Country of origin of these songs please!

Subject: RE: Country of orgin of these songs please!
From: ooh-aah
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 02:20 AM

As an Englishman I'd say that Barbara Allen is very Scottish - beautiful tune and that strong Scots/Celtic love of wallowing in misery, defeat and woe for their own sake. (What Billy Conelly referred to as the 'and the wheelchair went over the cliff' syndrome in the Scottish character).I wouldn't like to think of a stout, down-to-earth English lad carrying on in such a wet fashion!

Subject: RE: Country of orgin of these songs please!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 06:46 AM

"stout, down-to-earth English lad"

You mean short and fat? Just the sort to react like that...

Subject: RE: Country of orgin of these songs please!
From: ooh-aah
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 07:11 AM

Not very PC Mr McGrath! Remember there may be Americans reading - you mean 'vertically challenged' and 'big boned'. Who says that they're 'just the sort' - rank stereotyping of the kind I'm attempting to commit! Anyway, I'm talking of a certain mental toughness and sense of perspective which seems to desert the Celts at regular intervals, eg, for about 200 years after we give them a good slapping (or 350 odd in the case of Cromwell!).

Subject: RE: Country of orgin of these songs please!
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 08:20 AM

Country of origin isn't necessarily where a song was most popular.
Look at "Danny Boy".

Subject: RE: Country of orgin of these songs please!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 08:35 AM

Or another English song, The Wild Rover.