come west alongthe road12/107

Subject: come west alongthe road12/107
From: The Sandman
Date: 12 Jan 07 - 04:54 PM

Whilst watching this programme tonight on RTE 2, I heard the presenter Nicholas O Carolan talk about the popularity from the 1970s onwards of THE ROSE OF ALLENDALE.

There was then a rendition by Frances Black, and the Fureys and Davey Arthur.

Mr. O Carolan wondered why this song had become so popular. My recollection of the time is this: Nic Jones. I know this was in Bob Copper's collection, but I am fairly sure Nic Jones was instrumental in reviving and popularising this song.

The Black Family, Shay, Francis and Mary, if my memory serves me right are from Liverpool of Irish extraction. Mary Black recorded ANNACHIE GORDON, which had previously been popularised by Nic Jones, and used a similar guitar arrangement to Nic's.

It was some thirty years ago, so perhaps my memory is playing tricks. Can anyone confirm that Rose of Allendale was in Nic's repertoire? I was very active at the time as a professional musician, and saw a lot of Nic Jones, and don't remember this song being sung much before Nic performed it.

Dick Miles
www.dickmiles.com

Subject: RE: come west alongthe road12/107
From: Fergie
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 06:45 AM

The Black family are all from Dublin. Their father was from Rathlin Island on the north Antrim coast

Subject: RE: come west alongthe road12/107
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 08:23 AM

ok, when I met Shay Black,I was gigging at liverpool trad folk club.Shay was involved with the running of the club, and was living in liverpool.however where they were born is really neither here nor there and I agree it was unnecessary to mention it.
The real crux of the matter is this, WERE Mary Blacks arrangements of Annachie Gordon and Rose OF Allendale,inspired or influenced by Nic Jones arrangements,IF They were perhaps Nic should be given some creditfor popularising it[INDIRECTLY]inIreland.

Subject: RE: come west alongthe road12/107
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 05:23 AM

Cap'n,
It was fairly popular with the older singers well before Nic Jones, probably due to its inclusion in the old song garlands and on the ballad sheets that could still be bought at the fairs and markets right into the 1950s (usually sold by Travellers).
It turns up occasionally as 'The Rose of Avondale' an obvious confusion with the Charles Stewart Parnell 'Blackbird of Sweet Avondale' song.
Jim Carroll
PS Nicholas doesn't include an O in his name.

Subject: RE: come west alongthe road12/107
From: The Sandman
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 06:17 AM

nicolas carolan asked the question why did it become popular in the 1970s,then we hear mary blacks rendition[very similiar to nics but the accompaniment inferior]as I was part of the folk revival in the seventies and eighties, I am certain as regards the folk revival[ of which the blacks were part] that Nic popularised this song[AS HE DID ANNACHIE GORDON,I know it was in the coppers repertoire but they were not PERFORMING very often at that time, wheras Nic was everywhere.Nic was extremely influential [andy irvine and planxty even acknowledge his INFLUENCE].