In the DT are three versions of this song

• THE BLACKSMITH
• THE BLACKSMITH (2)
• BLACKSMITH COURTED ME

All of them are fairly coherent and of a piece. This version by Shirley Collins, however, seems to have attracted elements from other songs - the third verse and the final half-verse seem to be three unrelated couplets from elsewhere. Is there a hint of familial sexual abuse and an invitation to lesbianism?

Shirley Collins tune is obviously related to that in the DT, and also the hymn tune MONK'S GATE (To be a Pilgrim) which is "Adapted from an English Traditional Melody", according to my hymnal. She recorded it on The Sweet Primeroses, Topic TSCD476, but I got it from Topic sampler CD with minimum sleevenotes, which merely say it is "her version of the Sussex love song

A BLACKSMITH COURTED ME

For a blacksmith courted me, nine months or better.
And he who gained my heart, wrote me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand, strikes his blows so clever
And if I was with my love, I'd live forever.

Now he talks of going abroad, fighting for strangers
But he'll stay at home with me, and free from dangers
I'm afraid the broiling sun might spoil his beauty,
And if I was with my love, I'd do love's duty.

For when I had gold in store, you did invite me
But now I'm lye[?] and poor, you mean to slight me.
For there is no trusting men, not my own brother
And it's girls, if you would love, love one each other.

But dry off your brandy tears, and leave off weeping
For it's happy we shall be at our next meeting

MIDI file: BLAKSMI4.MID

Timebase: 480

Tempo: 105 (571428 microsec/crotchet)
Key: Bb
TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Name: A Blacksmith Courted Me
Text: C:Trad, arr S Collins
Start
0000 1 65 127 0719 0 65 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 62 127 0959 0 62 000 0001 1 60 127 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 58 090 0719 0 58 000 0001 1 63 127 0479 0 63 000 0001 1 63 090 0239 0 63 000 0001 1 65 090 0239 0 65 000 0001 1 67 127 1439 0 67 000 0481 1 65 127 0719 0 65 000 0001 1 63 090 0239 0 63 000 0001 1 65 127 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 58 090 0479 0 58 000 0001 1 57 127 0479 0 57 000 0001 1 58 090 1439 0 58 000 0961 1 65 127 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 70 127 0959 0 70 000 0001 1 69 127 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0719 0 67 000 0001 1 69 127 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 70 090 0239 0 70 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 127 1919 0 67 000 0481 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 62 127 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 58 090 0239 0 58 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 127 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 63 090 0239 0 63 000 0001 1 65 090 1439 0 65 000 0961 1 65 127 0239 0 65 000 0001 1 67 090 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 69 090 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 70 127 0959 0 70 000 0001 1 69 127 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 090 0719 0 67 000 0001 1 69 127 0479 0 69 000 0001 1 70 090 0239 0 70 000 0001 1 69 090 0239 0 69 000 0001 1 67 127 1439 0 67 000 0481 1 65 127 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 65 090 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 62 127 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 58 090 0239 0 58 000 0001 1 60 090 0239 0 60 000 0001 1 62 127 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 63 090 0239 0 63 000 0001 1 65 090 1439 0 65 000 0961 1 65 127 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 70 090 0479 0 70 000 0001 1 67 127 1439 0 67 000 0241 1 65 090 0239 0 65 000 0001 1 67 127 0239 0 67 000 0001 1 65 090 0239 0 65 000 0001 1 63 090 0239 0 63 000 0001 1 62 090 0239 0 62 000 0001 1 60 127 0959 0 60 000 0481 1 67 090 0479 0 67 000 0001 1 65 127 0479 0 65 000 0001 1 58 090 0479 0 58 000 0001 1 57 127 0959 0 57 000 0001 1 58 127 0959 0 58 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X: 224
T:A Blacksmith Courted Me
M:2/4
L:1/8
Q:210
C:Trad, arr S Collins
S:Shirley Collins
N:Filenames [BLAKSMIT, BLAKSMI2, BLAKSMT2
D:The Sweet Primeroses, Topic TSCD476
K:Bb
F3G |
D4 |(CB,3) | E2 (EF)|G4- |G2z2|
(F3_E)| F2 B,2 | A,2B,2-|B,4 |z4 |F2 |
B4 |(AG3) | A2 (BA)|G4- |G4 |
z2F2 |(DC)(B,C)|(DE) F2-|F4 |z4 |(FG)A2|
B4 |(AG3) | A2 (BA)|G4- |G2z2|
F2F2 |(DC)(B,C)|(DE) F2-|F4 |z4 |F2B2
| G4- | G2 zF |(GF)(ED)|C4 |z2G2|
F2B,2 | A,4 | B,4 ||


WassaiL! V