Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)

Subject: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Bill Galbraith
Date: 08 Jan 99 - 10:31 PM

I'm looking for the words to the traditional song "Adieu, Adieu", also known as "The Flash Lad" recorded by the Watersons. It's not in DT. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Subject: Lyr Add: ADIEU, ADIEU / FLASH LAD (from Watersons)
From: Barbara
Date: 09 Jan 99 - 12:47 AM

ADIEU, ADIEU
(The Flash Lad)

Adieu, adieu, hard was my fate
I was brought up in a tender state
Bad company did me entice
I left off work and took bad advice

CHO:
Which makes me now to lament and say,
Pity the fate of young felons all,
Well-a-day, well-a-day.

I robbed Lord Goldwyn I do declare
And Lady Masefield on Grosvener Square
I shut their shutters and bid them goodnight
And away I wnt to me heart's delight,
CHORUS

Before Judge Alden I was took
Before Judge Alden I was tried
Then Harry Jones said, "This will not do,
My iron chest you have broken through,"
CHORUS

And when I'm dead and going to me grave
No costly tombstones will I crave
Six bonnie lasses to carry me pall
Give them broadswords, gloves and ribbons all,
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Bruce O.
Date: 09 Jan 99 - 03:13 PM

That's a version of Laws L12, "The Rambling Boy" (version in DT, look for 'L12'). It has a lot of titles. "The Flash Lad" version is on a broadside of c 1790-1830 in the Library of Congess (Rare book room, Collection of 340 broadsides). Another version in the same collection is "The Jolly Blade". This latter locates the action in Dublin. It's also called "The Irish Robber" among other titles.

Subject: RE: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Barbara
Date: 10 Jan 99 - 01:41 AM

And there's also the Waterson site which probably has it. Just had to type, type, type those words.
The Waterson site is at
http://hum2mac1.murdoch.edu.au/watersons/ (click)
some folks here know how to make these things click.
I ain't one, yet...
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Bill Galbraith
Date: 15 Jan 99 - 02:43 PM

Thanks so much Barbara and Bruce for all the info!

Subject: RE: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: belter
Date: 15 Feb 99 - 09:17 PM

I notice that this song borrows much from both the Newry Hiway man, and the Jug of Punch. Unless they borrow from it that is. I always find these conctions interesting.

Subject: RE: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Feb 99 - 01:37 AM

Belter, I don't know the date of this, but I believe it is yet another variation of The Unfortunate Rake (or The Streets of Laredo).
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: MMario
Date: 08 Sep 99 - 09:38 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Garry
Date: 08 Sep 99 - 12:23 PM

Yes, it is here:

http://hum2mac1.murdoch.edu.au/watersons/adieu.html

Garry

Subject: Lyr Add: ADIEU, ADIEU / THE FLASH LAD
From: radriano
Date: 08 Sep 99 - 06:14 PM

Dear Bill Galbraith:

Here's another version of Adieu, adieu that I have in my own collections:

Adieu, Adieu

Adieu, adieu, hard was my fate
I was brought up in a tender state
Bad company did me entice
I left off work and took bad advice

Which makes me now to lament and say
Pity the fate of young felons all

In Newry Town I was bred and born
In Stevens Green now I lie in scorn
I served my time at the saddling trade
I always was a roving blade

At seventeen I took a wife
I loved her dear as I loved my life
And to maintain her both fine and gay
I went a-robbin' on the King's highway

I never robbed no poor man yet
Nor any tradesman caused I to fret
But I robbed the Lords and their ladies bright
Brought home their gold to my hearts delight

I robbed Lord Goldwin I do declare
And Lady Mantle of Grotner Square
I shut the shutters and bid them goodnight
And away I went to my heart's delight

T hrough Covent Garden I took my way
With my dear wife for to see the play
The Fieldings Gand did me pursue
Taken I was by the cursed crew

My mother cried my darling son
My wife she cried I am undone
My father tore his white locks and cried
Saying in the cradle he should have died

And when I'm dead and gone to my grave
A flashy funeral pray let me have
Six highway men for to carry me
Give them broadswords and sweet liberty

Six blooming girls to bear up my poll
Give them white gloves and ping ribbons all
When I am dead they may tell the truth
He was a wild and undaunted youth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: GUEST,Chas Clark, Sweden
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 09:48 AM

Bill Galbraith,
Eliza Carthy does a good version of this, Adieu, adieu. Heard it earlier this year on the Mike Harding Show. Also on a double Cd called "Anthology of English Folk" by Dejavu Retro Gold Collection R2CD 40-106 that I have.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: GUEST,mink
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 11:27 AM

I love this song - and the bit about "shut their shutters" acquired more depth when I realised that was slang for knocking someone out - or I suppose it could be killing someone. (shutting their eyes for them).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: GUEST,Bethany Comegys
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 12:54 PM

Does anyone have any idea who "Harry Jones" is referring to, and what the bit about the iron box means?
Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 02:08 PM

Iron box probably is a strongbox.
'Harry Jones' appears in the early 19th c. broadsides at the Bodleian Library, but no clues- one of the gentlemen robbed by the Flash Lad?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: GUEST,Michael Morris
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 07:23 PM

Here's the Ballad Index entry . . . .

Wild and Wicked Youth, The [Laws L12]

DESCRIPTION: The singer recounts his (boyhood and) life, telling of his many daring robberies. Now, alas, he is condemned to die, and must leave his family. He concludes with directions for his funeral
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1830 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 25(2054))
KEYWORDS: outlaw farewell execution robbery trial funeral youth
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE,So) Britain(England,Scotland) Ireland Canada(Ont)
REFERENCES (15 citations):
Laws L12, "The Rambling Boy (Wild and Wicked Youth)"
Belden, pp. 136-137, "The Rambling Boy" (1 text)
Randolph 148, "The Rambling Boy" (2 texts, 1 tune)
Warner 101, "The Rambling Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Sharp-100E 83, "The Robber" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fuson, pp. 63-64, "The Rich Rambler" (1 text)
Combs/Wilgus 90, pp. 184-185, "The Rich and Rambling Boy" (1 text)
Kennedy 326, "Newlyn Town" (1 text, 1 tune)
OLochlainn-More 35, "The Newry Highwayman" (1 text, 1 tune)
BrownII 121, "The Rambing Boy" (1 text)
Lomax-FSNA 96, "The Ramblin' Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Cohen/Seeger/Wood, pp. 130-131, "The Rambling Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Thorp/Fife XIII, pp. 148-190 (29-30), "Cow Boy's Lament" (22 texts, 7 tunes, the "L" text being in fact a version of this piece)
Darling-NAS, pp. 106-107, "The Rambling Boy" (1 text)
DT 423, (RAKERAMB*)
Roud #490
RECORDINGS:
O. J. Abbott, "The Bold and Undaunted Youth (The Rambling Boy)" (on Abbott1)
Clarence Ashley & Tex Isley, "Rude and Rambling Man" (on Ashley01)
Carter Family, "The Rambling Boy" (Bluebird B-8990, 1941/Bluebird 33-0512, 1944)
Wade Mainer, "Ramblin' Boy" (Bluebird 33-0512, 1944)
New Lost City Ramblers, "Rambling Boy" (on NLCR05)
Riley Puckett, "Ramblin' Boy" (Columbia 15605-D, 1930)
Bob Scarce, "Newlyn Town" (on FSB7)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 25(2054), "The Wild and Wicked Youth," T. Birt (London), 1828-1829; also Firth c.17(208), Harding B 11(576), Harding B 15(376a), Harding B 11(939), Firth c.17(6), Harding B 16(307a), Harding B 11(4205), Harding B 11(4211), Harding B 11(4212), Firth b.34(314), Harding B 11(3519A), Firth c.17(7), 2806 c.16(325), Harding B 17(338a), Harding B 20(117), Harding B 17(337b), "The Wild and Wicked Youth"; Harding B 28(235), "The Highway Man's Fate"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Salisbury Plain" (theme)
cf. "It's Down in Old Ireland" (theme)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Rake and Rambling Boy
Adieu Adieu
The Flash Lad
Notes: The Bodleian "The Wild and Wicked Youth" broadsides, and OLochlainn-More 35, include a version of the lines
"I robbed Lord Mansfield I do declare, ...
Lord Fielding's gang they did me pursue And taken I was, by that cursed crew."
The Bodleian notes to 2806 c.16(325) include references to the cast of characters: "Fielding, John, Sir, d. 1780; Mansfield, W.R., Baron Sandhurst, 1819-1876" - BS
Given the date of the song, I would think the Mansfield involved more likely to be William Murray, first Earl of Mansfield (1706-1793), who was Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1756. This has at least sometimes been corrupted to Lord Melbourne, presumably William Lamb, second Viscount Melbourne (1779-1848), the Prime Minister (on and off) from 1834 to 1841. But Mansfield is closer to the Era of the Highwaymen -- and, as Chief Justice, someone they would doubtless enjoy taking.
Fielding in fact might refer to John Fielding or his brother Henry, the author (died 1755). Henry Fielding was driven by poverty to take a post as Commissioner of the Peace for Middlesex in 1748. John Fielding, despite being blind, succeeded him in 1754 -- and dramatically improved law enforcement, though he didn't have the funding to carry out all his reforms. Still, he did enough that life became much harder for the highwaymen.
"Fielding's Gang" is presumably the Bow Street Patrol, founded by the Fieldings as the first almost-national police force in England. - RBW
The "Ramblin' Boy" versions of this song shouldn't be confused with the Tom Paxton song, "My Ramblin' Boy." - PJS
File: LL12

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 09:39 PM

Early 19th c. version (before 1843) at the Bodleian Library quoted by Jim Dixon in thread 73935: Flash Lad

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 10:32 PM

This song started out in the later 17th century, and the hero of the original was a Frenchman, executed in 1670. Elements of the separate Flash Lad songs have crept into it since. Details in the thread Q links to above.

The Traditional Ballad Index entry relates to the other song family rather than to this one, though the later overlaps between them obviously create confusion. So far they seem to be considering them to be variants of the same song (and, effectively, late forms are; though by a process of convergence), but they probably aren't aware of the broadside history yet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 11:24 PM

Early 19th c. version (before 1843) at the Bodleian Library quoted by Jim Dixon; also comments by Malcolm Douglas, in thread 73935: Flash Lad

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 11:25 PM

Duplicated posting my mistake. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adieu, adieu (The Flash Lad)
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 02:26 AM

The words of the Watersons version are now to be found here: garrygillard.net/watersons/songs/adieu.html.

I've recently been greatly enjoying the version on Martin Simpson's Kind Letters.