The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #99497   Message #4071754
Posted By: Joe Offer
13-Sep-20 - 05:32 PM
Thread Name: Origins:Song about steeleye span (Horkstow Grange)
Subject: Origins:Song about steeleye span (Horkstow Grange)
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

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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