The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #66363   Message #1101154
Posted By: GUEST, NOMADman
25-Jan-04 - 05:17 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Bronson's Child #250 (Henry Martyn)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bronson's Child #250 (Henry Martyn)
Hi,

It looks like what Roberto is searching for is actually Bronson's version #8 of Sir Andrew Barton, which is Child #167, a ballad quite similar to Henry Martyn.

Bronson reports that it was sung by Warde H. Ford, Central Valley, California, Christmas Day, 1938. Learned from his uncle, Charles Walker, of Crandon, Wisconsin, who had it from a Scottish logger in Couer d'Alene, Idaho in 1906. As noted by Malcolm Douglas, the Library of Congress recording presented on LP #AAFS L58 was recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell.

Note that throughout the ballad, both in Bronson and in the booklet accompanying the LP, the captain's name is give as Stuart, rather than Stewart. In stanza 9, the text reads, "Who art, who art...," rather than "are't." Also in stanza 9, it reads, "...that sails so high," rather than "sail." In stanzas 4 and 6 the name "England" is rendered as "Eng-a-land" in Bronson and "Eng-l-and" in the LOC booklet. The missing words supplied by Malcolm match the printed texts in both Bronson and the LOC booklet.

Regards,
John