The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #88554 Message #1664492
Posted By: GUEST,vielleuse
08-Feb-06 - 04:00 PM
Thread Name: Double entendre or language shift?
Subject: RE: Double entendre or language shift?
Well the notes in the Penguin Book of English Folk Song say "The idea that such revenants must go again 'from the world of pity to the world without pity' when the birds cry at dawn is an ancient folklore notion that has spread from the Orient, through the Balkans, as far west as Ireland." Which is interesting in itself, and suggests the double entendre thing is a red herring.
My copy of the book is the actual 1959 version (thank you Granny), but I think the updated version has expanded notes on the songs. Has anyone got it and if so what does it say? Oh, it's now called "Classic English Folk Songs".
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