The Water is Wide - one more time!

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 30 Apr 25 - 02:33 PM

By far my favourite version was made in 1964 by The Seekers..... I used to sing this in clubs in NW England in the 1970s.    https://youtu.be/QOOjbKmSV1o?si=PWos4_NR0UIybC5U

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 30 Apr 25 - 03:31 PM

It may be stated on other threads, but not here, apparently. The song has long been a collection of commonplaces, 'floaters' in common parlance. Most of them can be traced back to at least the 17th century, which is why some confusion occurs between 'Water is Wide' and 'Waly Waly'. Laments, such as the many members of the Died for Love family, often accrue a large selection of these commonplaces. They sometimes get crystallised for a while such as the printing of Ramsay, but usually varied oral versions continue at the same time.

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 09 May 25 - 06:54 AM

> why don't we all stop putting the apostrophe in ev'ry?

*Complain*: I use the apostrophe to remind myself when to sing "every" with two syllables, lest I inadvertently channel those who sing 'Enery The Eighth I Am in the original Venacular.

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: leeneia
Date: 10 May 25 - 08:03 PM

Gerogiansilver, thanks for the link to the Seekers' version. It's very fine.

MaJoC: Okayeeeee

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: The Sandman
Date: 12 May 25 - 10:52 AM

The ballad "Waly, Waly" (also known as "The Water Is Wide" or "Jamie Douglas") is a folk song that is believed to be inspired by the unhappy marriage of James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas, and Lady Barbara Erskine. The song's lyrics recount the story of Douglas abruptly ending his marriage to Erskine after being told a rumor that she had been unfaithfu

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: gillymor
Date: 12 May 25 - 11:21 AM

I play and sing Grey Funnel Line on guitar with my chums on fiddle and concertina, and we slip into an instrumental of Water is Wide for one verse and back into GFL. It works beautifully, all in D.

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jan 26 - 11:42 AM

I also heard a song writen in 1961 called last fare well by randy sparks and first recorded by the new cristy minstrels that has the same tune as o waly waly the water is wide and new nothing about it and its origns. thanks from joe.

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The Last Farewell (Randy Sparks)

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: Nick Dow
Date: 28 Jan 26 - 08:43 AM

The Cockleshells version was taught to MWR by some friends in Australia. They, in their turn, got it from Burl Ives.
Meanwhile, there is a belting version collected from Mrs Elizabeth Moggeridge (Granny Mogg) by Sharp entitled the Bonny Boat.
She lived a pretty racy life for a nineteenth century woman, bearing two illegitimate sons to two different fathers. However, despite her bad choice in men, she was a good mother and well-loved by the community in her village of Doddington. Her one pleasure was to consume large quantities of snuff. She died in 1921. Most of her songs are understandably concerned with deserted maidens.
Finally, there is an article in the FSJ 1954 by J. W. Allen, which is quite correctly renowned. It covers most versions of Waly Waly and includes 'Deep in Love, (The Effects of Love) with its Scots connection and a West Virginian version entitled 'Maggie Goddon'. I imagine this is available on line.

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 28 Jan 26 - 09:32 AM

https://www.facebook.com/reel/6383361018374590

Recorded this some years back...(since my stroke) so am accompanied by a backing track.

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: GUEST,Dick Miles
Date: 29 Jan 26 - 04:41 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTFZhmxkpbE