Someone gifted me with a 1965 edition of 124 Folk Songs edited by Moses Asch. Delighted to have it and note several Jean Ritchie songs in there.

But I'm curious if anyone knows where the song Taking Gair in the Night comes from - did Karen James write it? In the book it is listed 'from the singing of KJ' and as Folkways FG 3547.

I don't read music, so have to wait for someone to translate the melody for me, but I liked the chord sequence enough to start playing with the verses to my own invented melody (I'll be sorry about this later, I know).

First two verses, in case someone will be reminded...

Come all you good people and listen you might
It's only a ditty I'm going to write
It's only a ditty, I'm sure it's all right
It's all about taking your gair in the night

John Keeping come up and he give the first call
And with a loud shout these words he did bawl
Heave to Jolly boys, it's a beautiful night
All hands are bound out taking gair in the night

Chords:
D C D
C Am D
C D
C D

I'm guessing it is recent (if you think of pre-1965 as recent, which I fear I do), and is in fact a kind of 'fake-folk', because of the wording in various verses, including the first person 'writing' a ditty. But whether ancient or instant, what are Gair - fish, squid, whales?

Thanks, all.