The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #103066   Message #2094863
Posted By: Richard Bridge
05-Jul-07 - 01:46 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Death of Young Andrew (from Martin Carthy
Subject: Lyr Req: trad 'revenge' song, poss Scottish?
I've drawn a blank searching for this and I said I'd try to get the words for "Cruel Folk" (see their myspace -- http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=71647195 -- the blickifier is on the blink right now).

The only person I ever heard sing it was Paul Hurst - formerly of Kiss teh Tarmac, but it was after the demise of Kiss the Tarmac and so far John Barden's capacious memory (nearly as good as his bottomless pint glass) has yielded no secrets.

Anyway, plot is seducer seduces rich daughter of man with castle and treasure, and persuades her to abscond with him bringing with her much of daddy's treasure. Having got the treasure (and presumably the nookie too) he takes all her clothes and sends her back to her castle either to freeze to death or to knock on the door and wake up her now treasureless and probably rather cross father, stark naked, seduced, and broke.

Her brothers decide this was not nice and pursue the seducer, and catch him, whereupon they give him a good kicking - and then comes the nice (nasty) touch and I can remember some of the words--

"twain brake his arms and twain brake his legs and twain brake his collarbone"

thenthey prop himup against a tree, and set out the stolen treasure before him on their sister's cloak - and I think set candles or lanterns - urge him to behold it and here comes another lovely touch, tell him

"guard it well from the wolves this night"

OK, who can come up with title, melody, recording artist, and recording?