Marcus ... I think the tunes used for both these songs you've posted - the Elliotts singing Beggin' and Louis singing Four Loom Weaver - are quite possibly Ewan MacColl re-writes rather then the tunes that Becket Whitehead sang. Of course, no-one recorded Becket singing Four Loom Weaver.

Beggin. Harry Boardman recorded this twice - First, on New Voices in 1965, where the notes (written by Bert Lloyd) say that it was obtained by MacColl from Becket. It uses the "MacColl tune", same as the Elliotts, though Harry sang it a lot faster. And second on A Lancashire Mon in 1973, where he used a different tune. The notes (written by Harry) say that this version comes from Becket, and adds: "A version of this song which is currently sung in the folk clubs, has a more modal tune, the origin of which is uncertain." He is referring to the "MacColl tune". MacColl himself recorded it on The Manchester Angel, where he says it is a "19th century Lancashire version".

The song is not in Harry and Lesley Boardman's song book, but it is in Mike Harding's song book, where it is described as collected from Becket by Herbert Smith and MacColl. [Who is Herbert Smith??] This tune looks to me to be the MacColl tune.

It seems highly likely that Harry got his second tune from the Seamus Ennis recording.

Four Loom Weaver. It's in MacColl's Shuttle and cage song book, 1954, and on Steam Whistle Ballads LP. Both attributed to Becket and both the tune that is similar to Scarboro fair (see above from Brian Peters). Same as the Louis Killen version quoted in the above message. This is a different tune to the one recorded by Bert Lloyd on The Iron Muse, which he says comes from Kidson's A Garland of English Folk Song. I don't have a copy of that book I'm afraid!

So, perhaps Becket didn't sing either of the two well known tunes to Four Loom Weaver. And perhaps, as Brian suggests, he just gave the lyrics to MacColl.

Derek