"Lord Randall" doesn't seem to be in the DT database. Anyhow, I'm interested in different variant versions, so what are the lyrics of the one you sing or like best? Does anybody know any special versions of the "green and yellow" variants?

Thanks!
Ian

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Check this thread (click) for a German version of "Lord Randall."

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Traditional Ballad Index entry for this song:

Lord Randal [Child 12]

DESCRIPTION: (Lord Randall) comes home; his mother questions him about his day. He answers each question accurately but incompletely, concluding with a request to rest. At last he reveals that his sweetheart has poisoned him.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1787
KEYWORDS: murder lover farewell lastwill food poison
FOUND IN: Britain(England,Scotland(All)) US(All) Ireland Canada(Mar,Que)
REFERENCES (34 citations):
Child 12, "Lord Randal" (21 texts, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #31, #33}
Bronson 12, "Lord Randal" (103 versions plus 9 in addenda)
BarryEckstormSmyth pp. 46-72, "Lord Randall" (12 texts plus 3 fragments and 2 quotations from non-Maine sources, 6 tunes plus 1 unrelated item; the "N" text is a rewrite which ends with Randall's accidental death) {Bronson's #42, #37, #16, #72, #23, [], #11; Bronson's #70 is a tune for text "J," which is printed without a melody}
Belden, pp. 24-28, "Lord Randall" (5 texts, 1 tune) {Bronson's #41}
Randolph 5, "Johnny Randolph" (4 texts, 3 tunes) {A=Bronson's #21, B=#26, D=#96}
Eddy 5, "Lord Randal" (4 texts, 3 tunes) {Bronson's #73, #95, #94}
Flanders/Olney, pp. 37-39, "Jimmie Rendal"; pp. 200-201, "Lord Randall" (2 texts)
Davis-Ballads 6, "Lord Randal" (15 texts [two of them in an appendix] plus a fragment; 4 tunes entitled "John Willow, My Son," "Johnny Rillus," Johnny Rilla," "Lord Randal"; 2 more versions mentioned in Appendix A) {Bronson's #64, #28, (F version not reproduced), #58}
Davis-More 7, pp. 51-60, "Lord Randal" (5 texts plus an excerpt, 3 tunes)
BrownII 6, "Lord Randall" (3 texts)
Chappell-FSRA 4, "Lorendo" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #8}
Hudson 4, pp. 69-70, "Lord Randall" (2 texts)
Brewster 7, "Lord Randall" (1 text)
Creighton/Senior, pp. 9-11, "Lord Randal" (2 texts plus 1 fragment, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #48, #86}
Leach, pp. 81-85, "Lord Randal" (4 texts)
OBB 66, "Lord Randal" (1 text)
Friedman, p. 178, "Lord Randall" (3 texts)
Warner 107, "Lord Randall"; 108, "Jimmy Ransome" (2 texts, 1 tune)
Sharp-100E 18, "Lord Rendal" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #90}
Niles 9, "Lord Randall" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Gummere, pp. 168+336-337, "Lord Randal" (1 text)
Sharp/Karpeles-80E 7, "John Randolph (Lord Randal)" (1 text, 1 tune -- an expanded composite version) {Bronson's #53}
Scott-BoA, pp. 23-24, "Lord Ronald" (1 text, 1 tune)
Hodgart, p. 34, "Lord Randal" (1 text)
JHCox 4, "Lord Randall" (6 texts plus mention of 6 more)
JHCoxIIA, #3, pp. 14-15, "The Jealous Lover" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #38}
Ord, pp. 458-459, "Lord Randal" (1 text)
LPound-ABS, 1, p. 3, "Johnny Randall"; p. 4, "Jimmy Randolph" (2 texts)
MacSeegTrav 4, "Lord Randall" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
TBB 11, "Lord Randal" (1 text)
SHenry H814, p. 415, "Lord Ronald" (1 text, 1 tune, incorrectly labelled "Child 92")
Darling-NAS, pp. 43-44, "Lord Randall"; "Johnny Randall" (2 texts)
Silber-FSWB, p. 346, "Lord Randall" (1 text)
DT 12, LORDRAN1* LORDRNLD* EELHENRY* EELHENR2
Roud #10
RECORDINGS:
Sara Cleveland, "My Bonny Bon Boy" (on SCleveland01)
Ewan MacColl, "Lord Randal" (on ESFB1, ESFB2)
Lawrence Older, "Johnny Randall" (on LOlder01)
Jeannie Robertson, Elizabeth Cronin, Thomas Moran, Colm McDonough, Eirlys & Eddis Thomas [composite] "Lord Randal" (on FSB4, FSBBAL1) {cf. Bronson's #43.2 in addenda}
Pete Seeger, "Lord Randall" (on PeteSeeger25)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Billy Boy"
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Jimmy Randolph
Jimmy Randal
Bonnie Wee Croodlin Doo
Tiranti, My Love
Henry, My Son
Willie Ransom
Notes: A few versions, such as that recorded by Lawrence Older, make Randall's wife, rather than his sweetheart, his murderer. Wonder if she found out about that other girl he was fooling around with.
I've seen several sources (notably Davis) mention that John Randolph of Virginia knew the song which sometimes bears his name. The text Randolph cited appears, however, to have been "Wheel of Fortune" or something similar.
Barry et al claim "It is reasonably safe to assert that, of all the English ballads, 'Lord Randall' holds in the United States the leading position, as regards the extent of purely traditional currency. 'Barbara Allen' and 'Lord Thomas' are, no doubt, known to more folk-singers, yet it cannot be said that their popularity is due solely to tradition, since both have been many times reprinted in pocket songsters. On the other hand, we know of no American broadside or songster text of 'Lord Randall.'" - RBW
File: C012

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