Lyr Req: The Maid I Am

Subject: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From:
Date: 24 Jul 99 - 08:42 PM

I heard a song that was quite interesting, and sounded quite old. I've looked, and can't seem to locate it at any of the sites keeping lyrics, including DT, Contemplator. Would anyone have heard of the song The Maid I Am. It seems to be about a young woman who is being foisted on an old man by her mother. The line that sticks to my memory is with a beard all cleanly shaven.

Anyone come across this one before?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From: Philippa
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 03:48 AM

Does the song have a line "and his old grey beard kept wagging"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From: Philippa
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 05:00 AM

something like this:

[and old man came over the lea...for to court me...]
My mother she told to me te gie him a chair
Ah-ha but I wouldnae ha'e him
I gied him a chair
And he slipped on the flair
With his grey beard newly shaven

My mother she told to me tae gie him a drink
Ah-ha but I wouldnae ha'e him
I gied him a drink
And he began to wink
With his grey beard newly shaven

My mother she told to me tae gie him a kiss
Ah-ha but I wouldnae ha'e him
If you like him so weel, you can kiss him yersel'
With his grey beard newly shaven

sung by Jeannie Robertson on Caedmon series of The "Folksongs of Britain: Songs of Courtship". Peter Kennedy recorded the song form Jeannie. I think all the songs on this album should be published in Kennedy's" Folksongs of Britain and Ireland".
I recall Peggy Seeger recorded an American version "His Old Grey Beard Kept Wagging" on a compilation with Ewan MacColl of Matching Songs of Britain and America.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From: Philippa
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 05:29 AM

Very similar lyrics posted at: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2012/poems/ballad10.html

Discography at http://miltonsweb.mse.jhu.edu:8001/research/folkindex/ look for variants under Mountaineer's Courtship, Old Grey Beard a' Waggin',Old Grey Beard Newly Shaven, Old Shoes and Leggins, / Never Wed an Old Man (=Maids when You're Young or An Old Man Came Courtin' Me, is in DT - but doesn't include the mother or the beard motifs)

Subject: Grey Beard Newly Shaven
From:
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 05:37 AM

from http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2012/poems/ballad10.html (clickable link above):There Was an Old Man Came Over the Lea
This is a version of the Baillie of Berwick, which will be found in the Local Historian's Table-Book. It was originally obtained from Morpeth, and communicated by W. H. Longstaffe, Esq., of Darlington, who says, 'in many respects the Baillie of Berwick is the better edition - still mine may furnish an extra stanza or two, and the ha! ha! ha! is better than heigho, though the notes suit either version.'

There was an old man came over the Lea,
Ha-ha-ha-ha! but I won't have him.
He came over the Lea,
A-courting to me,
With his grey beard newly-shaven.

My mother she bid me open the door:
I opened the door,
And he fell on the floor.
My mother she bid me set him a stool:
I set him a stool,
And he looked like a fool.

My mother she bid me give him some beer
I gave him some beer,
And he thought it good cheer.

My mother she bid me cut him some bread:
I cut him some bread,
And I threw't at his head.

My mother she bid me light him to bed.
I lit him to bed
And wished he were dead.

My mother she bid me tell him to rise:
I told him to rise,
And he opened his eyes.

My mother she bid me take him to church:
I took him to church,
And left him in the lurch;
With his grey beard newly-shaven.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From:
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 07:30 AM

Those are much like it. The version I heard was so similar to both of those. The last verse was much like the last one where she left him in the lurch.

I guess I should have just searched on beard and shaven rather than "BEARD CLEANLY SHAVEN" the way I heard it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From:
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 07:33 AM

The way I remember it, the man came and the mother said to get him a chair. Then the man was given some food, but he wouldn't eat. Then the mother says to take him to bed. Lastly he was taken to church, and the last part was to leave him in the lurch.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From:
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 08:54 AM

That's perfect. Thanks Phillipa and Anonymous. Checked out the related web-site too. That was VERY interesting. The base of that site for the ballads is Ancient Ballads

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From: Susan of DT
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 10:37 AM

See [Old Shoes and Leggin's] in the DT. The above is a variant.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Maid I Am
From:
Date: 25 Jul 99 - 04:05 PM

Susan, thanks muchly. Another version, that's wonderful.
Say, are you the one I should mention to about this? At the bottom of the screen for the song search. It said, reqest which is an obvious typo.