The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #33388   Message #445007
Posted By: Malcolm Douglas
19-Apr-01 - 09:31 PM
Thread Name: Help: The Foggy Dew (from John McCormack, 1913)
Subject: RE: John McCormack's 'Foggy Dew' (1913)
Some time ago, I put together a list of (nearly) all the "Foggy Dew" references available here, which I intended to add to what began as a useful discussion of the earlier forms of the various songs known by that title or related to it by melody or text.  (The Foggy Dew - English)  Meanwhile, an idiot who was spoiling for a fight intervened, so I backed off and forgot about it.  I may as well add it now, just with the caveat that you will be more popular with regulars here if you try to keep discussions of one song to the same thread; it really does make life unnecessarily difficult if people start new threads about the same subject all the time; just imagine how much longer it will take to find relevant information next time someone who hasn't noticed the search facilities here asks a similar question?  It will happen, and probably soon; and it probably won't be you who spends time trying to sort it out...

On the DT:

The Foggy Dew  Version recorded from Harry Cox of Catfield, Norfolk, by Peter Kennedy in 1953.  With tune.
The Foggy, Foggy Dew  The version made famous by Burl Ives, with tune.
The Foggy Dew (2)  Version collected by Cecil Sharp from Mr. Ebe Richards of Virginia in 1918; with tune.
The Bogle Bo  (or Bugaboo)  An early 19th century version, collected by John Bell (1783- ??) and printed in A.L. Lloyd's Folk Song in England, 1967.
The Foggy Dew (Irish 2)  No source specified; apparantly a variant of the "shepherd" subset; with the tune (The Banks of the Moorlough Shore) that was later used for the well-known rebel song.
The Foggy Dew (Irish)  (A Wan Cloud).  As Alice pointed out above, the wrong tune is indicated for this one.  The words were written by the poet A.P. Graves, and set to a traditional tune.

DT #333
Laws O3

In the Forum:

The Foggy Dew  Irish version, posted by Alice (text only).  As recorded by John McCormack.  The tune may be found at Lesley Nelson's  Folk Music  site:
Wan Cloud  The words to this one, incidentally, were written by the poet A.P. Graves.

Foggy, Foggy Dew  The Fright'ned Yorkshire Damosel, Or, Fear Dispears'd by Pleasure.  The earliest known version of the song, posted by Bruce Olson.

There are some broadside versions at  Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

Foggy dew  When I was a batchelor early and young... Printed between 1842 and 1855 by W. Jackson and Son, late J. Russell, Printers, Moor Street, Birmingham
Foggy dew  Printed between 1819 and 1844 by J, Pitts, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials, London.
The foggy dew  What shepherd was like me so blest... Printed between 1840 and 1866 by J. Harkness, Church Street, Preston.
The foggy dew  What shepherd was like me so blest ... Printed between 1840 and 1866 by John Harkness, Church St., Preston.
The foggy dew  When I was a farmer's son I kept sheep upon the hill... Printed between 1790 and 1840 by J. Jennings, No. 15, Water Lane, Fleet Street, London.
The batchelor brave  When I was a batchelor brave... Printed between 1790 and 1840 by J. Jennings, No. 15, Water Lane, Fleet Street, London.

See also:

Banks of the Moorlough Shore  
The Maid of Mourne Shore  
The Foggy Dew (revolutionary)  F. P. O'Neill.
The Foggy Dew (6)  As above; longer version.

Malcolm