Lyr Req: Strawberry Fair

Subject: Lyrics to Strawberry fair needed
From: GUEST,Chris Amos
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 01:49 AM

Can anyone provide the origional words and tune to Strawberry Fair. I am not after the sanaitized version sung by Tony Newly et al and inflected on school children by the radio prog "Singing Together" but the more robust version that goes on about locks and keys etc.

I have only heard it sung once,I believe it was collected by Sabine Barine-Gould but only recently published.

Kind regards to m'catters everywhere

Chris

Subject: ADD: Where Are You Going, My Pretty Maid
From: IanC
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 04:37 AM

Chris

I haven't been able to find any lyrics to this version on the web, and it isn't in DT (nor are there any suitable threads) so this will have to go on the "wanted list" I suspect. Meanwhile, here's something to conjure with.

You probably know that the song has some relationship to "Where Are You Going, My Pretty Maid". Bruce Olson's site has the following entry, which may prove interesting (especially as it came from a book of Nursery Rhymes).

The Opies in The Oxford Book of Nursery Rhymes, #317, 1951, give a version said to have been sung in 1698 at Cardew. This seems to connect the tune titles "Strawberry leaves made maidens fair," and "Where are you going my pretty fair maid."

Whither are you going my pretty fair maid, said he,
with your white face and your yellow hair?

I am going to the well, sweet sir, she said,
For Strawberry leaves make maidens fair.

Shall I go with thee pretty fair maid, he said, &c
Do if you will, sweet sir, she said, &c.

What if I lay you down on the ground, &c.
I will rise up again, sweet Sir, she said, &c.
What if I do bring you with child, &c.
I will bear it, sweet Sir she said, &c.
Who will you have for father for your child, &c.
You shall be his father, sweet Sir, she said, &c.
What will you dor for whittles for your child, &c.
His father shall be a taylor, sweet Sir, she said, &c.

;-)
Ian

Subject: RE: Lyrics to Strawberry fair needed
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 07:46 AM

Strawberry Fair was collected by S Baring Gould but it appears he "sanatised" it. It can be found in "Songs Of The West". Sadly my copy is missing one page any yes, it is the page with the words to SF.

Here are his notes anyway:

Melody taken down from James Masters. This is a very old song. It is found with music in "Songs and Madrigals of the 15th Century," published by the Old English Plain-Song Society, 1891. The ballad was recast "Kytt has lost her Key", which is given by Dr Rimblaut in his "Little Book of Songs and Ballads gathered from Ancient Music Books," 1851 p.49. We have been forced to re-write the words, which were very indelicate. The air was used, in or about 1835, by Bueler, a comic song writer, for "The Devil and the Hackney Coachman"-

"Ben was a Hackney coachman sure, Jarvey! Jarvey - Heare I am your honour."

I have never found a singer who had any knowledge of Beuler's song, but all have heard "Strawberry Fair," and some men of sevent or eighty years say they learned it from thier fathers.

Lanfranc had promised to post the words in this thread but I haven't able to find them in Mudcat.

Jon

Subject: RE: Lyrics to Strawberry fair needed
From: GUEST,iamjohnne
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 07:54 AM

As I recall the tune Strawberry Fair, it wasn't at all bawdy, but here are the verses I remember.

As I was going to strawberry fair
Singing singing butter cups and daisies
I met a maiden making her way follie dee
Her eyes were blue and gold was her hair
As she was going to Strawberrie Fair
Rinkum rinkum butter cups and daisies
rinkum rinkum follie dollie dee.

Sorry if that isn't the version you are seeking, but it is the only one I know.

Johnne
"Goin' where the weather suits my clothes"

Subject: Lyr Add: STRAWBERRY FAIR
From: masato sakurai
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 10:07 AM

I think what is asked for is the one in James Reeves, The Everlasting Circle: English Traditional Verse from the MMS of S. Baring-Gould, H.E.D.Hammond & George B. Gardiner (Heinemann, 1960, p. 249). Here it is.

"Strawberry Fair"

As I was agoing to Strawberry Fair,
Ri-tol-ri-tol, riddle-tol-de-lido,
I saw a fair maiden of beauty rare,
Tol-de-dee.
I saw a fair maid go selling her ware
As she went on to Strawberry Fair,
Ri-tol-ri-tol, riddle-tol-de-lido.

O pretty fair maiden, I prithee tell,
My pretty fair maid, what do you sell?
O come tell me truly, my sweet damsel,
As you go on to Strawberry Fair.

O I have a lock that doth lack a key,
O I have a lock, sir, she did say.
If you have a key then come this way
As we go on to Strawberry Fair.

Between us I reckon that when we met
The key to the lock it was well set,
The key to the lock it well did fit
As we went on to Strawberry Fair.

O would that my lock had been a gun,
I'd shoot the blacksmith, for I'm undone,
And wares to carry I now have none
That I should go to Strawberry Fair.

(J. Masters at Bradstone, 1891. Taken down by H. Fleetwood Shepherd)

Subject: Lyr Add: STRAWBERRY FAIR
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 11:24 AM

I see that my carefully-prepared parallel text has been pre-empted, so instead I'll restrict myself to quoting the re-write in order to complete the picture.

STRAWBERRY FAIR

(Noted by H. Fleetwood Sheppard from James Masters of Broadstone, Devon, in 1891; text as re-written by Baring Gould and Fleetwood Sheppard).

As I was going to Strawberry Fair,
Singing, singing, Butter-cups and Daisies
I met a maiden taking her ware,
Fol-de-dee!
Her eyes were blue and golden her hair,
As she went on to Strawberry Fair,
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-li-do,
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-dee.

"Kind Sir, pray pick of my basket!" she said,
Singing, &c.
"My cherries ripe, or my roses red,
Fol-de-dee!
My strawberries sweet, I can of them spare,
As I go on to Strawberry Fair."
Ri-fol &c.

I want to purchase a generous heart,
Singing, &c.
A tongue that neither is nimble or tart.
Tol-de-dee!
An honest mind, but such trifles are rare
I doubt if they're found at Strawberry Fair.
Ri-fol &c.

The price I offer, my sweet pretty maid
Singing, &c.
A ring of gold on your finger displayed,
Tol-de-dee!
So come- make over to me your ware,
In church today at Strawberry Fair.
Ri-fol &c.

From Songs of the West (Sabine Baring Gould and H. Fleetwood Sheppard, 1905).  

Roy Palmer published the song as originally noted in Everyman's Book of English Country Songs (1979), the text having been taken from the Baring Gould MSS held at Plymouth Central Library.   It's worth mentioning that Palmer has locksmith rather than blacksmith as given above by Masato (verse 5).  There is of course an additional refrain line at the end of each verse, Ri tol, ri tol, riddle tol de dee, which perhaps Reeves did not quote.

Although the tune is horribly familiar to most people who attended school in the UK during the 20th century, I shall post a midi for the sake of completeness, and for those in other parts of the world to whom it might actually be new.   As usual, it can be heard via the  South Riding Folk Network  site until it gets to  The Mudcat Midi Pages:

Strawberry Fair

Subject: RE: Lyrics to Strawberry fair needed
From: Chris Amos
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 01:59 AM

Many thanks to everyone for that,

The song Masito posted is great, anyone know how the tune changes to accomidate the shorter verse length.

It's sad, a lot of good songs get dismissed and not performed because people think they have been over exposed to them. I saw the young Mr Kirkpatric at Islington FC a while a go, He sang the Linconshire Poacher and injected new life into with the strength of his performance.

Regards

Chris

Subject: RE: Lyrics to Strawberry fair needed
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 07:35 AM

The verse length isn't shorter, and the tune is the same; as I pointed out, the final line of each verse, which I quoted above, was inadvertently omitted in Masuto's post.

Subject: RE: Lyrics to Strawberry fair needed
From: masato sakurai
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 08:00 AM

As to the refrain ("Ri-tol-ri-tol..."), I forgot to mention that Reeves says in his notes, "Chorus lines repeated throughout, as in stanza 1."

Subject: RE: Lyrics to Strawberry fair needed
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:54 PM

The re-write from "Songs of the West" posted by Malcolm Douglas is missing the third verse, according to the lyrics in Baring Gould and Sharp, "English Folk-Songs for Schools," 1906.

Your cherries soon will be wasted away,
Singing, singing, buttercups and daisies,
Your roses wither and never stay,
Fol-de-dee!
'Tis not to seek such perishing ware,
That I am tramping to Strawberry Fair.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawberry fair
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jun 07 - 02:01 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawberry fair
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Jun 07 - 07:28 PM

Thanks, the one with the locks and picks is the version I remembered.

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawberry fair
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 10 Jun 07 - 08:07 AM

In answer, six years later, to IanC, 21 Aug 01, "Whither Are You Going, Pretty Maid" / "Strawberry Leaves Make Maidens Fair" seems to have no relationship to "Strawberry Fair."

What the Opies' version does resemble is the song "Dabbling In the Dew" (makes the milkmaid fair), which was printed in Sharp's 100 English Folk Songs.

And, despite its placement among nursery rhymes, a remarkably frank version at that, as children's songs occasionally are.

Bpb

Subject: Lyr Add: DABBLING IN THE DEW
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jun 07 - 08:12 AM

For comparison, here are the Opies' "Where Are You Going" quoted above and the DT's version of "Dabbling in the Dew".

Perhaps this deserves a thread of its own.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MY PRETTY MAID

Whither are you going my pretty fair maid, said he,
With your white face and your yellow hair?
I am going to the well, sweet sir, she said,
For Strawberry leaves make maidens fair.

Shall I go with thee pretty fair maid, he said, &c
Do if you will, sweet sir, she said, &c.

What if I lay you down on the ground, &c.
I will rise up again, sweet Sir, she said, &c.

What if I do bring you with child, &c.
I will bear it, sweet Sir she said, &c.

Who will you have for father for your child, &c.
You shall be his father, sweet Sir, she said, &c.

What will you dor for whittles for your child, &c.
His father shall be a taylor, sweet Sir, she said, &c.


DABBLING IN THE DEW

Oh, where are you going to, my pretty little dear
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair?
I'm going a-milking, kind sir, she answered me
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

Oh, may I go with you, my pretty little dear,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair?
Oh, you may go with me, kind sir, she answered me,
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

And what is your father, my pretty little dear,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair?
My father's a farmer, kind sir, she answered me,
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

And what is your mother, my pretty little dear,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair:
My mother's a dairymaid, kind sir, she answered me,
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

If I should chance to kiss you, my pretty little dear,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair?
The wind may take it off again, kind sir, she answered me,
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

Oh say, will you marry me, my pretty little dear,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair:
Oh yes, if you please, kind sir, she answered me,
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

Oh, will you be constant, my pretty little dear,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair?
Oh, that I cannot promise you, kind sir, she answered me,
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

Then I won't marry you, my pretty little dear,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair.
Oh, nobody asked you, kind sir, she answered me,
And it's dabbling in the dew makes the milkmaids fair.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawberry fair
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 10 Jun 07 - 12:17 PM

Although unrelated to 'Strawberry Fair' (Roud 173), 'Dabbling in the Dew' (Roud 298) is interesting. It was rather more popular in oral tradition and of greater age, for one thing. It appeared on London and provincial broadsides during the 19th century (perhaps owing its revival to being sung in a stage production by the very popular actress Mrs Dorothea Jordan, but I don't have exact references for that beyond a comment made by Frank Kidson, referred to in ODNR), but was not new then; the Opies quote an anecdotal reference -and text, quoted above by IanC- indicating that it was current as early as 1698, and refer to a broadside of c.1630 in the Pepys collection, 'A mery new jigg ... To the tune of Strawberry leaues make Maidens faire'. Simpson (The British Broadside Ballad and Its Music, 693) prints a tune, 'Strawberry Leaves', taken from an MS of instrumental music. Whether our song was meant by the tune title, or whether the phrase was a common one, isn't certain; but it seems reasonable to guess that an early form of the song, perhaps the original, was intended.

Broadside editions can be seen at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

Where are you going my pretty maid? / The Milk-Maid

The Pepys broadside mentioned can be seen at English Broadside Ballad Archive:

1.258-259 A mery nevv Iigge./ Or, the pleasant wooing/ betwixt Kit and Pegge

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawberry Fair
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jul 14 - 02:14 AM

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on "Strawberry Fair":

Strawberry Fair

DESCRIPTION: A blacksmith, going to Strawberry Fair, meets "a fair maid go selling her ware." She says she has "a lock that doth lack a key." She invites him to try his key. Now she has no wares and wishes her lock had been a gun to shoot the blacksmith.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1891 (Reeves-Circle)
KEYWORDS: sex bawdy commerce food
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Reeves-Circle 125, "Strawberry Fair" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: S. Baring-Gould and Cecil J Sharp, English Folk-Songs for Schools (London, no date ("Digitized by Microsoft")), sixth edition, #27 pp. 56-57, "Strawberry Fair" ("As I was going to Strawberry Fair, Singing, singing, buttercups and daisies") (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #173
NOTES: The Baring-Gould Sharp text is the one I have heard and seen quoted. [I've also heard only the bowdlerized versions. - RBW] It's not a surprise that it was cleaned up for schools. A description of the Baring-Gould Sharp text: The singer, going to Strawberry Fair, meets "a maiden taking her ware." She offers him cherries, roses, and strawberries. He is not interested because cherries and roses are "perishing ware." He wants to purchase "a generous heart, A tongue that is neither nimble nor tart, An honest mind" offering, in exchange, "a ring of gold on your finger"; he asks her to "make over your ware In church today at Strawberry Fair."
Reeves-Circle quotes Baring-Gould: "The ballad is sung everywhere in Cornwall and Devon to the same melody. The words are certainly not later than the age of Charles II, and are probably older. They turn on a double entendre which is quite lost -- and fortunately so -- to half the old fellows who sing the song." - BS
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Strawberry Fair
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jul 14 - 01:50 PM

Lyr. Add: THE MILK MAID
Where are you going to my pretty fair maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair
I'm going a milking, kind sir, she said.
Rolling on the dew makes the milk maid fair.

What if I should follow you my pretty maid
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair,
You are quite welcome kind sir, she said,
Rolling on the dew makes the milk maid fair.

What if you should fall down my pretty maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair,
You can take me up again, kind sir, she said,
Rolling on the dew makes the milk maid fair.

What if you should harm yourself my pretty maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair,
You'll be there to help me, sir, she said,
Rolling on the dew makes the milk maid fair.

Where will you get baby clothes my pretty maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair,
My father is a linen draper, sir, she said,
Rolling on the dew makes the milk maid fair.

What will you rock it in my pretty maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair,
My brother is a cradle maker sir she said,
Rolling on the dew makes the milk maid fair.

What if I should run away my pretty fair maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair,
The de'l he wo'd follow you sir, she said,
Rolling on the dew makes the milk maid fair.

What if I should come back again my pretty fair maid,
With your red rosy cheeks and your coal black hair,
The parson he will marry us and the clerk will say amen,
Your red rosy cheek would be paler then.

One of several songs with the theme: "Where are you going......"

Bod9067, 2806 c.17(280); Evans, Chester
Bod 22537, 2806 c.18 (203)