Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry: Horkstow Grange DESCRIPTION: Steeleye Span and "his man" John Bowlin' live on Horkstow Grange. They have an argument on a market day and Bowlin' beats Steeleye, reversing their previous experiences. AUTHOR: J. S. Span EARLIEST DATE: 1906 (OShaughnessy-Grainger) KEYWORDS: fight farming FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond)) REFERENCES (1 citation): OShaughnessy-Grainger 10, "Horkstow Grange" (1 text, 1 tune) Roud #1760 ALTERNATE TITLES: John Bowlin' NOTES [50 words]: From OShaughnessy-Grainger p. 35: "In the manuscript is written: 'John Bowlin' was a foreman at a farm at Horkstow, and John Steeleye Span was waggoner under him. They fell out, and J. S. Span made these verses.' The text, however, seems to imply that Span was foreman over, or employer of, Bowlin'." - BS Last updated in version 3.0 File: OSGr010
Go to the Ballad Search form Go to the Ballad Index Song List Go to the Ballad Index Instructions Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography The Ballad Index Copyright 2020 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. Here are the Digital Tradition lyrics. Any corrections? HORKSTOW GRANGE (DT)
In Horkstow Grange there lived an old miser You all do know him as I have heard say It's him on his man that was named John Bowlin And they fell out one market day
With a blackthorn stick old Steeleye struck him As of times he had threatened before John Bowlin turned round all in a passion And knocked old Steeleye into the floor
Old Steeleye Span he was filled with John Bowlin It happened to be on a market day Old Steeleye swore with all his vengeance He would swear his life away
Pity them who see him suffer Pity poor old Steeleye Span John Bowlin's deeds they will be remembered Pity poor old Steeleye Span Pity poor old Steeleye Span
The title track of Steeleye Span's album "Horkstow Grange" is the song which gave Steeleye Span its name. "We are still asked where the name of the band came from, so here it is…. Steeleye Span, a waggoner who ruined his life because of an incident with John Bowlin. Little did he know that his name would live on." –Peter Words: Traditional English; Music: Peter Knight
filename[ HORKGRAN JD Feb07 Joe sez: I question the one line, "Old Steeleye Span he was filled with John Bowlin." And I think "as of times" should be "as ofttimes." Listen to this recording by Coope, Boyes, and Simpson. They sing "Old Steeleye Span he was felled by John Bowlin." That makes a lot more sense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=721ckB52JJQ And here is the recording by Steeleye Span: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQvcjrDo8Lk Note the different melody. It's clear that the DT lyrics are the Steeleye Span version.
Steeleye Span sing Horkstow Grange (from Mainly Norfolk) | | In Horkstow Grange there lived an old miser You all do know him as I have heard say It's him on his man that was named John Bowlin And they fell out one market day
With a blackthorn stick old Steeleye struck him As ofttimes he had threatened before John Bowlin turned round all in a passion And knocked old Steeleye into the floor
Old Steeleye Span he was felled with John Bowlin It happened to be on a market day Old Steeleye swore with all his vengeance He would swear his life away
Pity them who see him suffer Pity poor old Steeleye Span John Bowlin's deeds they will be remembered Pity poor old Steeleye Span Pity poor old Steeleye Span | |
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