Setting up a Chronological Sequence
Having used the chorus to establish a basic sequence, it should be possible to use independent analysis of the rest of the song to test the sequence and, if appropriate, to refine it. A balanced analysis can be achieved by combining an analysis of the overall story with a study of the occurrence of key words and phrases in the various versions. The result of this kind of study is a large untidy grid which cannot be posted here. It is, however, reasonably easy to summarise.
The Black Velvet Band IV – Traditional Versions: Analysis of The Song
Since, apart from the chorus, both the fragments E and F have only the verse dealing with trial and sentencing, this part of the story seems the most appropriate place to start. The broadside versions (A) have no trial and the singer is sentenced to an unspecified period of transportation in Van Diemen's Land. Version F follows this exactly, replicating the "free passage" (A) as a "free trip". Versions B, D and G include trial by the Lord Mayor or Lord Justice. The sentence in each case varies, being transportation (B and D) or simply "doomed" (G) as does the period of time (unspecified (D), 16 years (B) or 7 years(G). Finally, in versions C, E and H, trial is by a judge and jury. Again the sentence varies from transportation (C and H) to being told off by the judge (E). The period is 7 years, where specified (C and H). This part of the song displays a close resemblance between versions A and F and also between versions C and H.
The other group of actions - meeting, theft and arrest – can be similarly analysed. Versions A, B and H have the meeting and the passing of a stolen object (there is no theft) as separate actions. Version G is confused, missing the information needed to decide. In all these case, however, an arrest occurs. Versions C and D have separate meeting and theft, but with no arrest. The stolen article is variously a "Fogle" (A), a Watch (B C and H) or a Gold Watch (D and G). In this part of the song, there is a close resemblance between versions A and B and also between versions C and D.
Incidental details to the action include the singer's role, the location of the incident and the misfortune resulting from it. In all cases except version G where he was "a printer" (mondegreen), the singer was an apprentice at the time of the story. In some versions he is described in more detail as an "Apprentice Boy" (B) or as an "Apprentice to Trade" (C and H). The location is variously given ad Barking (A), Belfast (B and C), London (D and G) and Tralee (H). When the action begins, the singer is walking along Ratcliffe Highway (A), The Broadway (C and H), his "usual beat" (D) or this is unspecified (B and G). His misfortune is variously described as "future misfortune" (A), "bad misfortune" (C) or both (H). It is not described at all in versions D or G and version B has a line of nonsense (mondegreen). There are close resemblances between versions C and H and also between versions D and G, though those between D and G are mainly due to omissions.
The role of the woman varies slightly more than that of the singer. She is a "gay young deceiver" (A and B), a "pretty maiden" (C and D) or a "damsel" (G and H). In some versions, she is further described as having dark or black eyes (a, B, C and D), a neck like a swan (C) or being "ticklesome" (H). A warning is given against women of her type in versions A, B and C and she is cursed by the singer in all versions (A, B, C, D, G and H). Close resemblances exist, in these descriptive elements, between versions A and B, and there are some resemblances between version D and versions A, B, C and G as well as between versions G and H.
The two supernumary characters in the song are either an accomplice (A and B) or a victim (C D and H) but never both. There is no supernumary character in version G.
Versions C and H include final morals, which are remarkably similar.
The outcome of all this is that, perhaps surprisingly, the proposed styles based on an analysis of the chorus are very largely supported (things may be rather more complicated but it's not possible to find a better overall schema with the information available). Exemplars of a particular style show, in general, strong relationships with each other and with some, but not all, of the exemplars of parent or child styles. With one exception (see below), there are no close correspondences between styles which are more that one generation apart. It should be noted that the fragmentary version F, not previously dealt with, is very close in style to the broadside version (style 0).
Probably, there is little more to say without analysing further versions in more depth. However, there are two details which should be noted.
First, very strong correspondences occur in three cases. These are between versions A and B, versions C and D and versions C and H. It is worth noting that, in each case, these are between versions belonging to parent/child styles in the current schema. It's tempting to speculate that these versions represent the closest ones to the version from which a new style developed.
Secondly, looked at in closer detail, small correspondences do exist between versions which have been placed further apart in style than parent/child styles. Examination of these reveals that they all involve version H. From some of the peculiarities of the story in H, it seems likely that this was a significant rewrite of the original song (probably based in version C given the close correspondences). If so, however, the author of this version probably had access to more than one version of the song, perhaps including the broadside.