The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #169280   Message #4091481
Posted By: Steve Gardham
04-Feb-21 - 02:13 PM
Thread Name: Origins: The Molecatcher
Subject: RE: Origins: The Molecatcher
There are lots of oral versions, but unfortunately not all give full texts for obvious reasons. Gardiner collected 5 versions the longest at 6 stanzas, and Hammond had one version.
Sussex version in Songs and Southern Breezes, referred to above (Coppers). There are 2 traveller versions almost identical from Surrey and Essex. The Peter Kennedy version is similar to a version recorded by Vaughan Williams and is the one with most influence on the revival.

The bawdy 'bollocks' version in books like the Rugby Song Book appears to derive from the Louie Fuller version collected by Bob Copper.

A pity about the missing 1765 version but it was probably removed by whoever had the garlands bound up. It may still turn up in ECCO whence came the 1776 version.