|
|||||||
Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab DigiTrad: OLD SHE-CRAB THE CRAYFISH Related threads: Lyr Req: Johnny Daddle Dum (12) (origins) Lyr Req: Mr Radalum? / Raddle-um / Crabfish etc. (16) Lyr Add: Old She-Crab (11) Lyr Req: Lobster song (aka crabfish, crayfish etc) (16) Lyr Req: Crab Song (15) |
Share Thread
|
Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: COMBAT BETWEEN AN ALE-WIFE AND A.. From: Bruce O. Date: 28 Jan 98 - 06:05 PM A Combat Between an Ale-Wife and a Sea Crab. Tune, 'Gentleman's Frolic'
I pray now attend to this ditty
There was a young beautiful woman
Her husband being a saylor
A seaman went to the salt water
This delicate sea crab now being
And therefore their friends they invited
The goodwife said to her maid Dolly
Now Dolly did presently take it
The maid then was call'd by her master
The mistress immediately after
Her flood-gates were open and running
Now as the warm water was working
Now Dolly a flagon was filling
As soon as the seamen did hear her,
The old man he loved her dearly,
And Dolly did then hold the candle,
His wife's sad misfortune he pity'd
And thus they were coupl'd together
The sea crab lay griping and goring
The maiden she there held the candle
The Tryal and Condemnation of the Sea Crab.
The crab that had caus'd this confusion Deserved most just punishment.
It was but according to reason--
Next morning a court was erected
The old woman spoke in a fury
The crab being brought to his tryal
A scar he had given the woman
The old women's tongues they run nimble
The jury came to Mother Widgeon
But ho, the vast court of old women
Because he presum'd to peep under
They in their judgement was confounded
[from Hugh Shields' 'Old Dublin Songs', 1988. Shields suggest also a related tune "Moll Roe".
X:1 X:2
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Susan of DT Date: 28 Jan 98 - 06:56 PM See also 'The crayfish" (or search for "craypot" |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Bruce O. Date: 28 Jan 98 - 07:18 PM The two versions in DT don't have tunes. Want some? I think I have two or three and I have Richard Dyer-Bennett's recording of an Americn version on his '1601', and Arthur Ago's on 'A Wee Thread of the Blue'. [However I don't have the tallent to note tunes from songs] |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Susan of DT Date: 28 Jan 98 - 09:20 PM Of course we want tunes. Thanx, Bruce. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Joe Offer Date: 29 Jan 98 - 04:00 AM That's quite a song, Bruce. I really got a kick out of it. Tell me - how long does it take to sing it? -Joe Offer- |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Bruce O. Date: 29 Jan 98 - 11:18 AM Joe, this extended version came from a chapbook, and I don't know if anyone ever sang it. For the earliest copy, c 1630-45 look for it in 'Bishop Percy's Folio MS: Loose and Humerous Songs' p. 99, "It was a man of Africa had a ffaire wiffe." Dyer-Bennett', (crab) called it a Connecticutt fishermans song. Arthur Argo's Scots version has it as a lobster. See Sea Crab in Ed Cray's 'The Erotic Muse' and an American version in Randoplh-Legman's 'Roll Me In Your Arms'. |
Subject: Tune Add: THE CRAB FISH and THE OLD SEA-CRAB From: Bruce O. Date: 29 Jan 98 - 12:09 PM First is probably the tune (with full text) in Maud Karples' 'Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folksongs', 1974. I've seen that but don't have it, or a xerox of the song and tune. In the second below the last two measures are for a whistled (no words) chorus.
Susan, are you going to mini-fest this Sat? I could make a cassette of my recorded versions and give it to you.
X:2
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Susan of DT Date: 29 Jan 98 - 08:54 PM Bruce - yes, we are thinking about coming down, but that is not firm. What is our other lobster in the chamber pot song? I knew we had two and it is hidden so well even I can't find it. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Bruce O. Date: 29 Jan 98 - 09:07 PM DT files CRAYPOT and SHECRAB. When is best to download Oct. 97 database files? I've tried to down load disk version, and twice I got disconnected shortly before finishing the 1st disk. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Bruce O. Date: 29 Jan 98 - 10:44 PM Tape cassette is made and checked. If you don't make it Saturday, I'll send it along by mail, but I've had two tapes disappear that way. Are you still at 415 .... 08505? (old card from Dick) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Susan of DT Date: 30 Jan 98 - 08:38 PM Bruce, we will bring you a set of disks. I moved after that address, but Dick is the one who can listen to a tape and transcribe it: I can't. So if you don't see us, send it to him. Max would be the one to know about traffic on the site. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Battle of Ale-Wife and Sea Crab From: Bruce O. Date: 01 Feb 98 - 11:50 AM Thanks, I didn't see the above before I met you and you gave me the disks, and I was surprised (and grateful). |
Share Thread: |
Subject: | Help |
From: | |
Preview Automatic Linebreaks Make a link ("blue clicky") |