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Subject: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 04 May 99 - 07:13 AM I'm looking for the words and some history if anyone knows it for a song about a red haired tinker main who weds a farmer, and it ends tragically. The verse about the woman goes:
The sun shown on her red, red hair,
Anyone? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin _Ryan Date: 04 May 99 - 07:51 AM The song is "The Tinkerman's Daughter". There are basically two versions of it around. The oringinal (by Kerry Poet Sigerson Clifford) is very long and very tragic. The other , by Mickey McConnel, is not so long and not so tragic! A quick look in the Digital Tradition Database shows the short version only. There was at least one earlier thread on this. I'll bring 'em up to the top if I find them. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Charlie Baum Date: 04 May 99 - 11:46 AM Rick Lee recorded BOTH versions--the shorter of the two is on Natick and the longer one on There's Talk About a Fence. Both are available from Waterbug Records. If you go to www.waterbug.com, you can order the CDs, but moreover, you can link to Rick Lee's own pages, which contain his complete liner notes, including what he knows about the history of these songs. --Charlie Baum |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 04 May 99 - 11:51 AM Thanks, guys. Sounds like a friend taped me some of "Talk About a Fence". I've been wondering which album it was from and how to find it. I believe I must have the long version. Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin _Ryan Date: 04 May 99 - 01:15 PM Charlie Got an address for Rick Lee's Page? Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin _Ryan Date: 04 May 99 - 01:27 PM Charlei OK - I found it. Rick got the long version from Tim Dennehy, a fine singer from the same area as Sigerson Clifford. Tim fitted the air to the poem. regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Charlie Baum Date: 04 May 99 - 04:40 PM For anyone else who needs it, Rick Lee's homepage is at: http://world.std.com/~ricklee// --Charlie |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: bigJ Date: 04 May 99 - 07:16 PM Tim Dennehy did a nice version of the song on his cassette 'A Thimbleful of Songs' issued by the Goilin Traditional Singers Club in Dublin in 1988. Claddagh Record Shop, Dame Street, Dublin might be able to help. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE TINKER'S DAUGHTER (S Clifford)^^ From: Barbara Date: 27 May 99 - 07:22 PM I finally transcribed the words for the long version by Kerry poet Sigerson Clifford. I have a few questions about names and words, but let me post this first: THE TINKER'S DAUGHTER by Sigerson Clifford, c 1955
When rooks ripped home at evening tide
With long haired horse and boney ass
The sun shown on her red, red hair
The night spread its star-tasseled shawls,
There were songs as old as turning wheels
A farmer going by the field
Her beauty filled his brooding blood
And when the sunlight swamped the hills
And it was from her house she watched them fade
She saw the months run on and on
And too, the ebbing sea that flung
She climbed the pallet road to Kells [pallid road]
They bedded her between the wheels
And now the years flew by like frightened birds
No more they camped by Corrin Bridge [Carhan Bridge]
He left the road, he crossed the field
And that evening when the neighbors came,
The laid the son upon the cart
And the sun shown on her red, red hair
They buried the men in Kiel Varn Og [Keelvarnogue] Note from Joe Offer (10 March 2014) - Martin Ryan offered corrections below to these lyrics that were transcribed by Barbara. I have included Martin's corrections in italics in this post. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 27 May 99 - 07:33 PM These words are similar to the ones in the database, but this version is much longer. And since the words are not the same, am I right in assuming the original is in Gaelic? If so, does anyone know who did the translating? Also the place names in the DT one are all different, and can anyone fix my spelling?
In this verse, I can't make the words make sense. Have I transcribed them wrong?
Thanks, |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin Ryan Date: 28 May 99 - 04:54 AM Barbara No Gaelic on this one - apart from some of the placenames. The poem was written some years ago by a man called Sigerson Clifford. I'll get hold of a copy and check your transcription - but most of it looks fine. Regards p.s. Heard someone singing the short version at a session last night. I prefer the full tragedy. Any thoughts? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 28 May 99 - 08:50 AM I love the language in the long version, and the revenant at the end gives me chills; makes me cry. It's funny that this song calls to me. I'm not a big fan of murder and suicide songs, especially 22 verse ones... the real test will be if I can get my friends to listen to it when I sing it. Martin, you said "No Gaelic on this one", do you mean, you don't have it, or that it was written in English? Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin Ryan Date: 28 May 99 - 02:45 PM Barbara |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 28 May 99 - 07:43 PM Yes....? Somehow I get the impression you meant to say more than that. True? Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Joe Offer Date: 28 May 99 - 08:03 PM Here's what he said, Barbara: Barbara <p.If at first you can't make sense of it, right-click and see what it is they tried to say (grin) -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Philippa Date: 29 May 99 - 08:26 AM the earlier thread is at Tinkerman's Daughter but it doesn't have much more info. I am not aware of any Gaelic version of this song Did Niamh Parson's record the song also? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin _Ryan Date: 29 May 99 - 09:30 AM Barbara: Sorry about the over-pithy (even for me) message! The poem was written in English about 40 years ago. Tim Dennehy set it to music. Mickey McConnel did the short version. Niamh Parsons has certainly sung it - but I don't think she's recored it. Regards p.s. Have you heard Niamh's new CD? Back to the tradition - no more MOR. Its very good. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin Ryan Date: 29 May 99 - 09:38 AM Sorry Joe - I see it now! Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Joe Offer Date: 29 May 99 - 04:52 PM Yes, Martin, it's what's known in the business as a "typo." I guess even you can make 'em. Even me, for that matter. (grin) -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 29 May 99 - 08:20 PM Now that you've gotten the HMTL(sic) straight can any of you spelling whiz types tell me if it's pallet road or pallid road to Kells? Is there such a thing as a pallet road? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Date: 03 Jun 99 - 04:09 AM Hi Barbara
Your transcripton is almost perfect. Here's a couple of minor corrections - mostly placenames.
Verse* 1.3 Carrhan Bridge
8.4 "pallid road" is correct
9.2 yellow furze
13.3 Glenbeigh
16.1 Carhan Bridge
22.1 Keelvarnogue * The poem was set in verses of eight, four-stress lines. Not that it matters for singing but it means you can claim its "only 11 verses"! Regards p.s. I presume the sense of the Autumn verse is of mist hiding the trees from the stars which once she had outshone - or something along those lines.
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin _Ryan Date: 03 Jun 99 - 01:24 PM Barbara Last posting was from me. As to "pallid" - I can only guess he's contrasting dusty, unmetalled roads with the green hedges and ditches of Kerry. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 03 Jun 99 - 07:44 PM Thanks, Martin. I sang it last Tuesday at the pub, and it was very quiet for a while after I finished, which, to my mind, means they listened. The song cast its spell. I fell over a couple words (I seem to think it should be "singing" rather than "springing" earth, at least that's what my mouth says when it comes around) and I seem to want to say "and lips were red" rather than "wan, which blows the rhyme. PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Thank you ever so much for your help. Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: Tune Add: THE TINKER MAID (from Rick Lee)^^ From: Barbara Date: 04 Jun 99 - 05:00 PM Here's the tune (more or less) as Rick Lee sings it (minus the variations and formatas and rubato) Can you tell me if this is Tim Dennehy's tune or Mickey McConnell's? Blessings, Barbara
MIDI file: tnkrmd1.mid Timebase: 240 TimeSig: 4/4 24 8 This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X:1 ^^ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Martin _Ryan Date: 08 Jun 99 - 06:16 PM I met Tim Dennehy at the weekend and asked him what he thought Clifford meant with "pallid road". His guess was the same as mine. I suppose I'll have to give in and make sense of all this tune-handling software now! My recollection is that Mc Connell's tune is a slight variation on Tim's. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Barbara Date: 08 Jun 99 - 08:55 PM Or just send me your email address, Martin and I'll send you a MIDI file of it...Never put off till tomorrow what you can do next week. Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: ADD:The Ballad of the Tinker's Daughter (Clifford) From: Joe Offer Date: 10 Mar 14 - 03:48 AM THE BALLAD OF THE TINKER'S DAUGHTER (Sigerson Clifford) When rooks ripped home at eventide and trees pegged their shadows to the ground The tinkers came to Carhan Bridge and camped beside the Famine mound. With long-eared ass and bony horse and with blue-wheeled cart and caravan And she the fairest of them all the daughter of the tinker clan. O the sun flamed in her red, red hair and in her eyes there were stars of mirth Her body held the willow's grace and her feet scarce touched the springing earth. The night spread its star-tasseled shawls; the river gossiped to her stones She sat beside the camping fire and she sang the songs the tinker owns. All the songs as old as turning wheels and sweet as the bird-throats after rain Deep wisdom of the wild wet earth; the pain of joy, the joy of pain. A farmer going by the road to tend his cattle in the byre He saw her like some fairy queen between the river and the fire. And her beauty stirred his brooding blood; her magic mounted all in his head. He stole her from the tinker clan and on the morrow they were wed. And when the sunlight swamped the hills and bird-song drowned the river's bells The tinkers quenched their hazel fires and climbed the pallid road to Kells. It was from her house she watched them fade and vanish in the yellow furze A cold wind blew across the sun and it silenced all the singing birds. She saw the months run on and on, she saw the river fret and foam At break of day the roosters called; at dim of dusk the cows came home. The crickets strummed their heated harps in hidden halls all behind the hob And they told of distant waterways where the black moorhens dive and bob And shoot the glassy bubbles up to smash their windows on the stones And brown trout hide their spots of gold among the river's pebbled bones. And to the ebbing sea that flung a net of sound all about the stars, It set strange hills dancing in her dreams and it meshed her to the wandering cars. She stole out from her sleeping man; she fled the fields that tied her down Her face moved towards the rising sun; her back was to the tired town. And she climbed the pallid road to Kells against the hill and all against the wind In Glenbeigh of the mountain-streams she came upon her tinker-kind. They bedded her between the wheels and there her son was born She heard the tinker-woman's praise before she died that morn. Now the years flew by like frightened birds that spill a feather and then are gone The farmer walked his weedful fields and he made the tinkers travel on. No more they camped by Carhan Bridge or coaxed their fires to fragrant flame They saw him with his dog and his gun; they spat and cursed his name. And when May hid the hawthorn trees with stars she stole from out the skies There came a barefoot tinker lad with red, red hair and laughing eyes. He left the road, he crossed the fields; the farmer shot him in the side The smile went from his twisting lips; he told his name and died. And that evening when the neighbours came they found the son there upon the floor They saw the farmer swinging low between the window and the door. They placed the son upon a cart and they cut the swaying farmer down They swear a tinker woman came with them all the way to town. And the sun flamed in her red, red hair and in her eyes there danced stars of mirth Her body held the willow's grace and her feet scarce touched the springing earth. They buried them in Keelvarnogue and eyes were moist and lips were wan And when the mound was patted down the tinker maid was gone. by Sigerson Clifford, c. 1955 Source: http://www.politicalworld.org/showthread.php?6173-Poetry-The-Invitation-and-others/page12#.Ux1sevldWSo I was looking for a polished transcription of the Clifford poem, and most placed on the Internet have copies of Barbara's transcription. This one seems to correct some of the difficult spots in Barbara's transcription. Any corrections to this one, or is it accurate? Seems to me there are some rough spots and unwanted apostrophes in the Digital Tradition transcription of the Mickey Connel song. Anybody want to post a corrected transcription? -Joe- |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF THE TINKER'S DAUGHTER From: MartinRyan Date: 10 Mar 14 - 04:57 AM This is the text and layout of Clifford's "The Ballad of the Tinker's Daughter" as published in his collection "Ballads of a Bogman" first published in 1955. THE BALLAD OF THE TINKER'S DAUGHTER (Sigerson Clifford) When rooks ripped home at eventide And trees pegged shadows to the ground The tinkers came to Carhan Bridge And camped beside the Famine mound. With long-eared ass and bony horse, And blue-wheeled cart and caravan And she the fairest of them all, The daughter of the tinker clan. The sun flamed in her red, red hair And in her eyes danced stars of mirth Her body held the willow's grace Her feet scarce touched the springing earth. The night spread its star-tasseled shawls The river gossiped to her stones, She sat beside the leaping fire And sang the songs the tinker owns. The songs as old as turning wheels And sweet as bird-throats after rain Deep wisdom of the wild wet earth The pain of joy, the joy of pain. A farmer going by the road And tend his cattle in the byre He saw her like some fairy queen Between the river and the fire. Her beauty stirred his brooding blood, Her magic mounted all in his head, He stole her from the tinker clan And on the morrow they were wed. And when the sunlight swamped the hills And bird-song drowned the river's bells The tinkers quenched their hazel fires And climbed the windy road to Kells. And from his house she watched them fade And vanish in the yellow furze; A cold wind blew across the sun And silenced all the singing birds. She saw the months run on and on, And heard the river fret and foam At break of day the roosters called At dim of dusk the cows came home. The crickets strummed their heated harps In hidden halls behind the hob And told of distant waterways where the black moorhens dive and bob. And shoot the glassy bubbles up To smash their windows on the stones; And brown trout hide their spots of gold Among the river's pebbly bones. And, too, the ebbing sea that flung A net of sound about the stars, Set strange hills dancing in her dreams And meshed her to the wandering cars. She stole out from her sleeping man She fled the fields that tied her down. Her face moved towards the rising sun Her back was to the tired town. She climbed the pallid road to Kells Against the hill, against the wind In Glenbeigh of the mountain-streams She came upon her tinker-kind. They bedded her between the wheels And there her son was born She heard the tinker-woman's praise Before she died that morn… The years flew by like frightened birds That spill a feather and are gone The farmer walked his weedful fields And made the tinkers travel on. No more they camped by Carhan Bridge And coaxed their fires to fragrant flame They saw him with his dog and gun They spat and cursed his name. And when May hid the hawthorn trees With stars she stole from out the skies There came a barefoot tinker lad With red, red hair and laughing eyes. He left the road, he crossed the fields The farmer shot him in the side The smile went from his twisting lips He told his name and died. And that evening when the neighbours came They found the son laid on the floor And saw the farmer swinging low Between the window and the door. They placed the son upon a cart And they cut the swaying farmer down They swear a tinker woman came With them all the way to town. The sun flamed in her red, red hair And in her eyes danced stars of mirth Her body held the willow's grace Her feet scarce touched the springing earth. They buried them in Keelvarnogue And eyes were moist and lips were wan And when the mound was patted down The tinker maid was gone. These things were long before my day I only speak with borrowed words. But that is how the story goes In Iveragh of the singing birds. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: MartinRyan Date: 10 Mar 14 - 04:59 AM Incidentally, as mentioned earlier in the thread, the air was fitted by Tim Dennehy of Caherciveen, whose fine singing of the song is responsible for much of its popularity. Regards |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE TINKERMAN'S DAUGHTER (M McConnell) From: MartinRyan Date: 10 Mar 14 - 11:56 AM And here's Mickey McConnell's song, as given on his website: THE TINKERMANS' DAUGHTER All the wee birds were lining the bleak autumn branches Preparing to fly to a far distant shore When the tinkers made camp at the bend in the river Coming back from the horsefair in Ballinasloe. The harvest being over the farmer came walking Along the Feale River that bordered his land And twas there he first saw her twixt firelight and water The Tinkerman's daughter, The Red Headed Ann. Next morning he rose from a night without resting Went straight to her father and made his case known. In a pub in Listowel they worked out the bargain For the Tinker a pony: for the daughter a home. Where the trees peg their shadows along the Feale River The Tinker and farmer inspected the land And a white gelding pony was the price they agreed on For the Tinkerman's daughter, The Red Headed Ann. The wedding soon over the tinkers departed They were eager to travel on south down the road But the crunch of the iron-shod wheels on the gravel Was as bitter to her as the way she'd been sold. Yet she tried hard to please him – she did all his bidding She slept in his bed and she worked on his land But the walls of that cabin pressed tighter and tighter On the Tinkerman's daughter, The Red Headed Ann. As white as the hands of the priest or the hangman The snow spread its blanket the next Christmas round When the Tinkerman's daughter slipped out from the bedside Turned her back on the land and her face to the town. It was said someone saw her ere dusk that same evening She was making her way out oer Lyracrumpayne But that was the last time the settled folk saw her The Tinkerman's daughter, The Red Headed Ann. Where the North Kerry hills cup the Feale near Listowel On a farm on its banks lives a bitter old man And he swears by the shotgun he keeps at his bedside That he'll kill any tinker who camps on his land. But whenever he hears iron-shod wheels crunch on gravel Or a horse in the shafts of a bright caravan Then his days work's tormented: his night's sleep demented By the Tinkerman's daughter, The Red Headed Ann. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr req: The Tinker Maid -- sung by Rick Lee From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Mar 14 - 02:22 AM Thank you very much, Martin. -Joe- |
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