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Lyr Req/Add: Ballad of Chevy Chase

DigiTrad:
CHEVY CHASE
CHEVY CHASE


Related threads:
Chevy Chase under threat (UK) (10)
(origins) Origins: Chevy Chase pronunciation (1430 Version) (6)
(origins) Origins: Chevy Chase (Eubie Blake) (16)


chico 23 May 05 - 01:00 AM
Mark Ross 26 Jan 10 - 03:05 PM
Jack Blandiver 26 Jan 10 - 03:11 PM
GUEST,999 26 Jan 10 - 03:16 PM
MGM·Lion 26 Jan 10 - 09:29 PM
MGM·Lion 26 Jan 10 - 09:52 PM
Bill D 26 Jan 10 - 10:07 PM
NOMADMan 26 Jan 10 - 10:35 PM
Little Robyn 27 Jan 10 - 12:51 AM
MGM·Lion 27 Jan 10 - 02:27 AM
GUEST,Allan C 27 Jan 10 - 02:51 AM
Little Robyn 27 Jan 10 - 01:53 PM
MGM·Lion 27 Jan 10 - 02:10 PM
Mark Ross 27 Jan 10 - 03:15 PM
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Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: CHEVY CHASE
From: chico
Date: 23 May 05 - 01:00 AM

 D  Em       A        (F#m  A D)  A7  (D7)
God prosper long our noble king,
    G    Am   G D    G (D)
Our lives and safeties all!
      A   D Em   D          A (D)
A woeful hunting once there did
    G    (Bm) A7 D
In Chevy Chase befall.

To drive the deer with hound and horn
Earl Percy took his way;
The child may rue that is unborn
The hunting of that day!

The stout Earl of Northumberland
A vow to God did make,
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
Three summer's days to take.

The chiefest harts in Chevy Chase
To kill and bear away.
These tidings to Earl Douglas came,
In Scotland where he lay

Who sent Earl Percy present word
He would prevent his sport.
The English Earl, not fearing that,
Did to the woods resort,

With fifteen hundred bowmen bold,
All chosen men of might,
Who knew full well in time of need
To aim their shafts aright.

The gallant greyhounds swiftly ran
To chase the fallow deer
On Monday they began to hunt
Ere daylight did appear;

And long before high noon they had
An hundred fat bucks slain
Then having dined, the drivers went
To rouse the deer again.

Lord Percy to the quarry went
To view the slaughter'd deer;
Quoth he, Earl Douglas promised
This day to meet me here;

But if I thought he would not come
No longer would I stay
With that a brave young gentleman
Thus to the Earl did say

Lo, yonder doth Earl Douglas come
His men in armour bright -
Full twenty hundred Scottish spears
All marching in our sight.

Show me, said he, whose men you be
That hunt so boldly here
That, without my consent do chase
And kill my fallow deer

The first man that did answer make
Was noble Percy, he
Who said, We list not to declare
Nor show whose men we be.

Yet we will spend our dearest blood
Thy chiefest harts to slay.
Then Douglas swore a solemn oath
And thus in rage did say

Ere thus I will out-braved be
One of us two shall die!
I know thee well, An earl thou art
Lord Percy! so am I.

Our English archers bent their bows,
Their hearts were good and true;
At the first flight of arrows sent
Full fourscore Scots they slew.

At last these two stout Earls did meet
Like captains of great might;
Like lions wud they laid on load
And made a cruel fight.

They fought, until they both did sweat,
With swords of tempered steel,
Until the blood, like drops of rain,
They trickling down did feel.

O yield thee, Percy! Douglas said,
In faith, I will thee bring
Where thou shalt high advanced be
By James our Scottish king;

Thy ransom I will freely give,
And this report of thee,
Thou art the most courageous knight
That ever I did see.

No, Douglas; quoth Earl Percy then,
Thy proffer I do scorn;
I will not yield to any Scot
That ever yet was born!

With that there came an arrow keen
Out of an English bow,
Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart,
A deep and deadly blow;

Who never spake more words than these
Fight on, my merry men all!
For why my life is at an end,
Lord Percy sees my fall.

Then leaving life, Earl Percy took
The dead man by the hand;
And said, Earl Douglas! For thy life
Would I had lost my land!

O Christ! my very heart doth bleed
With sorrow for thy sake;
For sure a more redoubted knight
Mischance could never take.

A knight among the Scots there was
Who saw Earl Douglas die;
Who straight in wrath did vow revenge
Upon the Lord Percy

Sir Hugh Montgomery was he called,
Who, with a spear full bright,
Well mounted on a gallant steed,
Ran fiercely through the fight;

And past the English archers all,
Without all dread or fear,
And through Earl Percy's body then
He thrust his hateful spear.

This fight did last from break of day
Till setting of the sun;
For when they rung the evening bell
The battle scarce was done.

And the Lord Maxwell in like case
Did with Earl Douglas die;
Of twenty hundred Scottish spears
Scarce fifty-five did fly;

Of fifteen hundred Englishmen
Went home but fifty-three;
The rest were slain in Chevy Chase
Under the greenwood tree.

Next day did many widows come
Their husbands to bewail;
They washed their wounds in brinish tears,
But all would not prevail.

Their bodies bathed in purple gore
They bore with tbem away;
They kissed their dead a thousand times
When they were clad in clay.

God save our king, and bless this land
With plenty, joy and peace,
And grant henceforth that foule debate
'Twixt noblemen may cease!



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Subject: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Mark Ross
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 03:05 PM

Ran across a mention of this in a book on Greek Myth. Where can I find it?

Mark Ross


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 03:11 PM

A google search will reveal all...


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: GUEST,999
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 03:16 PM

Mark: Google

ballad of chevy chase

Many sites there to read

PS, Mark.

It's in the DT as Chevy Chase.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 09:29 PM

The Wikipedia entry, under title of "The Ballad of Chevy Chase" to disambiguate from the actor and the district of DC named after it, is briefish but informative, distinguishing between earlier and later versions, & from the related ballad 'The Battle of Otterburn', which deals with [what is believed to be] the same historical event.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 09:52 PM

Re DT entry - it gives 4 different tunes. Out of interest, two were later used as setting for songs in John Gay's ballad opera The Beggar's Opera {1729}

— for the first {Air xii, Act I sc 10} the text gives as title heading "O ponder well, ye parents dear"", another song popular in early C18 set to DT's Chevy Chas tune 1;

the second {Air lxi part of long sequence in Act III sc 13} is actually headed "Chevy Chase", using DT's tune 2.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 10:07 PM

It does relate to the old border disputes between England & Scotland, where the Scot, Douglas, decided that and English hunting party, led by Percy was encroaching on Scottish lands. Huge battle ensues, and blood was spilled.

Then, the ballad writers (the equivalent of Hollywood) got hold of it, and details were embroidered as to the exploits and injuries and deaths of major characters, making the story more 'interesting', whether accurate or not.

It's only been recorded a few times, and the 'best' one I have heard is by Gordeanna McCulloch, whose voice is so high I can barely understand her.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: NOMADMan
Date: 26 Jan 10 - 10:35 PM

It can be found in Francis James Child's collection also. It appears as Child Ballad #162, "The Hunting of the Cheviot." As already noted, it is closely related to The Battle of Otterburn, Child #161.

Regards,
John


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of Chevy chase
From: Little Robyn
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 12:51 AM

Have a look at Wikipedia.
One of the easiest Northumbrian pipe tunes.
Robyn


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Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 02:27 AM

===One of the easiest Northumbrian pipe tunes.===

Which of the alternative tunes?


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Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: GUEST,Allan C
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 02:51 AM

"Battle of Otterburn"

The event itself was real enough and can be found in both Scottish and English sources though they differ on what day of the month it was fought. Relatively small Scottish attack on Newcastle area in 1388 leads to English pursuit which catches up with Scots at Otterburn where James Douglas,2nd Earl of Douglas, the Scottish leader is slain before the English are eventually pretty heavily defeated. On the face of it the main vein of the Battle of Otterburn seems more historically accurate and is quite different from Chevy Chase. Does the above ballad perhaps talk about the reason the Scots attacked and then the eventual battle without referring to the Scottish siege and retreat prior to the battle? Or is it perhaps talking about some other event - after all there were plenty of Douglases and Percies.


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Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: Little Robyn
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 01:53 PM

Hi M
'Which of the alternative tunes?'
The first one - CHEVCHAS
I think every Geordie piper knows this tune - it's probably the first one they ever tried. It only uses about 8 notes and can be played on a basic keyless chanter.
I've also heard Ray Fisher sing the ballad to this tune.
Robyn


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Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 02:10 PM

Thanks, Robyn. Yes, a very 'pipey' sounding air indeed. I always think of it as 'O ponder well, be not severe', as I have always loved The Beggar's Opera.

Michael


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Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ballad of Chevy Chase
From: Mark Ross
Date: 27 Jan 10 - 03:15 PM

Thanks to all who responded.

Mark Ross


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