Origins: The Blacksmith

Subject: The Blacksmith
From: Lin & Tony
Date: 08 May 99 - 07:59 AM

We've just discovered Mudcat - brilliant, we have got plenty of lyrics but can't find the music/chords/tab, are we missing something. Has anyone got chords/tab for The Blacksmith(2) thanks in advance.

Subject: Chords Add: THE BLACKSMITH
From: Benjamin Bodhránaí
Date: 08 May 99 - 11:21 PM

We do it in A Dorian, which if you are not familiar with the modes that folk music seems to get written in that's a G scale starting on A, sort of a minor 6th or something.

---

    

  Am                 G        Am        G  Am
  A blacksmith courted me, nine months or better
      Am            G            Am   G  Am
  He fairly won my heart, wrote me a letter
             G             Am       C         Am G
   With his hammer in his hand, he looked so clever
           Am          G  Am            C Am    GAm
  And if I were with my love, I would live forever

Hope this helps, you can play a lot with the chords using the G-C-D pattern as the sound of the song allows for some almost disharmonic(?) sounds, eg the second G on the first two lines could also be a C or D to give a weird harmony against avoice.

Slán,

BB

Subject: RE: The Blacksmith
From: Tucker
Date: 09 May 99 - 12:23 AM

Sorry to but in, is this the Blacksmith or could it be the Blacksmith of Brandywine?

Subject: RE: The Blacksmith
From: alison
Date: 09 May 99 - 12:33 AM

Hi,

Welcome,.....

If you really want printed music or tab.. send me your email address and I'll send you a GIF.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: A BLACKSMITH COURTED ME
From: Snuffy
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 02:11 PM

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

Subject: RE: The Blacksmith
From: Gypsy
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 07:41 PM

I too will send dotz, via snail mail, if you pm me.

Subject: Lyr Add: A BLACKSMITH COURTED ME
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Jan 02 - 09:49 PM

Do note that the original request was made nearly 3 years ago!

To return to Snuffy's post.  Shirley Collins herself said this:

"My tune is based on a recording of the singer Phoebe Smith, collected by Peter Kennedy.  A textual variant of the blacksmith theme is found as the song Our Captain Calls, and versions of this have tunes similar to the present one.  It is from a set of the latter that Vaughan Williams developed the hymn tune Monksgate,  I use the final half stanza from a version of Our Captain Calls collected by Cecil Sharp." (The Sweet Primroses, Topic TSCD 476).

Phoebe Smith's set (Suffolk rather than Sussex) was noted by Peter Kennedy in 1956, and appears in his book Folksongs of Britain and Ireland; Shirley seems only to have changed it a little and conflated two verses.

A BLACKSMITH COURTED ME

(Noted from Phoebe Smith, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1956, by Peter Kennedy)

For a blacksmith he courted me, just nine months or better
Until he won my heart, wrote to me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand, strikes his blows so neat and clever
And if I were with my love, I'd live forever.

Now he talks about going abroad, fighting for strangers
And he'd better stay at home, and keep from all dangers
For you stay at home with me, my dearest jewel
And you stay at home with me, and don't prove cruel.

My true love's gone across the sea, gathering fine posies
My true love's gone across the sea, with his cheeks like roses
I'm afraid that broiling sun will spoil his beauty
And if I was with my love, I would do love's duty.

For it's once I had gold in store, they all seemed to like me
But now I'm low and poor, they all seem to slight me.
For there ain't no belief in a man, nor your own brother
So it's: girls, whenever you love, love one each other.

Kennedy considers The Blacksmith and Our Captain Calls (or, Cried) to be variant forms of the same song, and presumably saw this version as a kind of missing link; others would not necessarily agree.

A midi of the tune as given in Kennedy will go to the  Mudcat Midi Pages: meanwhile it can be heard via the  South Riding Folk Network site:

The Blacksmith (Phoebe Smith)

The set of Our Captain Calls from which Shirley took the final couplet came from the redoubtable Mrs. Overd (1904) as Our Captain Cried All Hands.  Monks Gate is so called because the tune came from Mrs. Harriet Verrall of Monks Gate, Horsham, Sussex.

See also, in the DT,  OUR CAPTAIN CRIED ALL HANDS  A tune is given, but unfortunately, no source is named.

Subject: Lyr Add: Blacksmith Courted Me
From: Snuffy
Date: 27 Jan 02 - 02:09 PM

Thanks for all the additional information , Malcolm.

Just putting an ADD in the header so harvesters can pick these up.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Blacksmith
From: GUEST,maolanu
Date: 07 Aug 26 - 05:53 PM

It's noted on the Mainly Norfolk page for the song 'A Blacksmith Courted Me' that Rod Stradling said the following:

“It’s likely that this is quite an old song, even though its earliest collection was only in 1905—the line “So bring your witness in and I never will deny you” dates back to about 1672.”

I found the booklet where he says it here. https://mustrad.co.uk/pdf/hughes.pdf Search "blacksmith".

But there's no source given for the claim that this line dates back to 1672. Rod Stradling passed away last year. I've spent the last two hours trying to find where he might have gotten this information.

All I have is the reference noted by Peggy Seegers and Ewan McColl,on p595 of the book 'Wit and Mirth: or, Pills to purge Melancholy', published first in 1719 (use this link - the link given in the Norfolk page doesn't include all the volumes -- and search "A dialogue between a Town Spark" https://archive.org/details/witmirthorpillst12newy/page/192/mode/2up?q=spark )

There's also apparently a record of 'The Blacksmith' broadside ballad that's referenced in another thread here on Mudcat, but the images have not been available since 2024
https://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/permalink/44OXF_INST/rl48sd/alma991027426825407026

Does anyone have any clues on what Rod was talking about? Or any additional info about the origins of the Blacksmith song?

Subject: RE: Origins: The Blacksmith
From: rich-joy
Date: 07 Aug 26 - 10:12 PM

FWIW, I recall learning in the early 70s, both the "To Be a Pilgrim" version, and the one Sandra Kerr sings here (Roud No. 816) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAAe7ysI8oQ   
(The Female Frolic LP)

Apparently "Sung by Mrs. Powell, near Weobley, Herefordshire (R.V.W. 1909)"


Cheers, R-J

Subject: RE: Origins: The Blacksmith
From: Reinhard
Date: 08 Aug 26 - 01:02 AM

Maolanu, the Traditional Ballad Index says about this song (1672 is mentioned at the end):

Blacksmith (I), The

DESCRIPTION: "A blacksmith courted me, Nine months or better. He fairly won my heart, Wrote me a letter.... And if I were with my love, I'd live forever." Sadly, her love has departed (for the wars? To be married?); she wishes she were with him wherever he goes
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1901
KEYWORDS: love separation courting lie betrayal lament lover
FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond,South,West)) Canada
REFERENCES (8 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "BLACKSMITH, THE"
Kennedy-FolksongsOfBritainAndIreland 146, "A Blacksmith Courted Me" (1 text, 1 tune)
VaughanWilliams/Lloyd-PenguinBookOfEnglishFolkSongs, p. 22, "The Blacksmith" (1 text, 1 tune)
Palmer-FolkSongsCollectedBy-Ralph-VaughanWilliams, #48, "The Blacksmith" (1 text, 1 tune)
MacColl/Seeger-TravellersSongsFromEnglandAndScotland 56, "The Blacksmith" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Reeves/Sharp-TheIdiomOfThePeople, p. 233, "(Have you seen my love pass by)" (1 fragment)
Karpeles-TheCrystalSpring 45, "Shoemaker Courted Me" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, BLAKSMIT* BLAKSMT2* BLAKSMI2*
Roud #816
RECORDINGS:
Harry Brazil, "A Blacksmith Courted Me" (on Voice11)
Phoebe Smith, "A Blacksmith Courted Me" (on FSBFTX15)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Firth c.18(130), "The Blacksmith," H. Such (London), 1863-1885
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Brave Wolfe" [Laws A1] (tune & meter)
cf. "Our Captain Called" (tune & meter, lyrics)
cf. "Pining Daily and Daily" (theme)
cf. "Glasgow Ships" (one verse)
SAME TUNE:
Brave Wolfe [Laws A1] (File: LA01)
NOTES [373 words]: Lines are similar to Opie/Opie-OxfordDictionaryOfNurseryRhymes 270, "Brave news is come to town" (earliest date in Opie/Opie-OxfordDictionaryOfNurseryRhymes is 1842).
Firth c.18(130): "Strange news has come to me, strange news is carried, And now it's all the talk, my love he is married."
Opie/Opie-OxfordDictionaryOfNurseryRhymes 270: "Brave news is come to town, Brave news is carried; Brave news is come to town, Jemmy Dawson's married." - BS
(For the items listed above, see also Baring-Gould-AnnotatedMotherGoose #280, p. 165, "(Brave news is come to town)"; also Montgomerie/Montgomerie-ScottishNurseryRhymes 96, "(Braw News is come to town)," in which the girl is Jean Tamson. The similarity is only in the lyrics, though, not in the plot.)
Kennedy-FolksongsOfBritainAndIreland lists in excess of a dozen collections of this song, almost all from the south of England. Normally I would interpret this to mean that it is recent but popular -- but of course it is old enough to have supplied the tune for "Brave Wolfe."
The Opies mention "Jemmy Dawson" as a man executed for supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie, but that of course doesn't prove that it's the same Jemmy Dawson. On the other hand, if Jemmy were being sung about circa 1745, the tune would still be remembered circa 1760, when "Brave Wolfe" was presumably written. - RBW
One verse, found at least in broadside Bodleian Firth c.18(130), specifically, "It's not what you promised when by me you did lie, You promised to marry me and never me deny; If I promised to marry you it was only to try you, So bring your witness in and I never will deny you" that dates back at least to about 1672. See:
* Joseph Woodfall Ebsworth, editor, The Roxburghe Ballads: Illustrating the Last Years of the Stuarts (Hertford, 1883 ("Digitized by Google")), Vol. IV Part 1 [Part 10], pp. 22-25, "The Deluded Lasse's Lamentation" or "The False Youth's Unkindness to his Beloved Mistress" ("Is she gone? let her go. I do not care") (1 text) ["Probable date, 1672"]
Broadside EngBdsdBA 22124, Pepys 5.289, "The Deluded Lasses Lamentation" or "The False Youth's Unkindness to his Beloved Mistris" ("Is she gone, let her go, I do not care"), J. Deacon (London), 1689, accessed 08 Dec 2013 - BS
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