Lyr Add: The Ploughboy Lads

Subject: The Ploughboy Lads
From: Mad Maudlin
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 01:11 PM

THE PLOUGHBOY LADS (trad.)

When she was only sixteen years
Her beauty she was wearing.
But little, little did she know
That soon she'd be a-grieving-o.

For the ploughboy lads are gambol lads,
They'll court you and deceive you.
Oh, they'll take a' and gang awa'
And leave the lassies grieving-o.

If she'd stayed home when she was told
And done her mommy's bidding-o,
She'd not be sitting by yon fireside
Singing, "Hushabye, my baby-o."

For the ploughboy lads are gambol lads,
They'll court you and deceive you.
Oh, they'll take a' and gang awa'
And leave the lassies grieving-o.

Hushabye, she's your ma,
But the Lord knows who's your daddy-o.
So, maids take care and do beware
Of the young men in the glowing-o.

For the ploughboy lads are gambol lads,
They'll court you and deceive you.
Oh, they'll take a' and gang awa'
And leave the lassies grieving-o.

From the Dubliners record "Fifteen Years On". I'm not sure about the "gambol", but it sounded like that.

NG

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Ploughboy Lads
From: GUEST,#1
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 01:16 PM

That's got to be a Scots song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Ploughboy Lads
From: Mad Maudlin
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 01:26 PM

Because of the "lads and lassies"? Or are Scots ploughboys renowned for extra...um, sexual appetite? :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Ploughboy Lads
From: Mad Maudlin
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 01:28 PM

Oops...sorry for the double posting. Thought I could stop that typo from being published by hitting the Stop button - but apparently it didn't work :-(

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Ploughboy Lads
From: GUEST,#1
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 02:44 PM

Listen to Jeanie Robertson's "When I was noo but sweet sixteen'. Very similar, if not a variant of the same song. About 3/4 of the lines would be recognizable as Scots with nothing else visible. awa', greivin'/greetin'-o, etc.

Mad Maudlin, even I still do double postings, without knowing how. But the principle one has to do with a delay after you click on the 'Submit message' button. At that point, never do it a 2nd time, no matter how long it seems to take to respond, it gone into Mudcat's que. If Mudcat doesn't return you automatically to Mudcat's homepage after you click 'Submit message', don't go to the 'Return' button, click to return to your browser's home page, and re-enter Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Ploughboy Lads
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 04:26 PM

It is indeed a Scottish song.  See this thread from last October:  Ploughboy Lads,  where I posted Jeannie Robertson's version, and a transcription of a recording by the Black family, who learnt it from her but changed the words a bit.  There is also a link to a midi of the tune.  "Gambol" would be "gey weel" if the Dubliners also got it from Jeannie, which seems likely -though they appear to have re-written it to shift it into the third person.  Perhaps they felt uncomfortable singing from a woman's point-of-view.

Malcolm

Subject: Lyr Add: THE PLOUGHBOY LADS
From: Reiver 2
Date: 21 Sep 08 - 03:39 PM

Here are the lyrics (as best as I can understand them) in the version sung by The Black Family. Slightly different than those posted by Mad Maudlin.

THE PLOUGHBOY LADS

Well, I was na but sweet sixteen
With beauty's chance a bloomin' - O
It's little, little did I think
At nineteen I'd be greitin' - O

CHO: Well the ploughboy lads, they're all braw lads
    But they're false and they're deceivin' - O
    They'll take your all and they'll gang awa'
    And leave the lassies greitin' - O

Well, I was fond of company
And I gave the ploughboys freedom - O
To kiss and clap me in the dark
When all my friends were sleepin' - O

CHO:

Well, if I did know what I know now
And I took me mother's biddin' - O
I wouldn't be sittin' by our fireside
Cryin' "Hush a ba, my baby" - O

CHO:

Well, it's hush a ba, for I'm your ma
But the Lord knows who's your daddy - O
And I'll take care and I'll beware
Of the ploughboys in the gloamin' - O

The lyrics indicate to me that it's of Scottish origin. (The use of awa', braw, etc.) According to Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads, greit (pronounced greet) means to weep or cry (I've heard it sung in this song as "grieve" as the pronunciation is similar and the sentiment expressed is pretty much the same) and clap means "pat, fondle, embrace". Gloaming is also Scottish, I think. It seems as though every group that has performed this song adapts the lyrics to their own taste or understanding.

Reiver 2