtotheirflyinginthefaceofallhistory.”inanotherlettertomacmath,hewrote,“strictnessisoffensiveaswellasuseless.Balladsarenotlikeplantsorinsects,tobeclassifiedtoahair’sbreadth.”

Child’segalitarianinclusivenessdidhaveitslimits.hetoldmacmathhewasexcludingsomeobsceneballads,addingthatheintendedtoconsignhiscopiestotheashes,“whereitsoriginalauthorshave,nodoubt,beenforcenturies.”

Childchampionedtwoimportantandnowwidelyacceptedtheoriesabouttheoriginsoftheballads,thattheywerecreatedbysingleauthors,andthattheyexistedindifferentculturesbecausetheytraveled,ratherthanbeingidenticallycreatedbyseparateauthors.Class-consciousscholarsofthe19thcenturysoughttoexplainthegeniusinfolkballadsthroughanoxioustheorythattheywereauthoredcommunally.insomeprimeval,mysticalway,ahordeofpeasantswouldcollectivelybelchforthasingleworkofgenius.aristocratswerethusassuredthatthelowerclasseswereinferior,despitesuchconvincingevidenceoftheirgenius.Childsharplyrebukedthattheory,insistingtherewasnoevidencetoassumetheballadswerenotwrittenbyasingleauthor.Butthen,hesaid,theyhadthebenefitoftradition,ofbeingfurthershapedbygenerationsofsingers.

anoffshootofthecommunaltheoryexplainedhowthesameballadcouldexistinmanydifferentcultures.Thistheoryheldthattheycouldbesimultaneouslycreatedbydifferentcultures.nonsense,arguedChildin“Balladpoetry”:“wehaveonlytorememberthattalesandsongswerethechiefsocialamusementofallclassesofpeopleinallthenationsofEuropeduringthemiddleages,andthatnewstorieswouldbeeagerlysoughtforbythosewhosebusinessitwastofurnishthisamusement,andberapidlyspreadamongthefraternity.agreateffectwasundoubtedlyproducedbytheCrusades,whichbothbroughtthechiefEuropeannationsintocloserintercourseandmadethemacquaintedwiththeEast,thusfacilitatingtheinterchangeofstoriesandgreatlyenlargingthestock.”

12

gainand

again,Childlookedpast

thecleverinventions

offancifulscholars,

intowhatisuniversal

abouthumanbehavior.

Whereelitistscholars

sawprimitivepeasants

incapableofgenius,

Childsawpeoplewho

lovedgoodstories,and

wereequallycapable

ofcreatingthemand

passingthemalong.”

‘‘a

13

againandagain,Childlookedpastthecleverinventionsoffancifulscholars,intowhatisuniversalabouthumanbehavior.Whereelitistscholarssawprimitivepeasantsincapableofgenius,Childsawpeoplewholovedgoodstories,andwereequallycapableofcreatingthemandpassingthemalong.

Child’segalitarianismalsoexpresseditselfinapopulistpoliticalbent.inan1890lettertoafriend,Childwrote,“inEngland,whenceitappearstobesurethateverybodywhoisforbetteringthestateofthelessfortunateclassesisbynecessityasocialist”(Child1920,80-81).

asapersonalaside,whenimetBritishfolkgiantEwanmacColl,whoseversionof“Thomastherhymer”(Childno.37)isincludedhere,igavehimaphotoofChild,withthatquoteinsidetheframe.hestaredatitforalongtime,quietlytappingthepicture.irealizedhewascrying.

“ialwaysknewthisaboutthisman,”hesaidfinally.“ineverhadtheproof,buthisinstinctsweresopure,hisrespectforthecommonpeoplesoobvious.ialwaysfelthemusthavelovedthepeoplelikethis.”

Childactivelyencouragedcollectionsoflivingfolktraditions,alwaysurgingpeopletosaveeverything.hehelpedfoundtheamericanFolkloresocietyin1888,andservedasitsfirstpresident.hesentcircularstouniversitiesandclerics,urgingthemtocollecttraditionalmusicandlorewhereveritstillexisted.hefelttheirishballadtraditionwassodistinctitshouldbecompiledseparately,andtriedunsuccessfullytogetirishscholarstodoit.

WhenChilddied,hewasfinishingthefinalvolume,whichincludedaglossaryofancientvernacular;anindexofballadtitleswithvariantsfromothercultures;andafascinating“indexofmattersandliterature”thatincludedsuperstitions,myths,customs,andhistoricalpersonsincludedintheballads.Lookup“poisoning,”forexample,anditcitedeverymentionintheballads,indexedincolorfuldescriptionslike“childbygrandmother,stepmother”;“brotherpoisonedbysistertoremoveanobstacletoherpassion”;andthealwaystroublesome“poisongrainsindrinkgivenbyelves.”

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itcanbehilarioustoreadsuchascholarlytreatmentofsuchunscholarlythings,buttheworkallthatmusthavetakenisnearlyincomprehensible.itshowsanimpassioned,devoted,diligentmanwholovedhislife’sworkbuthadnoideawhatvalueitmighthavetofuturegenerations.sohesimplytriedtodoeverything.

intothatfinalvolume,however,otherthingswhichheintendedtoincludethroughoutthecollectionwereposthumouslydumped:corrections,additionalvariants,andsomethingthatultimatelycreatedasadmisunderstanding.Therewasnomusicwiththeballads,whichmanyhavecondemnedasasignthatChilddidnotvaluetheballadsassongs,butonlyaspoetry.Buthedidincludemusic.Tuckedawayandforgotteninthefinalvolumearepagesofmusicalnotation,labeled“Balladairsfrommanuscript.”

Fortunately,anewversionoftheChildBallads,editedbythedevotedmarkF.heimanandLaurasaxtonheiman,hasputtheairswiththeballadstowhichtheybelong,alongwithChild’sadditionalnotes,corrections,andvariants.Thebooksaregorgeouslymounted,andavailableatLoomishousepress.

Childseemedunhappiestwhenwonderingifanyonewouldfindhislife’sworkuseful,havingnoideawhatprecioussourcebookshisvolumeswouldbecomeforgenerationsoffolksingers,scholars,andfans.

heseemedhappiestwhenthinkingabouttheballadsthemselves,asnaturallypureastheroseshelovedtotendinhisgarden.hetreatedtheballadslikehisroses,wondersofnaturalperfectiontobetreatedwithlove,respect,andgentleness,notjudgedoraltered,butshowntotheworldinalltheirwildgrace.

sixyearsbeforehisdeath,afteradaywithhisballadsandhisroses,hewroteafriend,“ihavehadmyhighfestivaltoday.Thefinerainmadeeverythinggrowsurprisinglylastnight,andthegreen,allfulloffire,theunmarredgrace,withnosuggestionofartorconsciousness,aretoomuchforwords.ah,whataworld—withroses,sunriseandsunset,shakespeare,Beethoven,brooks,mountains,birds,maids,ballads—whycan’titlast,whycan’teverybodyhaveagoodshare”(Child1920).

15

overtheyears,Folkwaysrecords(nowsmithsonianFolkways)hasbeenoneoftheamericanrecordlabelsthat,morethanothers,hascontinuouslyproducedanddistributedhigh-qualityrecordingsofamericanfolkmusic.FolkwaysfoundermosesaschmadeacommitmenttoartiststhattheirFolkwaysrecordingswouldnevergooutofprint.Thesmithsonianhassubsequentlyacquiredotherfinesmalllabels.ThisalbumincludesselectionsfromboththeFolkwaysandBrilabels,ofsongsrecordedmainlyfromthe1940sto1970s;itprovidesachanceforlistenerstoexperiencethemperhapsagain,orperhapsforthefirsttime.

in2002,smithsonianFolkwaysinitiatedits“Classic”series.Theideabehindthesecompilationswasthattheywouldserveasaseriesof“doors”introducinglistenerstothemanyartistsandstylesincludedinthesmithsonianFolkwaysCollection.Thisrecordingfocusesonballadscomingfromantiquity:onesthathavetheiroriginsinvariouspartsofEurope,wereknowninscotlandandEngland,andhavebeenrevivedinbothEuropeandtheunitedstates.itdrawsfromthe305balladscatalogedinChild’smultiplevolumesofTheEnglishandscottishpopularBallads.mostoftheincludedsongsareknowntofolkmusicfans,thankstothefolkmusicrevivalofthe20thcentury.manypeopleknowthemasbelovedfolksongsbutdon’tknowtheirorigins.ThissetopensadoortotheworkofChildandthemanywonderfulballadsthathedocumented.

the classic series i jeff place, 2016

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About the song AnnotAtions

Ballad scholars over the years have come up with various systems to “group” together variant forms of a ballad. Using these systems, researchers could associate one song with another. Child’s 19th-century system cataloged English and Scottish ballads he had identified. Malcolm Laws did the same to a set of ballads written in the United States. These were referred to as Child Ballad numbers or Laws numbers. In recent years, British librarian Steve Roud undertook an ambitious project to create a reference guide to almost 25,000 songs that were collected from oral tradition. Roud assigned his own number to each of the associated songs. The Roud numbers are included here for reference.

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1. Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender (Child No. 73)Mike Seeger, vocal and autoharp(roud4;alsoknownas“LordThomasandFairannet,”“TheBrownGirl,”“FairEllinor,”“FairEleanor”;fromFW2325,1962;recordedaugust–september1962,roosevelt,newJersey)

F.J.ChildfoundaBritishversionofthisballadinpercy’s1765reliquesofancientEnglishpoetry(Child1956,ii:180).ThesongwasabroadsideballadfromtheeraofCharlesi(1600–1649).inscotlanditwasknownas“LordThomasandFairannet.”manyversionsoftheplotdealwiththebeautifulEllender/annetbeingspurnedbyherloversothathecouldmarryawomanofgreaterwealth.sheattendshisweddingandismurderedbythebride,andinturnLordThomaskillsthebrideandhimself.

itwasrecordedbyBradleykincaidin1928asacommercialcountryrelease.ThisversioncamefromthefieldcollectionofWalterGarwickofanunknownsinger,recordedbetween1935and1937.itislessgraphicthantheusualversionsofthesong,whereLordThomascutsofftheheadofhisintendedbrideand“throwsitagainstthewall.”

mikeseeger(1933–2009)wasamemberofthemusicalseegerfamily,half-brothertopeteandsonofthemusicologistCharles.asamusicianandamemberofthenewLostCityramblers,seegerwasoneofthemoreprolificrecordingartistsonFolkways.hewasalsoinvolvedinrecordingandproducingrecordingsbythemcGeeBrothers,kilbysnow,thestonemanFamily,dockBoggs,ElizabethCotten,andothers.

hehadalongcareerasaperformeranddocumenterofamericanmusic,becomingproficientatnumerousinstrumentsintheprocess.hewasoneofthenation’sauthoritiesonamericanvernacularmusic.

ong notess

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2. Golden Vanity (Child No. 286) Doug Wallin, vocal and fiddle(roud122;alsoknownas“ThesweetTrinity,”“TheGreenWillowTree,”“LowlandsLow,”“sinkingintheLonesomesea,”“Turkishrevelee”;fromsF40013,1995;recorded1992–1993,sodom,northCarolina)

ComingfromBritain,thisballadhastakenonmanyforms.Theshipvariesinname,butinearlyversionssheisthoughttobebasedontheshipcaptainedbysirWalterraleigh,thesweetTrinity.Child’searliestversionwasfromThepepysBalladsbookoriginallypublishedasabinderofbroadsheetssometimeinthe1600s.Thesongwastitledthereas“sirWalterraleighintheLowlandsLow.”Theplotalwaysincludesayoungsailorattackinganenemyship(usuallyTurkish)withadrillandsinkingit,withthepromiseofthecaptain’sdaughter’shandinmarriage.heisrebuffedonhisreturnanddrownsratherthanharmthecrewofhisownship,althoughthereareversionswherehe“doesontothemwhathedidontotheTurkishship.”

Thisisanothersongthatwasrecordedbymountainstringbandsandsingersintheunitedstatesstartinginthe1920s.ThefirstwasWelbyToomeyin1926forGennett(meadeetal.2002,5).

dougWallin(1919–2000)wasfromaroundsodom,northCarolina,anarearichinballadsingers,nonestrongerthantheWallinandChandlerfamilies.hismotherBerzillahadbeenrecordedbyJohnCohenyearsearlier,anditisfromherthatdouglearnedmanyofhissongs.manyothersongswerecollectedfromWallin’srelativesbyBritishfolkloristCecilsharpintheearly20thcentury.WallinwasthewinnerofaprestigiousnationalheritageFellowshipfromthenationalEndowmentfortheartsin1990.heappearedatvariousfestivalsincludingthesmithsonianFestivalofamericanFolklifeandWolfTrapFarmpark’sFolkmastersseries.arecordingofdougandhisbrotherJackwasreleasedbysmithsonianFolkwaysin1995inconjunctionwiththenorthCarolinaartsCouncil.

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3. The Mermaid (Child No. 289) The Golden Eagle String Band: Sue Clark, dulcimer; Larry Chechak, guitar; Pat DiVito, percussion; Daniel Flanagan, vocal; Bill Hullfish, bass; Bill McGrath, percussion; Kathy McGrath, guitar; Mike Mumford, mandolin; Laurie Outermans, autoharp; Lynn Pilaroscia, fiddle; Jim Riley, guitar; Mike Ryan, banjo; Herbert Wise, accordion(roud124;alsoknownas“Wavesonthesea,”“Thesailor’ssong,”“Theragingsea,howitroars,”“ThestormyWinds,”“TheWreckedship”;fromFW32317,1982;recordedFebruary1982,hilton,newyork)

Thesightingofamermaidwasthoughtofasanomenofimpendingdisaster;inthisballad,afterherappearancethecrewknewtheyweredoomed.

ThisrecordingwasmadebytheGoldenEaglestringBand,anensemblefromnewyorkstate;itappearsonaFolkwaysalbum,Body,BootsandBritches,whichincludessongstakenfromharoldW.Thompson’snewyorksongcollectionofthesamename.Thealbumwasreleasedin1982,andthegroupcontinuestoperform,withmikemumfordandBillhullfishstillmembers.moreinformationaboutthegroup’sperformancesandprogramscanbefoundathttp://goldeneaglestringband.com/index/.

intheearlydaysofcommercialrecordingsthesongwasrecordedbyboththeCarterFamilyandpopstonemanon78rpmdisc.

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4. Mathie Groves (Child No. 81) Dillard Chandler, vocal(roud52;alsoknownas“LittlemusgraveandLadyBarnard,”“LittlemathieGrove,”“mattyGroves”;fromFW2309,1964;recordedbyJohnCohen,august1963,madisonCounty,northCarolina)

“mattyGroves”isaballadthatChildfoundprintedinsamuelpepys’collection.ThefirstprintingfoundwasbyhenryGosson,whooperatedintheearlyyearsofthe1600s(Child1956,ii:242–43).itremainsapopularballadtothisday.TheBritishfolk-rockgrouptheFairportConventionreleasedaversionofitin1969.ithasalsoappearedonmanyotherfolkalbums.

dillardChandler(1909–1992)wasalsofromsodom,northCarolina.amonghisneighborsweretheWallinFamily(Berzillaanddoug).in1967,JohnCohenmadeadocumentaryfilmcalledTheEndofanoldsongthatfocusedonChandler,investigatinghislifeandhisstorehouseofsongs.Chandlerknewmanyoftheoldones.CohenbegantopromoteChandler’smusic,gettingFolkwaystoreleaseafullalbumofhismusicin1975.Chandlerlatermovedtoasheville,northCarolina.

afterrecordingChandler’s

performance,Cohenremembered

thattheothermenpresent

(LeeanddougWallinwithdillard)

remarkedonwhattheywouldhave

doneinmathie’sposition;“one

saidhewouldhavefoughtharder,

anothersaidhewouldhavekilled

Lorddaniel,andtheothersaid

hewouldhavesnuckouttheback

door”(Cohen,notestoFW2309).

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5. The Hanging of Georgie (Child No. 209) Iron Mountain String Band: Brooke Moyer, vocal (roud90;alsoknownas“Georgie”;fromFW2477,1975;recorded1975,Losangeles,California)

TheearliestversionlistedofthisonewasfoundbyChildina1792collection.itwasspeculatedthat“Georgie”mighthavebeenGeorgeGordon,the4thEarlofhuntly,whohadfallenintodisfavorwiththequeenforfailingtoprosecuteahighlandrobberin1554(Child1956,iV:124).EwanmacCollstatesthatGordonwasimprisonedfortheabovetransgressionbutwasreleasedandsubsequentlydiedattheBattleofCorrishriein1562(macColl,notestoFolkways3510,1964).inlaterversionsoftheballadheisaccusedofkillingamanand,inmostmodernversions,hasstolen1 5oftheking’shorses.hisladycomestopleadforhislife.inmostversionsheiscondemnedinspiteofthewoman’sefforts,althougharecentversionbytheirishgroup,thehouseBand,goesbacktotheoriginalformwhereheisreleased(theyusethesamearrangementasEwanmcColl).

TheironmountainstringBandplayedold-timemusicfor40years.ThecoreofthegroupwasEricdavidson(1937–2015)andCalebFinchonbanjoandfiddle,respectively.davidsonandFinchandtheirassociatesbegantravelingtothesouthernappalachianstoseekouttheolderold-timestringbandmusiciansfromwhomtheycouldlearn(davidson,notestoFW2477).TheretheyrecordedpaulJoinesperformingthisballad.TherecordingsofthemusicianstheymadewhilethereledtonumerousFolkwaysreleases.inthisinstance,groupmemberBrookemoyerperformssolo.

“Georgie”hasalsobeenrecordedbydocWatsonandJoanBaez.

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6. Gypsy Davy (Child No. 200) Margaret MacArthur, vocal and harp-zither(roud1;alsoknownas“BlackJackdavy,”“BlackJackdavid,”“BlackJackdaisy,”“raggleTaggleGypsy,”“WhistlingGypsy,”“JohnnyFaa,theGypsyLaddie”;fromFW5314,1962)

ThisChildBalladisstillperformedtodayandhastakenonmanyforms.ithasappearedasanirishbarsing-alongthankstotheversionbytheClancyBrothersandTommymakem.Themuchmoretraditionalirishgroupplanxtyrecordedaversionfartruertotheoriginalas“raggleTaggleGypsy.”itwasperformedbymanyas“WhistlingGypsy”duringtheamericanfolkrevival.TunesmithWoodyGuthrielearnedthesongfromhismotherandtransformeditintoacowboyballad,recordingitfortheLibraryofCongressin1940as“Gypsydavy.”

Thisoneispurportedtohavebeenbasedonthestoryofa17th-centuryoutlaw,thegypsyJohnnyFaa,andLadyJanehamilton,thewifeoftheEarlofCassilis.Faawascaughtandhanged,andtheladywasimprisonedfortherestofherlife(Tosches1996).itwasfirstpublishedintheearly18thcentury.

margaretmacarthur(1928–2006)dedicatedherlifetofolkmusic,especiallythatofheradoptednewEngland.shewasborninChicago

hisoneispurportedtohavebeenbasedonthestoryofa17th-centuryoutlaw,thegypsyJohnnyFaa,andLadyJanehamilton,thewifeoftheEarlofCassilis.Faawascaughtandhanged,andtheladywasimprisonedfortherestofherlife.”

‘‘t

23

andmovedaroundbeforefinallysettlinginVermontin1948.shewasalso,alongwithJeanritchie,oneofthemainproponentsoftheappalachiandulcimer.shetaughtschoollocally,and,influencedbysongcollectorslikehelenhartnessFlandersofVermont,shebegantointerviewneighborsandcollectsongs.Therecordingonthisalbumwasmadeinherkitchenin1962.sinceherpassing,herpapershavebeenheldbytheVermontFolklifeCenter.

shelearnedthisversionfromalicesnowBaileyofreadsboro,Vermont.

7. Thomas the Rhymer (Child No. 37) Ewan MacColl, vocal(roud35;alsoknownas“Thomasrhymer”;fromFW3509,1961)

Thisballadwasbasedonamucholdertale.ittellsofthe13th-centuryscottishLordThomasofErceldoune(nowEarlston)who,accordingtolegend,wascarriedoffbytheQueenofElfland.Thetrue-lifeThomaswasbelievedtobea“seer”andprophet—hisgiftwasbestowedonhimbytheelfinqueen—andhewassaidtohaveprophesizedmanyofthelaterhistoricaleventsinscotland.heisalsosaidtohavebeenincapableoftellingalie.FolkloristkennethGoldsteintracestheballadversionbacktothelatterpartofthe18thcentury(Goldstein1960s,i:5)

EwanmacColl(1915–1989),alongwitha.L.Lloyd,wasoneofthemostimportantfolksongscholarsofEnglandandscotland.BornJimmymillerinsalfordinnorthwestEngland,macCollgrewupinafamilyoftradeunionistsandsocialists,andhisownpoliticsthroughouthislifecarriedonthefamilytradition.hestartedactingwhenyoungandinthe1950sstartedcollectingandperformingfolksongs,manyinthescotsdialect.hewasinvolvedinthecreationofradiodramasincludingtheacclaimedradioBalladsfortheBBC.healsoproducedandrecordeddozensofalbums,includingmanyforFolkways(somelicensedfromtheuk).manyoftheserecordswerewithhiswifepeggyseeger,andmanywitha.L.Lloyd.macCollandLloydrecordedthemostextensivesetofChildBalladsonLp,theriverside/WashingtonsetTheEnglishandscottishpopularBallads(TheChildBallads).macCollwasoneofthemajorexpertsonChildBalladsduringhislife.

TheBritishfolk-rockgroupsteeleyespanrecordedamodernizedversionoftheballad.

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8. Lady Margaret (Child No. 74) Pete Seeger, vocal and banjo(roud253;alsoknownas“FairmargaretandsweetWilliam,”“Fairmargaret’smisfortune,”“Ladymargaret’sGhost,”“prettypollyandsweetWilliam”;fromsF40153,2006)

peteseegerwrote,“Thisballadwasoneofthefirstieverlearned,in1935,fromthecountrylawyerandold-timebanjopickerofasheville,northCarolina,BascomLunsford.mythankstohim.itisamedievalvignette,andthelastversesdescribingtheconversationbetweenLadymargaret’sghostandherfalseloverareascloseaswegettosuperstitioninthisLp[thepeteseegerone]”(seeger,notestoFolkways2319).

asinmanyoftheseballads,unrequitedloveleadstoatragicend,inthiscaseforLadymargaret.Childfoundnumerous17th-centuryprintingsoftheballad(Child1956,ii:199–203).

peteseeger(1919–2014)wasthedeanof20th-centuryfolksingers.heperformedandlenthisenergiestocauseshebelievedinformorethan70years.Borntoamusicalfamily,petegrewupsurroundedbymusic.hisfatherwastheeminentmusicologistCharlesseegerandhismotherConstance,aconcertviolinist.inaddition,hissiblingsmike,peggy,andpennyandvariouscousinsandrelativesbymarriagehavehadsuccessfulrecordingcareers.

hebegantorecordformosesaschin1943.inthenext40-plusyearsherecordedoverfivedozenalbumsforasch.seegerwasa

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fineinterpreterandpresenteroftraditionalfolksongandanimportantcomposeroftopicalsongs.oneofthemajorfiguresofthefolksongrevival,seegerwasanimportantinfluenceonmanyoftheothermusicianswhostartedtoperformthen.

9. Lord Randall (Child No. 12) Jean Ritchie, vocal(roud10;alsoknownas“Lordrendal”;fromFW2302,1960/sF40145,2003)

“Lordrandall”isawell-knownChildBallad.ThelordinthestoryhashadvariousnamesovertheyearsbuthascometobeknownasLordrandall.ThisisanotherballadfoundthroughoutEurope.kennethGoldsteinpointstoanitaliantext(“L’avvelenato”[“Thepoisonedman”])firstpublishedintheearly17thcenturyandstatedthattheearliestEnglish-languageversionwasprintedinthelate18thcentury(Goldstein1960s,i:3).

inthesongasonhasbeenpoisonedandisbeingaskedbyhismotherabouthisstate.knowingheisdying,hetellshismotherwhomtoleavehisbelongingsto.Thequestion-and-answerpatternof“Lordrandall”wasusedinlaterfolksongs.Bobdylanbasedhissong“ahardrain’sGonnaFall”on“Lordrandall.”

Viper,kentucky,nativeJeanritchie(1922–2015)wasanimportantpopularizeroftheappalachiandulcimerintheunitedstates.shewasasinger,songwriter,songcollector,andauthor.Growingup,shewashighlyinfluencedbyherverymusicalfamily.aftercollegeattheuniversityofkentucky,shemovedtonewyorkCityandbecameasocialworker,wheresheusedthemusicfromhomeinherwork.Graduallyshebegantoperformconcertsforthepublic.

ritchierecordednumerousalbumsovertheyearsforavarietyoflabels.shealsotraveledtobothirelandandEnglandin1952onaFulbrightscholarship(withherhusbandGeorgepickow)torecordtraditionalsingers.shewastheauthorandeditorofanumberofsongbooksandbooksonhowtoplaytheappalachiandulcimer.JeanlearnedthisballadfromheruncleJason.

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10. Pretty Polly and False William (Child No. 4) Paul Clayton, vocal and guitar(roud21;alsoknownas“LadyisabelandtheElfknight,”“Theking’sdaughter,”“prettypolly,”“Theoutlandishknight,”“mayColvin”;fromFW2007,1957)

kennethGoldsteincitestheworkofFinnishscholariivarkemppinen,whoanalyzedthesongandbelievesittodatefrombetween1100and1200(Goldstein,notestoFW2007).Childbelievedthatoftheballadshecollected,thismayhavehadthewidestdistribution(Child1956,i:22);itcanfoundineverypartofEurope.aswithmanyofthesesongs,intheEuropeanversionsthesuitorisasupernaturalcharacter,inthiscaseanelf.inClayton’samericanizedversion,thesuitorisanuntrustworthymortalman.

inChild’searliestversion,isabelisdrawntoafieldbythemagicoftheelf’shorn.sheisabletoputhimtosleepwithacharmandstabshimtodeath,saying,“youhavekilledsevenmaidenshere,gokeepthemcompany.”inalmostallthelaterrenditions,sheinsteadpusheshimoffacliffintothesea.inmanyoftheversionssheaskshimtoturnhisbackashehasaskedhertodisrobesoasnottoruinhergowninthesaltwater;itisthenthatshepusheshim.Clayton’srenditioniscleanedup.

paulClayton(1933–1967)wasborninnewBedford,massachusetts.TrainedasafolkloristattheuniversityofVirginia,hetraveledextensivelycollectingsongs.Claytonwasalsooneofthemajorearlyfiguresinthe1950sGreenwichVillagefolkrevivalandaninfluenceonBobdylan,whomodifiedthetunetoClayton’s“Who’llBuyyourribbonsWheni’mGone”intohisclassic“don’tThinkTwice,it’sallright.”ClaytonrecordedforsixrecordcompaniesandtheLibraryofCongress.althoughhiscareerwasshort,Claytonleftbehindastrongrecordedlegacyofthesongshehadcollectedallovernorthamerica.

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11. Andrew Batan (Child No. 250)

Warde Ford, vocal (roud104;alsoknownas“henrymartin,”“TheLoftyTallship”;fromFW4001,1956;recordedbysidneyrobertsonCowell,1955,Wisconsin)

Thispopularfolksongbetterknownas“henrymartin”comesfromaverylongolderballadaboutthreescottishbrothers,theyoungestofwhombecomesaprivateer.Thebrothersintheoriginalearly17th-centurysongwereandrew,robert,andJohnBarton.andrewBartonwaskilledonaugust2,1511,inbattle.overtheyearstheprotagonisthasbecomehenrymartin.

sidneyrobertsonCowell(1903–1995)wasanimportantfieldcollectorinthe20thcentury.shecollectedsongsintheunitedstates,CapeBreton,andirelandwithportablerecordingequipment;hertravelsalsotookhertovariousotherlocalesworldwide.sherecordedthefamilyof WardeFordinnorthernWisconsinandlaterinCaliforniafortheLibraryofCongress.shealsoconceivedanddirectedtheWpaCaliforniaFolkmusicproject.shebroughtsomeofherrecordingstomosesaschatFolkwaysforreleasesincludingFolkways4001,Wolfriversongs.

WardeFord(1906–1979)wasfromafamilyoflumberjacksinWisconsin.robertsonalsocollectedsongsfromhismother.FordelearnedthissongfromhisuncleCharlesWalkerofCrandon,Wisconsin,wholearneditfromrandalmacdonald,ascottishloggerinCoeurd’alene,idaho,in1906(Cowell,notestoFW4001).

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12. Three Nights Drunk (Child No. 274) E.C. and Orna Ball and the Blue Ridge Buddies: E.C. Ball, vocal and guitar; Orna Ball, vocal and banjo; Blair Reedy, mandolin(roud114;alsoknownas“FournightsExperience,”“Cabbagehead,”“CatmanBlues,”“Fivenightsdrunk,”“Fournightsdrunk,”“sevennightsdrunk,”“ourGoodman,”“ThreenightsExperience,”“youoldFool”;fromsF40097,1997;recordedbymikeseeger,august1957,rugby,Virginia)

Thesong“Threenightsdrunk”basicallyconsistsofalong,humoroustalewhere,asthesongprogresses,adrunkenhusbandcomeshometomoreandmorefarfetchedexplanationsfromhiswifeastowhatisgoingon.Thesonggetsbawdierthemoreversesaresung.Thesongisamazinglywidespread,anditshumorseemstoappealtoallaudiences.inhisnotestotheanthologyofamericanFolkmusic,harrysmithcitesversionsfoundalloverEurope.Thesonghasalsobeenrecordedasaneworleanspianoblues,bluegrass,andbyirishfolkmusicians,whohaveturneditintoanirishbarbandstaple.FolkloristalanLomaxevenrecordedacalypsoversionintheBahamasas“Cabbagehead.”Child’searliestpublishedversionwasfoundindavidherd’sancientandmodernscottishsongs,heroicBallads,Etc.from1776.

EstellCortzBall(1913–1978)andhiswifeorna(1907–2000)wereacountrygospelduofromrugby,Virginia,asmalltownonthenorthCarolinaborder.TheyperformedfrequentlyonlocalradioastheFriendlyGospelsingers.E.C.wasanincrediblefinger-styleguitarist.Thisrecordingcomesfromacollectionofmikeseeger’sfieldtapescalledClosetohome.ThetapesarearchivedinthesouthernFolkloreCollectionattheuniversityofnorthCarolina.

13. Lord Bateman (Child No. 53) The New Lost City Ramblers: Mike Seeger, vocal and mandolin; Tracy Schwarz, vocal and guitar(roud4;alsoknownas“youngBeichan,”“LordBaker,”“TheTurkishLady”;fromFW31035,1973;recordedbypeterBartok,august1966)

29

“LordBateman”isaChildBalladwherealovetrianglehasareasonablyhappyending.intheoriginalscottishballadBatemanisBeichan.hetravelstoTurkey,whereheisimprisoned,thenfallsinloveandisfreedbythebeautifuldaughterofhiscaptor.hefleesbacktonorthumberlandstatinghewillstaytruetoherandaftersevenyearstheywillwed.aftertheappointedsevenyearsapartshecomestoEnglandseekinghimtofindit’shisweddingday.hepaysoffhisotherbride,andtheTurkishwomanandhearemarried.

Childmentionsthattheballad“agreesinthegeneraloutline,andalsoinsomedetails,withawell-knownlegendaboutGilbertBeket,fatherofst.Thomas”(Child1956,i:457).BeketissaidtohavetraveledtotheholyLandwithhismanservantandbeencaptured.kennethGoldsteinpointsoutthatthistheoryontheoriginoftheballadhasbeen“largelydiscarded,butthereisnodoubttheballadhasbeenaffectedbythelegend”(Goldstein1960s,iV:6).

ThenewLostCityramblerscametogetherinnewyorkinmid-1958duringthebeginningsofthegreatfolkmusicboom.manyyoungmusicianswereturningtoamericanfolkmusic,andtheramblerswerededicatedtopreservingandperformingimportantold-timeamericanmusicthatallthreemembershadgrowntolove:mikeseeger(1934–2009),JohnCohen(b.1932),andTompaley(b.1928).influencedbyharrysmith’santhologyofamericanFolkmusic,themembersoftheramblersbegantoactivelyseekolderrecordings.hundredsofurbanfolkgroupswereformingandsearchingforoldersongstofilloutsetlists.songswereappropriatedbygroupsandsingerswhooftenclaimedtobetheauthororarranger,buttheramblersmadeapointofincludingrichdiscographicalinformationintheirnotesonthesourceoftheirsongs,givingfullcreditandhelpingeducatetheirfansabouttheirmusicalforefathers.paleyleftthegroupin1962andwasreplacedbyTracyschwarz(b.1938).Theylearnedthissongfromthesingingofpleazmobleyofmanchester,kentucky.

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14. The Two Sisters (Child No. 10) Ellen Stekert, vocal and guitar(roud8;alsoknownas“TheTwasisters,”“Binnorie,”“Themillerandking’sdaughter,”“TheCruelsister,”“dreadfulWindandrain”;fromFW2354,1958)

Childnoted,“This[was]oneoftheveryfewoldballadswhicharenotextinctintraditionintheBritishisles”(Child1956,i:118).ThankstothefolksongscholarshipofindividualslikeChildandthefolksongrevivalsofthe20thcentury,manymorearenowbackincirculation.Childfoundtwoversionsofthesongpublishedinthe1650s.itisfoundthroughouttheBritishislesbutwasalsoquitepopularinscandinavia.

inthesong,asisterdrownsheryoungersister(orthiscase,theelder)injealousyoveraman.Likemanyoftheoldballads,ittakesonsupernaturalfeatures.Thebodyisrecoveredfromtheriverbyamiller(harpist)andmadeintoaharp.Thenewlymadesingingharpsingsthesongofthemurder.

FolkloristandsingerEllenstekert(b.1935)learnedthisballadfromanoldlumberjack,EzraFuzzyBarhightofCohocton,newyork,inthecourseofcollectingfolksongsinnewyorkstate.inhernotesshestatedthatpaulBrewsterbelievesthesongwasscandinavianandspreadtotheBritishisles(stekert,notestoFolkways2354).

15. Gallis Pole (Child No. 95) Lead Belly, vocal and guitar(roud144;alsoknownas“ThemaidFreedfromtheGallows,”“hangman,”“Gallowspole”;fromFW31030/sF40045,1997;recordedbyFredericramsey,october1948,fromaradioshow)

FromLeadBellytoLedZeppelin,thesong“Gallowspole”hashadmanylives.descendingfromtheoldChildBallad“ThemaidFreedfromtheGallows,”thesongtookitsmostfrequentcurrentformfromtheplayingofLeadBelly.FredGerlach’sversionshowsLeadBelly’sinfluence.it

31

becameawell-knownsongintherockcanonwhenLedZeppelinrecordeditin1970.LedZeppelinguitaristJimmypagecreditstheversionfromGerlach’salbumasthesourcefortheirversion;“ifirstheardit[‘Gallowspole’]onanoldFolkwaysLpbyFredGerlach,a12-stringplayerwhowas,ibelieve,thefirstwhitetoplaytheinstrument.iusedhisversionasabasisandcompletelychangedthearrangement”(http://www.wirz.de/music/gerlafrm.htm).onecanhearthesimilarities.

huddleLedbetter(LeadBelly)(1888–1949)wasoneofthe20thcentury’smostimportantrepositoriesoftraditionalamericansong.hewouldhearasong,commitittomemory,andadaptittomakeithisown.heperformedblues,spirituals,popsongs,children’sgames,worksongs,andamyriadofotherstyles.LeadBellywasdiscoveredwhilehewasinprisonbyJohnaveryLomaxfromtheLibraryofCongress.movingtonewyork,LeadBellywasintroducedtonorthernfolksongaudiences,andhefellintoagroupofmusiciansthatincludedWoodyGuthrie,peteseeger,auntmollyJackson,sonnyTerryandBrowniemcGhee,andJoshWhite.

ChildfoundthesongprevalentinbothnorthernandsouthernEurope,anditmadeitswaytotheunitedstates.Thestoryofitiswellknown—ayoungwomanhad“fallenintothehandsofcorsairs,”noneofherrelativeswouldpayransom,andherloverfailedtonegotiatethepricetosaveher(Child1956,ii:346).Childdoesincludeafragmentofthesongwhichisachildren’sgame.perhapsLeadBellyfirsthearditthatwayasachild.

16. Lord Barnett (Child No. 68) Ella Parker, vocal(roud47;alsoknownas“henryLee,”“Lovehenry,”“TheproudGirl,”“Earlrichard,”“younghunting”;fromFW3809,1964;recordedbypatdunford,July20,1964,FranklinCounty,indiana)

Thisisanotherballaddealingwithalovetrianglegonewrong.Themaleprotagonistdecidesheisgoingtomarryanother,morebeautifulwoman,andthespurnedloverkillshim,tossinghisbodyintotheriver.aftermanyprotestationsofherinnocence,sheconfessesandisburnedatthestake.

Thesongisascottishballad,atleastasoldasthe18thcentury,althoughChildfoundaballadwithasimilarplotlineinscandinavia.itwasoneofthefirstsongsonthewell-knownanthologyofamericanFolkmusic,appearingas“henryLee”andperformedbydickJusticefromWestVirginia.alaterrearrangedversionof“henryLee”wasrecordedonthedarkalbummurderBalladsin1996byrockersnickCaveandp.J.harvey.

ThesingerherewasEllaparker(1894–1982)fromindiana.parker’sversionneverexplainswhythewomankilledthelord.anotherChildBallad,“LadyElizabethandtheElfknight,”includesabirdwhichwitnessesthecrimeandisbribedwithagoldencagetomaintainitssilence.Thebirdmakesanappearancehereand,again,ispaidoff.

17. The False Knight Upon the Road (Child No. 3)Artus Moser, vocal and dulcimer(roud20;fromFW2112,1955;recordedbyWilliama.GrantandkennethGoldstein,august1955,swannanoa,northCarolina)

Thisisascottishballadwhereayoungboytravelingtoschoolencountersatricksterknightandoutwitshim.

artusmoser(1894–1992)wasafolksongcollectorfromwesternnorthCarolina.notonlydidherecordmanysingersandwriteaboutthemusic,butherecordedalbumsoffolksongshimself.hiscollectionofover200balladsisnowattheuniversityofnorthCarolina.

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18. Barbara Allen (Child No. 84) Dan Tate, vocal(roud54;alsoknownas“BarbryEllen,”“BonnieBarbaraallan”;fromBri[Blueridgeinstitute]2,1978;recordedbyGeorgeFoss,July10,1962,FancyGap,Virginia)

“Barbaraallen”isoneofthemostbelovedoftheChildBallads.Childfounditpublishedasearlyas1740(Child1956,ii:276–78).itwasverypopularduringthefolksongrevivalofthe1950sand1960sandcanbefoundallovertheunitedstatesandtheBritishisles.italsohasbeenfoundinothercountries.

Thefirstcommercialrecordingofthesong,amonghundreds,wasbyVernondalhartforColumbiain1927.FieldcollectorGeorgeFoss(1932–2002)recordedthisversionin1962inFancyGap,insouthernVirginianotfarfromthenorthCarolinalineandneartheBlueridgeparkway.ThesingerdanTate(1896–1990)wasabanjoplayerwhoknewmanysongs(manyofwhichhelearnedfromhissister)(yates1980,4–5).

19. The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry (Child No. 113) Paul Clayton, vocal and guitar(roud197;alsoknownas“Thesilkie,”“TheGreatsilkie”;fromFW2310,1956)

ForinformationonpaulClaytonseetrack10.

inthehebridesislands,theytellofamagicalcreaturecalledasilkie,whichlivesdeepintheseabutoccasionallyemergesontoland,dressedinsealskin,towalkamongmen.silkiesareabletotellthefuture,andtheytakehumanpartners(Clayton,notestoFW2310).Claytonstateshissourceofthisversionasr.n.Fergusson’sramblingsketchesintheFarnorth(1883,140).Finnishscholarottoanderssoncollectedtheselyricsintheorkneyislands.

in1954,notknowingthetuneandhavingonlythelyricsChildtookdown,JimWatersputthemtoadifferentmelodysohecouldperformtheballad.Waters’versionwasthebest-knownoneduringthefolksongrevival;itwasrecordedbyJoanBaez,JudyCollins,andBonniedobson.

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20. The House Carpenter (Child No. 243) Dorothy Rorick, vocal and banjo

(roud14;alsoknownas“ThedaemonLover,”“Jamesharris”;fromBri2,1978;recordedbyJoeWilson,august11,1972,Galax,Virginia)

“ThehouseCarpenter”wasoriginallyknownas“ThedaemonLover”or“Jamesharris”inBritain.asascottishballad,itwasfirstpublishedinscott’sminstrelsyin1812(Child1956,iV:360).inthestoryayoungbride,whoismarriedtoacarpenter,isvisitedbyaformerlover(orthedevil);hecoerceshertoleaveherhusbandandherbaby.Theysailawayonaship,whichsinksaftertwoweeks,killingthemboth,butnotbeforeshehadbeguntoweepforherlostfamily.inanearlyversionfoundinThepepysBallads,thebrideisJanereynoldsfromplymouth,andhersuitorisJamesharris,whohasjustreturnedfromsevenyearsatsea.manyearlyversionstellofthemseeingtwohillsahead,oneheaven,onehell.hetellshertheywillnotseetheformer,onlythelatter.healsousessupernaturalpowerstosinktheship(inoneappalachianrecordingbyLenaarmstrong,itisshewhosinkstheship,sendingthemtohell).insomecasestheshipspringsaleakonitsown.soisthebridepunishedforheradultery.

Thesonghasbeenrecordeddozensoftimesas“ThehouseCarpenter”andhasappearedindozensofsongbooks.itwaspopularinboththeamericanandBritishfolkrevivals.Clarenceashleymadethefirstcommercialrecordingofitin1928withtheCarolinaTarheels.itwasincludedinharrysmith’s1952anthologyofamericanFolkmusic.

dorothyQuesenberryrorick(1909–1980)wasraisedinVirginia,butlivedformanyyearsinohio.Whilethereinthe1930ssheledanall-girlband,theGoldenstateCowgirls(notestoBri2).shelearnedthebanjofromherfather,BuckQuesinberry,aVirginiarailroadworker.shemovedbacktodaspur,Virginia,inthe1960sandwasrecordedatajamsessionatthe1972GalaxFiddleContestbytheeminentappalachianmusicscholarJoeWilson(1938–2015).shelaterappearedatthenationalFolkFestivalin1978.

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21. The Farmer’s Curst Wife (Child No. 278) Horton Barker, vocal(roud160;alsoknownas“Thedevilandplowman,”“ThedevilandtheFarmer’sWife,”“LilyBulero,”“ThedevilandtheFarmer”;fromFW2362,1962;recordedbysandypaton,1961,BeechCreek,northCarolina)

Thehumorinthissonganditspopularityhaveallowedittoenduretothepresentday.Thedevilcomestotakethescoldingwifeofafarmer,andthefarmergladlypartswithher.Thewifecauseshavocinhell,sothedevilreturnshertothefearfulfarmerafterrealizingshe’sfartoomuchforhimtohandle.

Thesongisoriginallyfromscotland,andChildfoundaversionlistedinthestationer’sregisterin1630(Logsdon,notestosFW40151).scotswriterrobertBurnsalsotookaversionofthesongandmodifiedit(Child1956,V:107).

hortonBarker(1889–1973)wasborninLaurelBloomery,Tennessee,anareainthefareasternpartofthestateneartheconvergenceofTennessee,northCarolina,andVirginia.Theareaisalsoknownforitsold-timemusicandballads.Blindfrombirth,Barkerlearnedmanyoftheballadsandsouthernsentimentalsongsoftheregion.hewasrecordedbyanumberofballadhuntersduringthe1930s,includingalanLomaxfortheLibraryofCongress.in1941,BarkerwasfilmedforthemovieTohearyourBanjoplay,directedbyCharleskorvin.atthetimeofthisrecordingbysandypaton,hewaslivingnearChilhowie,Virginia.helearnedthissongfromasingernameddebuskinWidener’sValley,Virginia.

FolkanthologistharrysmithchoseBillandBellereed’s1928version,“oldLadyandthedevil,”asoneofthehandfulofChildBalladstoopenhislegendaryanthologyofamericanFolkmusic.

hehumor

inthissongand

itspopularityhave

allowedittoendure

tothepresentday.

Thedevilcomesto

takethescoldingwife

ofafarmer,andthe

farmergladlyparts

withher.Thewife

causeshavocinhell,

sothedevilreturns

hertothefearful

farmerafterrealizing

she’sfartoomuch

forhimtohandle.”

‘‘t

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suggested Listening And other FoLk recordings From smithsoniAn FoLkwAys recordings

CL ay Ton,pauL,FolkBalladsoftheEnglishspeakingWorldFW2310,1956

daV idson,EriC,a ndpauLnE W m a n,eds.,BalladsandsongsoftheBlueridgemountains:persistenceandChangeFW3831,1968

m aCCoL L,E Wa n,TheEnglishandscottishBallads,Vol.1:TheChildBalladsFW3509,1961

m aCCoL L,E Wa n,TheEnglishandscottishBallads,Vol.2:TheChildBalladsFW3510,1964

m aCCoL L,E Wa n,TheEnglishandscottishBallads,Vol.3:TheChildBalladsFW3511,1964

moorE,rodEriCk,BL a n TonoW En,a nd k ipLornEL L,eds.VirginiaTraditions:BalladsfromBritishTraditionBri2,1978

n y E,hErmEs,EarlyEnglishBalladsfromthepercyandChildCollections(Balladsreliques)FW2305,1957

pL aCE,JEFF,ed.ClassicmountainsongsfromsmithsonianFolkwayssF40094,2002

ri TChiE,JE a n,BalladsfromherappalachianFamilyTraditionsF40145,2003

37

sources And suggested reAding

a L a rik,sCoT T.2003.“Child’sGardenofVerses.”singout!64(Winter).

BaGGEL a a r,k ris T in,a nddon a L dmiLT on.1976.Folkmusic:moreThanasong.newyork:Thomasy.Crowell.

C a n T W EL L,roBEr T.1996.WhenWeWereGood:TheFolkrevival.Cambridge:harvarduniversitypress.

C a rLin,riCh a rd.2008.Worldsofsound:ThestoryofsmithsonianFolkways.newyork:smithsonianBooks.

ChiL d,Fr a nCisJa mEs.1882–98(reprint1956).TheEnglishandscottishpopularBallads.5vols.Boston:houghton,mifflin.

.1920.ascholar’sLetterstoayoungLady:passagesfromtheLaterCorrespondenceofFrancisJamesChild.Boston:atlanticmonthlypress.

CohEn,ron a L dd.,ed.1995.“Wasn’tThataTime!”:FirsthandaccountsoftheFolkmusicrevival.metuchen,nJ:scarecrowpress.

ri TChiE,JE a n,BritishTraditionalBalladsinthesouthernmountains,Vol.1FW2301,1960

ri TChiE,JE a n,BritishTraditionalBalladsinthesouthernmountains,Vol.2.FW2302,1960

smi T h,h a rryE.,ed.,anthologyofamericanFolkmusicsF40090,1997

s T E Wa r T,LuCy,Traditionalsingerfromaberdeenshire,scotland,Vol.1:ChildBalladsFW3519,1961

38

sources And suggested reAding, continued

pL aCE,JEFF.1997.LinernotestoanthologyofamericanFolkmusic,smithsonianFolkways40090.

2002.LinernotestoClassicmountainsongs,smithsonianFolkways40094.

s a ndBurG,C a rL.1927.Theamericansongbag.newyork:harcourtBrace.

sh a rp,CECiL .1932.EnglishFolksongsfromthesouthernappalachians,ComprisingTwohundredandseventy-FoursongsandBalladswithninehundredandsixty-EightTunes.includingThirty-nineTunesContributedbyolivedameCampbell.Editedbymaudekarpeles.London:oxforduniversitypress.

TosChEs,niCk.1996.Country:TheTwistedrootsofrock‘n’roll.newyork:daCapopress.

WoL FE,Ch a rL Es,a ndk ipLornEL L.1992.TheLifeandLegendofLeadbelly.newyork:harperCollins.

yaT Es,miCh a EL.1980.“danielWyattTate:singerfromFancyGap.”FolkmusicJournal4(1).

GoL dsmi T h,pE T Erd.1998.makingpeople’smusic:moeaschandFolkwaysrecords.Washington,dC:smithsonianinstitutionpress.

GoL ds T Ein,k EnnE T hs.1960s.notestoTheEnglishandscottishpopularBallads(TheChildBallads).Washingtonrecords.

mE a dE,Gu T hriET.,Jr .,diCkspoT T sWood,a nddouGL a ss.mE a dE.2002.Countrymusicsources:aBiblio-discographyofCommerciallyrecordedTraditionalmusic.Chapelhill,nC:southernFolklifeCollection,universityofnorthCarolinaatChapelhillLibrariesinassociationwiththeJohnEdwardsmemorialForum.

oLms T Ed,Ton y.2003.Folkwaysrecords:mosesaschandhisEncyclopediaofsound.newyork:routledge.

pEp ys,s a muEL.1929-32.ThepepysBallads.EditedbyhyderEdwardrollins.Cambridge:harvarduniversitypress.

pErCy,T hom a s.1765.reliquesofancientEnglishpoetry.

credits

CompiledandannotatedbyJeffplaceintroductionbyscottalarikmasteredbypetereinigerproductionsupervisedbyhuibschippersand d.a.sonnebornproductionmanagedbymarymonseurproductionassistancebymilesFolley-regustersEditedbyCarlaBordenandJamesdeutschphotos:Coverphoto:FrancisJamesChild, 97-628,courtesyofhoughtonLibrary,

harvarduniversity;allotherphotoscourtesyofGeorgeGranthamBainCollection,LibraryofCongress

designandLayoutbykrystynmacGregor

smithsoniAn FoLkwAys stAFF

CecilleChen,directorofbusinessaffairsandroyalties;Lauradion,salesandmarketing;Tobydodds,technologydirector;ClaudiaForonda,sales,marketing,andcustomerrelations;BeshouGedamu,marketingassistant;WillGriffin,licensing;meredithholmgren,webproductionandeducation;Fredknittel,onlinemarketing;helenLindsay,customerservice;marymonseur,productionmanager;

Jeffplace,curatorandarchivist;petereiniger,soundproductionsupervisor;huibschippers,curatoranddirector;sayemsharif,directoroffinancialoperations;ronniesimpkins,audiospecialist;ateshsonneborn,associatedirector;sandyWang,webdesigner;BrianZimmerman,fulfillment.

speciAL thAnkstoJackmanischewitzand davidWalker

smiThsonianFoLkWaysrECordinGsisthenonprofitrecordlabelofthesmithsonianinstitution,thenationalmuseumoftheunitedstates.ourmissionisthelegacyofmosesasch,whofoundedFolkwaysrecordsin1948todocumentmusic,spokenword,instruction,andsoundsfromaroundtheworld.ThesmithsonianacquiredFolkwaysfromtheaschestatein1987,andsmithsonianFolkwaysrecordingshascontinuedtheFolkwaystraditionbysupportingtheworkoftraditionalartistsandexpressingacommitmenttoculturaldiversity,education,andincreasedunderstandingamongpeoplesthroughthedocumentation,preservation,anddisseminationofsound.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Folkways, Arhoolie, Collector, Cook, Dyer-Bennet, Fast Folk, Mickey Hart Collection, Monitor, M.O.R.E., Paredon, and UNESCO recordings

are all available through:

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Mail Order, Washington, DC 20560-0520 Phone: 800 410 9815 or 888 FOLKWAYS (orders only)

Fax: 800 853 9511 (orders only)

gainand

again,Childlookedpast

thecleverinventions

offancifulscholars,

intowhatisuniversal

abouthumanbehavior.

Whereelitistscholars

sawprimitivepeasants

incapableofgenius,

Childsawpeoplewho

lovedgoodstories,and

wereequallycapable

ofcreatingthemand

passingthemalong.

h,whataworld—

withroses,sunriseandsunset,

shakespeare,Beethoven,

brooks,mountains,birds,maids,

ballads—whycan’titlast,why

can’teverybodyhaveagood

share?”—FrancisJamesChild

‘‘aTopurChasEonLinE,orforfurtherinformationaboutsmithsonianFolkwaysrecordingsgoto:www.folkways.si.edu.

pleasesendcommentsandquestionstosmithsonianfolkways@si.edu.

sFW40218 2017smithsonianFolkwaysrecordings

Washington, DC

20560-0520 ww

w.folkways.si.eduSFW

40218

2017 Smithsonian Folkw

ays Recordings

ClassiC English an

D sCottish BallaDsCl

assi

C En

glis

h an

D sC

otti

sh B

alla

Ds

The 19th-century scholar Francis James Child meticulously and authoritatively compiled 305 Scottish and English ballads into the highly influential collection known as “Child Ballads.” Although Child feared these ballads would vanish from human memory, they continue to be adored, studied, and actively performed across disciplines and genres. Classic English and Scottish Ballads from Smithsonian Folkways (from The Francis James Child Collection) introduces listeners to 21 of these traditional songs from the label’s rich collections at the Smithsonian Institution, and demonstrates the timelessness of their themes—from murder and ghosts to jealousy and unrequited love. 72 minutes, 40-page booklet with extensive notes.

SFW 40

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021

8 1. LordThomasandFairEllender(Chi ld No. 7 3) Mike S ee ger 3:50

2. GoldenVanity(Chi ld No. 2 86) Doug Wal l in 3:233. TheMermaid(Chi ld No. 2 89)

T he Golden E a g le S t r ing B and 4:144. MathieGroves(Chi ld No. 81) Di l lar d Ch andler 6:145. TheHangingofGeorgie(Chi ld No. 2 09)

I r on Moun t a in S t r ing B and1:566. GypsyDavy(Chi ld No. 2 00) Mar g ar e t Mac A r t hur1:577. ThomastheRhymer(Chi ld No. 3 7 )

Ew an Mac C ol l 6:528. LadyMargaret(Chi ld No. 74) P e t e S ee ger 2:519. LordRandall(Chi ld No. 12) Je an R i t chie2:5410. PrettyPollyandFalseWilliam(Chi ld No. 4)

P aul C lay t on 3:461 1. AndrewBatan(Chi ld No. 2 50) War de For d 3:3612. ThreeNightsDrunk(Chi ld No. 2 74)

E .C . and Or na B a l l 2:3613. LordBateman(Chi ld No. 5 3)

T he Ne w L o s t C i t y R ambler s 5:3414. TheTwoSisters(Chi ld No. 10)

E l len S t eker t1:3715. GallisPole(Chi ld No. 95) L e ad Bel l y 2 :47 16. LordBarnett(Chi ld No. 68) E l la P ar ker2:3517. TheFalseKnightUpontheRoad(Chi ld No. 3)

A r t us Mo s er2:2318. BarbaraAllen(Chi ld No. 8 4) D an Ta t e 2:5219. TheGreatSilkieofSuleSkerry(Chi ld No. 113)

P aul C lay t on 5:0320. TheHouseCarpenter(Chi ld No. 24 3)

Dor o t h y R or ick2:3821. TheFarmer’sCurstWife(Chi ld No. 2 7 8)

Hor t on B ar ker 3:07

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