Six recordings of Hares On The Mountain / Blackbirds and Thrushes / O Sally My Dear

Blackbirds and Thrushes
Dickie Lashbrook, on Songs of Seduction, A ribald collection of love songs, ballads and melodies recorded at pubs, firesides and campfires, Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales, The Alan Lomax Collection, Rounder 11661-1778-2, recorded between 1950 and 1956.

If maidens could sing like blackbirds and thrushes
If maidens could sing like blackbirds and thrushes
How many young men would hide in the bushes
Sing: Fal-de-ral, tal-de-ral, fal-ral-lal-day

If maidens could run like hares on the commons
If maidens could run like hares on the commons
How many young men would take horse and ride hunting
Sing: Fal-de-ral, tal-de-ral, fal-ral-lal-day

If maidens could swim like fish in the water
If maidens could swim like fish in the water
How many young men would undress and dive after
Sing: Fal-de-ral, tal-de-ral, fal-ral-lal-day

***

O Sally My Dear
Ewan MacColl, on Ewan MacColl – Isla Cameron, English and Scottish Love Songs, Riverside RLP 12-656. Found by Sharp, at Bridgewater, Somerset.

O Sally, my dear, but I wish I could woo you
O Sally, my dear, but I wish I could woo you
Then try if you can but don't let dan-do-you
Sing fal-the-diddle-i-do, Sing whack fol-the-diddle-day

O Sally, my dear, but your mouth I could kiss it
O Sally, my dear, but your mouth I could kiss it
Then try if you can, love, but try not to miss it
Sing fal-the-diddle-i-do, Sing whack fol-the-diddle-day

O Sally, my dear, but I wish I could bed you
O Sally, my dear, but I wish I could bed you
Then try if you can but don't say I misled you
Sing fal-the-diddle-i-do, Sing whack fol-the-diddle-day

If lasses were blackbirds and lasses were thrushes
If lasses were blackbirds and lasses were thrushes
How all the young men would go beat in their bushes
Sing fal-the-diddle-i-do, Sing whack fol-the-diddle-day

If lasses were hares and they ran on the mountain
If lasses were hares and they ran on the mountain
How all the young men they would soon ride a-huntin'
Sing fal-the-diddle-i-do, Sing whack fol-the-diddle-day

If lasses were ducks and they swam in the water
If lasses were ducks and they swam in the water
How all the young men would strip and swim after
Sing fal-the-diddle-i-do, Sing whack fol-the-diddle-day

If lasses were lambs and they lay on the common
If lasses were lambs and they lay on the common
How all the young men they would lie longside o' them
Sing fal-the-diddle-i-do, Sing whack fol-the-diddle-day


***

Hares on the Mountain
Shirley Collins, Sweet England, Topic TSCD815, first released in 1959. From Cecil Sharp's Folksongs from Somerset.

If all you young men were hares on the mountain
How many young girls would take guns and go hunting?
With a right-fol-de dee kel-al de day right fol-i-dee

If the young men could sing like blackbirds and thrushes
How many young girls would go beating the bushes?
With a right-fol-de dee kel-al de day right fol-i-dee

If all you young men were rushes a-growin'
How many young girls would take scythes and go mowing?
With a right-fol-de dee kel-al de day right fol-i-dee

If all you young men were ducks in the water
How many young girls would undress and dive after?
With a right-fol-de dee kel-al de day right fol-i-dee

But the young men are given to frisking and fooling
I'll leave them alone and attend to my schooling
With a right-fol-de dee kel-al de day right fol-i-dee

***

Hares on the Mountain
Shirley Collins, on Shirley Collins and Davy Graham, Folk Roots, New Routes, Topic TSCD819, first released in 1964.

O Sally my dear, it's you I'd be kissin'
O Sally my dear, it's you I'd be kissin'
She smiled and replied: You don't know what you're missin'!

O Sally my dear, I wish I could bed you
O Sally my dear, I wish I could bed you
She smiled and replied: Then you'd say I misled you!

If all you young men were hares on the mountain
If all you young men were hares on the mountain
How many young girls would take guns and go hunting?

If the young men could sing like blackbirds and thrushes
If the young men could sing like blackbirds and thrushes
How many young girls would go beating the bushes?

If all you young men were fish in the water
If all you young men were fish in the water
How many young girls would undress and dive after?

But the young men are given to frisking and fooling
O, the young men are given to frisking and fooling
So I'll leave them alone and attend to my schooling


***

Hares on the Mountain
Frankie Armstrong, Till the grass o'ergrew the corn, Fellside FECD116, 1996. Sharp noted it in 1904 from Mrs Lock of Muchelney Ham, Somerset. Frankie has added a couple of standard verses to the existing three.

If all those young men were rushes a-growin'
Then all those pretty maidens would get scythes, go mowing
Sing wack fol-de-dee fol-ol-de-day wack-fol-li-dee

If all those young men were hares on the mountain
Then all those pretty maidens would get guns, go hunting
Sing wack fol-de-dee fol-ol-de-day wack-fol-li-dee

If all those young men were duck in the water
Then all those pretty maidens would soon follow after
Sing wack fol-de-dee fol-ol-de-day wack-fol-li-dee

If all those young men were fish in the brooks-O
Then all those pretty maidens would be off with their hooks-O
Sing wack fol-de-dee fol-ol-de-day wack-fol-li-dee

If all those young men were blackbirds and thrushes
Then all those pretty maidens would soon beat the bushes
Sing wack fol-de-dee fol-ol-de-day wack-fol-li-dee
Sing wack fol-de-dee fol-ol-de-day wack-fol-li-dee


***

Hares on the Mountain
Steeleye Span, Parcel of Rogues, Shanachie 79045, 1987, first released Chrysalis CHR 1046 (LP, UK, April 1973)

Young women, they run like hares on the mountain
Young women, they run like hares on the mountain
And if I was a young man, I'd soon go a-hunting
To me right fol-de diddle de-ro Right fol-de diddle-day

Young women, they sing like birds in the bushes
Young women, they sing like birds in the bushes
If I was a young man I'd go beat them bushes
To me right fol-de diddle de-ro Right fol-de diddle-day

Young women, they swim like ducks in the water
Young women, they swim like ducks in the water
If I was a young man I'd soon go swim after
To me right fol-de diddle de-ro Right fol-de diddle-day

Young women, they run like hares on the mountain
Young women, they run like hares on the mountain
And if I was a young man, I'd soon go a-hunting
To me right fol-de diddle de-ro Right fol-de diddle-day