Lyr Req: The Black Horse (Archie Fisher)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Black Horse (Archie Fisher)
From: GUEST,JHW
Date: 12 Mar 19 - 03:05 PM

Its on his album - Sunsets I've Ridden Into. (from memory)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Black Horse (Archie Fisher)
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 19 - 06:18 AM

Brendan
Thanks people, for this info and the transcript. Been keen to learn this recitation for a long time. Archie Fischer is great.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLACK HORSE (Archie Fisher)
From: maeve
Date: 17 Feb 13 - 05:45 AM

You're welcome, Guest.   

Joe Offer- I think this is an accurate transcription now; note that line 5 has been altered from "I've swung to many's a saddle sing" to "I've swung to many's the saddle since", "Garry Goulach" is now spelled correctly, and the title of the poem is properly "The Black Horse".
**********************
Corrected version:

The Black Horse by Archie Fisher

When I rode the grey horse that carried Merlin's name
I broke the wizard's curse to make the bold moss-troopers claim
Again I rode a lean grey in the mountains of the west
Through hanging bog and corry to Garry Goulach's crest
I've swung to many's the saddle since on bay and chestnut too
But I will ride the black horse 'til I ride home to you

And I will ride the black horse with a lurcher at his heel
From Lammermuir to Cheviot and along by Teviotdale
Across the windy Minchmoor and down through Liddesdale
And o'er the crag of Ruberslaw to Bowmont and to Kale
For I will take the long track where every day is new
And I will ride the black horse 'til I ride home to you

And I will ride the black horse all the summer long
To hear a distant echo join the chorus of a song
And when I cross the Ettrick or ford the Yarrow's flood
In the autumn woods of Tweeddale I'll feel you in my blood
And as the winter westerlies come howling through Traquair
I'll turn his head into the wind to taste you in the air
And when spring creeps o'er Soutra Hill and nature loves anew
Then I will mount the white horse and I'll ride home to you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride the Black Horse
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 13 - 02:49 AM

Thanks, maeve. Especially for the info on Lurchers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Black Horse by Archie Fisher
From: maeve
Date: 15 Feb 13 - 10:58 AM

A few clarifications for BigDaddy and other interested parties:

The correct title of the poem is 'The Black Horse'.

*A lurcher is a breed of dog; energetic, loves to run and chase game.
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/lurcher.htm

*Ruberslaw- village and a hill, Scottish Borders; part of the grouping of Hobkirk, Southdean and Ruberslaw, near Denholm.

*Bowmont Forest- south of Kelso

*Kale- Kalemouth, where the Kale Water joins the Teviot

*Gary Guragh's crest- a hamlet on the banks of Loch Garry with a hunting lodge where endurance riders stopped by.

*hanging bog- a quaking bog; floating peat that quivers when you walk across it.

*corry- 'a rounded glen is coire, a cauldron, corry ;
often narrow at the mouth.' http://www.archive.org/stream/placenamesofross00watsuoft/placenamesofross00watsuoft_djvu.txt

Thus Stanza #1:
"Through hanging bog and corry to Garry Goulach's crest
I've swung to many's the saddle since on bay and chestnut too"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride the Black Horse
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 15 Feb 13 - 03:06 AM

"Lurcher"? Doesn't seem right. And it's "Rubislaw." And "Beaumont." "Minch Moor" (two words). By the way, there's a "Minch "Moor Trail," popular with cyclists that touches upon a number of these place-names.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride The Black Horse
From: GUEST,A Lurker
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 10:49 AM

Used a black pen, not a red one! Line 7 'lurcher' Line 9 'Minchmoor' Line 10 'Ruberslaw' Line 10 'Bowmont' Line 10 'Kale' Line 19 'Soutra'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride The Black Horse
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 11:44 PM

I knew they were border town, but I was unclear the spelling of such!

ta' so much eh Snuffer!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride The Black Horse
From: Matt_R
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 06:54 PM

Thanks so much!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride The Black Horse
From: Snuffy
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 05:02 PM

Here's a few suggestions:

From Lammermuir to Cheviot and along by Teviotdale Liddesdale Rubislaw to Beaumont(?) and to Kyle(?) Ettrick Traquair Sorry I can't help with Garry Goul-log and Sutra

All the places mentioned are in the Scottish Borders (between Edinburgh and England)

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride The Black Horse
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 12:25 PM

Can no one else come by this with a red pen ??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Will Ride The Black Horse
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 19 Jan 01 - 03:09 PM

When I rode the grey horse that carried Merlin's name
I broke the wizard's curse to make the bold moss-troopers claim
Again I rode a lean grey in the mountains of the west
Through hanging bog and corry to Garry Goul-logs crest
I've swung to many's a saddle sing on bay and chestnut too
But I will ride the black horse 'til I ride home to you

And I will ride the black horse with a lurcher at his heel
From Lammermuir to Cheviot and along by Teviotdale
Across the windy Minchmoor and down through Liddesdale
And o'er the crag of Ruberslaw to Bowmont and to Kale
For I will take the long track where every day is new
And I will ride the black horse 'til I ride home to you

And I will ride the black horse all the summer long
To hear a distant echo join the chorus of a song
And when I cross the Ettrick or ford the Yarrow's flood
In the autumn woods of Tweedsdale I'll feel you in my blood
And as the winter westerlies come howling through Traquair
I'll turn his head into the wind to taste you in the air
And when spring creeps o'er Soutra Hill and nature loves anew
Then I will mount the white horse and I'll ride home to you.

From memory, so I may not be dead on in places, and the place names are only phonetically... best I can do mate!

Thanks fer reminding me of this old gem!

Spelling corrections made based on later messages. --JoeClone, 17-Sep-02.

Subject: I Will Ride The Black Horse
From: Matt_R
Date: 19 Jan 01 - 02:27 PM

Anyone have this poem that Archie Fisher does? I love it a lot, and am surprised that it isn't in the DT or Supersearch, except for a line or two. Anyone know the whole thing? Thanks.

--Matt