The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168734   Message #4076406
Posted By: GUEST,henryp
22-Oct-20 - 01:49 AM
Thread Name: Ballads & folk songs w/ haunting theme.
Subject: RE: Ballads & folk songs w/ haunting theme.
Mainly Norfolk; Finest Kind sang Bay of Biscay on their 2010 album For Honour & for Gain. They noted:

Ian [Robb] first heard this beautiful Irish supernatural night visiting song at the St Albans Folk Club in 1969, sung by Tim Hart and Maddy Prior. Tim and Maddy apparently had it from Geoff Woods, who collected it from James McKinley of Tranarossen, Donegal.

“Oh Willy dear, where are those blushes,
Those blushes I knew long years ago?”
“Oh Mary dear, the cold clay has them
I am only the ghost of your Willy-o.”

“Oh Mary dear, the dawn is coming.
Don't you think it is time for me to go?
I am leaving you quite broken-hearted
For to cross the Bay of Biscay-o.”