Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea

Subject: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Lady Mondegreen
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 01:32 PM

Hi there

I'm researching this song and it's many variants, spin offs and relations.
Does anyone know the origins of the name 'Masery' and how it should be pronounced? I've found very little indeed on the www and have heard a couple of conflicting opinions: one such is that this is an archaic spelling of Mary and the 's' should be silent, and another that it is related to Margaret and should be pronounced as written. Any ideas?
Also, I'm trying to find out what melodies have been used for this ballad and I'd be really grateful if someone could point me to the most historical tunes known. Sheet or sound files would both be useful!

Thanks.
Lady M

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 01:39 PM

Try A PM to Saro = C M R do a very good version !

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Susan of DT
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 01:43 PM

This is Child #36. The main entry in Child has Masery, as you have. The version in the appendix calls her variously Meassry and Messry. I assume these are all related to the Lady Maisry's we see in other ballads.

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Lady Mondegreen
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 01:44 PM

Thanks only I'm afraid I have no idea what any of your acronyms mean so could you translate your reply into whole words please ;-)I only just joined the list so my mudcattish is a bit basic!

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 01:47 PM

I've been here almost ten years and I didn't get it, either, Lady M! Welcome to the Mudcat. This looks like the start of an interesting thread.

kat

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Lady Mondegreen
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 01:52 PM

Yes I've got all the child lyrics and appendices and several other versions and tunes including the Norwegian ballad the Nightingale, Kempion etc. I'm after specific information about that women's name (in it's several variants) if I can find anything. There are many other names substituted in other versions for all the characters, but it's this particular name that draws a blank!
I've heard several versions of the song but I'm really only interested in the oldest collected melodies for the Child ballad or any of it's close relatives.
Thanks

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Bill D
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 02:17 PM

sadly, this does not have many tunes associated with it.

I only know of 3-4 tunes, and they are sort of lively and 'bouncy'...the best tune for it I ever heard was written by a woman who never heard one of those. It was sort of stark and scary....I can kinda hear it in my head, but don't have it written anywhere.

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Abdul The Bul Bul
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 02:36 PM

Good version of it on James Reynard CD "Strange Histories". The Loathsome Worm and the Mackerel of the Sea is the way he lists it.

The rest of the CD is good stuff too.

Al

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: GUEST,IS
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 03:16 PM

You mean James Raynard, not Reynard. He has heavily anglicised it.

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 08:12 PM

Only one traditional text of this ballad survives (the 'two' texts in Child are the 'original' and the slightly altered Skene MS transcription of it), and no tune is known for it.

A few people have recorded arrangements, with texts altered to suit their tastes and set to tunes of their own making or borrowed from elsewhere. James used an unrelated tune from Playford that took his fancy; rather good, I thought. Mind you, it was me who explained to him what was happening in verse 4.

Note that 'Kempion' / 'Kemp Owyne' / 'Laidley Worm of Spindleston Heughs' (Child 34), although it involves a similar transformation, is a completely different story and shouldn't be confused with Child 36; or, for that matter, with 'Allison Gross' (Child 35) or 'The Lambton Worm'.

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Susan of DT
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 08:50 PM

PM = Personal message. Since you are a member, you can send and receive these on your personal page, see links across the top of the page.
CMR = Craig Morgan Robson, a singing trio.
Saro is the mudcat handle of Sarah Morgan of the trio.

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:21 AM

Mike and Jackie Gabriel had a crackiin tune for it which I still think of singing but never get round to .

---

Please remember to use a consistent name when you post. Messages with the "from" space blank, risk being deleted.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:25 AM

It's only Child #36, not one of the Prof's greatest hits.
James RAYNARD has vastly improved it.

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: GUEST,PP
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:50 AM

"Allison Cross" or "Allison Gross" (charted higher at Child #35), as sung by Lizzie Higgins, has some lyrical similarities with #36.

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 03:55 AM

OT alert:

I found a song called Juniper Gentle and Rosemary as a teenager run away for the summer to 'work'/busk in Cornwall and did it to death.

Until I discovered FJC had not only found it before me but that it was his #1 chart topper.

/OT alert

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Abdul The Bul Bul
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 07:20 AM

Silly me, tis as you correct, Raynard with an a. I have made the mental adjustment. Can't think where I got "Reynard" from, I'm completely foxed.

Al

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Saro
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 02:51 PM

Hi Lady M. Craig Morgan Robson have recorded a version of the Laily Worm. It is an anglicised version of the one in the Oxford Book of Ballads, and the tune is my own....oh dear, I think I hear the folk police knocking on my door as I type. Let me know if you are interested in more information about this...
Saro

Subject: Lyr Add: LAILY WORM
From: Roberto
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 04:24 PM

The only recording I've listened to of this ballad:

Laily Worm
Spriguns, Revel, Weird and Wild, Decca 1976, Japanese edition UICY-9516.

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

O when I was seven years old
Me mother she would die
My father married the worst woman
The world did ever see

She's turned me to a laily worm
That lies at the foot of the tree
My sister Maisery she's made
The mackerel of the sea

And every Saturday at noon
The mackerel comes to me
She combs my hair with a silver comb
And washes it in the sea

It's seven knights I have killed
Since I lay at the foot of the tree
And if you weren't my own father
The eighth one you would be

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

And he's sent for his lady gay
As fast as send could he
"Where is my son and my daughter
That you sent away from me?"

"Your son is in the Kings high court
Serving for meat and fee
Your daughter's in the Queens court
As you know well to be"

"O you lie, you lie you ill woman
So loudly do you lie
My son he is the laily worm
That lies at the foot of the tree

You lie, you lie you ill woman
So loudly do you lie
My daughter Maisery
She is the mackerel of the sea"

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

And he's sent to the greenwood
For whins and for hawthorn
He's sent for his lady gay
And there he did her burn

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Jul 07 - 05:24 PM

I have a version by Graham & Eileen Pratt..(he wrote the wonderful "Black Fox", about a fox chase where the fox wins)

Subject: RE: Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 08:52 AM

Why is it a Mackerel? could it be some other sea beast?