Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version

Subject: Wiil Ye Go To Flanders - best version
From: Rasener
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:17 PM

I have for a long time, really enjoyed Will ye go to Flanders. I could listen all night long to it.

I have listened to several versions and all of them are very nice.

Dolores Keane & John Faulkner - Will Ye Go To Flanders

Karine Polwart Will ye go tae Flanders

Birkin Tree - We Ye Go to Flanders,An Ancient Dream

June Tabors version as played in the Flanders museum in Ypres

Can't make my mind up which is the one I like the most.

Which do you think is the nicest or the one that makes the hairs on the back of your head stand on end, or makes you go for the tissues?

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:22 PM

Wouldn't say "nice" is the best word to use of any of those, fortunately.

I was in the Ypres museum last year, and in that setting, June Tabor's version definitely made the hairs stand on end.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Rasener
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:42 PM

Sorry, wrong word, didn't mean nice in that sense.

I should have said that I felt all of them were done in a very nice way by the artists. The war itself was by no means nice.

I can well understand what you mean about June Tabor's version.

My daughter is going with her school to the Museum in October.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:45 PM

I used to like Ossian's version, sung by the late Tony Cuffe; used to make me blub when they did it live & I doubt I could listen to it now without crying like a baby for auld lang syne.

George Welsh sings a canny one mind...

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:47 PM

Great song. Wrong war.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: gnomad
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 03:56 PM

If you get the chance to hear it then Cockersdale made a fine version on their CD "Been around for years". As others have said, a damn good song, but not a nice one.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 07:19 PM

The strange thing is how a song about a completely different time and a completely different war came to be transformed into such a powerful and moving soundtrack to the Great War - and this happened not at the time of the Great War, but two generations later.

Three widely separated historical times brought together to shed light on each other.

Here is the website of the "In Flanders Field Museum" It's quite something, and you'll never hear that song the same way again.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 02:10 AM

Les, Miranda Sykes does a great performance of it with 'Firebrand' on their CD. I'm sure it's on there but I can't lay my hands on my copy just now (might have lent it and not had it back?).

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Rasener
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 03:16 AM

I will have to track that John.

>>Here is the website of the "In Flanders Field Museum" It's quite something, and you'll never hear that song the same way again.<<

McGrath - I already put that link up in my first post :-)

However I agree with you on your first paragraph in the same post.

Did they do competition to find a suitable song or some folky suggested they use it as it had Flanders in it?

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Sooz
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 03:48 AM

I'm with BWM on that one and I can't find my copy either!

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Silas
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 04:04 AM

Villan

I cannot thank you enough for this. I was in Ypres last week and took the opportunity to visit In Flanders Field Museum. I have been looking for this song ever since.

THank you.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,flyingcat (moira)
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 05:34 AM

begger's velvet recorded a wonderful version some years back. don't know if it's accessible on the net tho. Begger's Velvet was Anni Fentiman, Dave Webber and Cathy and Charlie Yarwood. They certainly recoded one CD that I know of and it's worth trying to get a hold of.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 06:09 AM

The chap who runs the In Flanders Fields museum is a bit of a folkie, from what I understand, and a friend of Lester Simpson's. I think this is how Coope Boyes and Simpson came to record and perform their Passchendale Suite over there. The museum also uses a very charming version of Robb Johnson's Harry Took Me To Ypres which you can hear on their website.

In response to the original question, June Tabor's version is so moving, and so haunting, it gets my vote.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Rasener
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 06:15 AM

Was that friend a personal friend of June Tabors as well Ruth?

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 07:44 AM

Possibly - I don't actually know the guy who runs the museum, but I was intrigued as to why there is so much English folk music on the website. I was talking to a friend who had visited the museum, who is also a frend of Lester's, and he explained the connection.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,Silas
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 07:50 AM

If you get the chance, it is a 'must' place to visit. Its only half an hour from Dunkirke (SP) and the Norfolk Line ferry from Dover is incredibly cheap. Make a point of visiting the Menim Gate at 8.00 pm.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Surreysinger
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 08:52 AM

Beggars Velvet's version is the one for me (possibly because it was the first I heard).

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Surreysinger
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 08:54 AM

Incidentally, to the best of my knowledge the Beggars Velvet CD reissue of the original recording is still available for purchase.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,flyingcat (moira)
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 01:01 PM

thanks for that surreysinger. I'll look into getting that. M

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 01:38 PM

One song leads to another, and here are Coopes Boyes and Simpson singing Lay me low, another song that has been given a new meaning.

And this week's headlines should remind us that it's not just about what happened nearly a hundred years ago.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Silas
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 03:33 PM

Thanks again - very nice.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 07:20 AM

The problem with the Firebrand version is that it is rather restricted in only using two of the verses.

Coming from England and having the "wrong" accent I find it difficult to make it flow off the tongue, but I sing it anyway.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 08:56 AM

Ossian with Tony Cuffe. Only one you need. John Faulkner's version is pretty good, though.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Feadan
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 09:28 AM

Another vote for the Ossian version...

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 04:18 PM

You couldn't be more English than June Tabor, "Black belt caterpillar wrestler".

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 01:11 AM

I have listened to many versions of this song and there are some good ones but my very favourite (by far) is by the group, Scartaglen with female singer Connie Dover. I have the LP but not sure if that particular album was ever released on a CD or not.
Really wonderful arrangements and beautiful vocals and harmonies on this great, great powerful song! Connie Dover later went on to release solo recordings. I don't think Scartaglen is still together as a band.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 02:44 AM

I too heard June's version on entering at the Ypres museum. Beautiful - and unexpected. Since then the museum has been completely revamped. Anyone been? Does June still sing in the foyer?

The track was also on a fundraising CD being sold at Talbot House Museum in nearby Poperinge.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 03:45 AM

Tony Cuffe, with "Ossian" is the best version I've heard.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Lighter
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 07:44 AM

As suggested on another thread, the "best" version should have only two stanzas.

Unless you're into lyrical overkill.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 08:23 AM

My wife and I were asked to help provide a musical element to a play at Edgeworth last year to mark 100 years since the start of WW1.
The play was augmented by projected images and stories of real people from the village.
Despite my comments above we thought that this song was the most suitable to sing unaccompanied whilst images from the trenches were being shown.
To increase the relevance we composed an extra verse, which may be of interest to anyone with a similar aim.

Will ye go to Flanders my Marie-oh,
Will ye go to Flanders my bonny Marie-oh,
We'll hear machine gun fire,
See the gas clouds rising higher,
And we'll cross the lines of wire,
My Marie-oh.

We were facing the audience with the images projected behind and above us. I don't think that we could have done it with the pictures in view. It was a very emotional part of the performance.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 08:27 AM

I have the Beggar's Velvet CD too, title track "My Lady of Autumn", which may help you find it: another of many good songs all on that one CD. I also like Ossian's version.

A friend has recently started singing it, but has so many variations in the tune that I asked where she'd got it from: another artist not so far mentioned, who was presumably "making the song my own" - but it does make it difficult to join in or accompany when it wanders so much from the usual tune! She wa quite surprised when we played her the Ossian version.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 09:20 AM

"the "best" version should have only two stanzas."
Totally agree - even the habit of repeating the first verse is totally unnecessary and blunts the tragedy of this superb condemnation of war.
The name given in the Scots version is 'Mallie', probably a diminutive of the Scots Gaelic - Malmhìn (Malvina) = "of the smooth brow".
Personally, I find the oft-pronounced, "Maaa-llie" somewhat ugly and also unnecessary - "Mallie" is a beautiful-sounding name which flows off the tongue and does not need to be broken in half, in my opinion.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 10:05 AM

Subject: RE: Background info on Flanders
From: Bruce O. Date: 07 Apr 99 - 03:29 AM

It's from David Herd's 'Scots Songs', 1776. It's only got 2 verses. The tune was published earlier, c 1743 at the end of the first book of Oswald's 'Caledonian Pocket Companion'.

John Faulkner added two verses (John Faulkener and Dolores Keane - live 1978)

Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o
Will ye go to Flanders, my bonny Mally-o
You'll see the plaidies furl
And you'll hear the pipies skirling
O will ye go Flanders, my Mally-o

Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o
Alang wi' all the Hielanders, my bonny Mally-o
You'll hear the captain call
And you'll see the surgeon thralling
And the sodjers how they fall, O my Mally-o

Ossian 1982

Subject: RE: Origin: Will Ye Go to Flanders
From: GUEST,Billy Ross Date: 25 Apr 12 - 05:20 AM

Just to confirm that I wrote the additional verses

And will ye go tae Flanders my Mally-o
Tae see the bonnie sodjers there my Mally-o
They'll gie us pipes tae blaw
Coats o red an kilts sae braw
The finest o them a' my Mally-o

And will ye go wi me tae Flanders my Mally-o
Gin I'd take the royal shillin my Mally-o
Wid ye tae a foreign shore
A' tae hear the canons roar
and the bloody shouts o' war My Mally-o

And I can offer two more verses;

And will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o?
Will ye go to Flanders, my bonny Mally-o?
Though you're parting to a cheer,
Will you shed a sorry tear,
As you leave behind your dear, O my Mally-o?

And will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o?
Will ye go to Flanders, my bonny Mally-o?
When you're marching down the track,
With your musket and your pack,
Do you think that you'll come back, O my Mally-o?

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Lighter
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 10:39 AM

The other thread notes that the song was printed - with its melody - as early as 1714.

So, no machine guns.

I don't know of a definitive explanation of the spelling "Mallie." Conceivably it's simply "Molly" with an "a" either to indicate that "Molly" is a diminutive of "Mary" (strange but true!) or else, probably more likely, simply that the pronunciation was closer to "ah" than to "aw."

But unless somebody misguidedly sings "Maaaallie," there's no virtually no distinction audible.

These days in America, "ah" and "aw" are often (or "ahfen") substituted for one another. "Mawlly" and "Mahlly" coexist - though the name is now rare.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,Janet
Date: 02 Oct 15 - 08:54 PM

I have been searching on Youtube and on Google for the group, Scartaglen and Connie Dover as I wanted to hear their version of "Will Ye Go to Flanders."

No luck. I did find a song on Youtube of Scartaglen's but not this song. Connie Dover (as a solo artist) has songs on Youtube as well.
Then I just went to Google about the group Scartaglen but cannot find the song to hear anywhere (by them) from the Google sites.

If anyone can locate that song being sung by Scartaglen please post message as to where it can be found.
I have heard all the other versions on Youtube by other singers and groups so ONLY WANT TO HEAR THE VERSION BY SCARTAGLEN.
I also tried just typing in on Google the name of the song but cannot find anywhere to actually listen to it by Scartaglen.

Guest, Lin mentioned on a post that it was only on one of their LPs and did not think it was released on a CD.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 04:31 AM

I would have to go with the Ossian version.
Is the June tabor version on any of her CDs ? I have not heard her version
Of it.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 07:02 AM

According to this JTDiscography there are at least 2 recordings 'out there' by June. Always still seems available, but the Belgian version sounds harder to source.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Reinhard
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 08:04 AM

June Tabor's anthology "Always" is officially deleted but you may find it secondhand. The version from "We Died in Hell—They Called it Passchendaele" can be found on YouTube with some overlayed actuality.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Teribus
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 02:00 PM

Best version - Ian Bruce on his CD Hodden Grey.

Going by the words of the song it has nothing whatsoever to do with WWI

First and last verses are reportedly from Marlborough's time the middle two verses added later refer to "coats of red and kilts sae braw" which would put them in either the Seven Years War or even Napoleonic times.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Reinhard
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 02:12 PM

Teribus, the song is originally about the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713), but its verses are also applicable to the slaughter of the First World War.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 03:43 PM

Teribus - the 'coats of red' verse was added much later by Billy Ross, once of Ossian - see his message above.

It would have been written sometime between 1976 and 1982, I imagine, so it's not going to help us determine the origin of the song.

Even though the song pre-dates the First World War, that does not mean that it has nothing whatsoever to do with the First World War.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Teribus
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 04:16 PM

Reinhard - " the song is originally about the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713)" - Ehmmmm that is basically what I said unless of course you believe that Marlborough commanded English Armies in another war?

"Will Ye Go Tae Flanders
Verses 2 and 3 by John Faulkner

Will ye go tae Flanders, my Mally-o,
Will ye go tae Flanders, my Mally-o,
We'll get wine and brandy,
Sack and sugar candy,
Will ye go tae Flanders, my Mally-o.

Will ye go tae Flanders, my Mally-o,
Tae see the bonnie sodgers there, my Mally-o,
They'll gie us pipes tae blaw,
Coats o red an kilts sae braw
Aye the finest o them a', my Mally-o.

Will ye go tae Flanders, my Mally-o,
Gin I tak the royal shillin there, my Mally-o,
Will ye tae a foreign shore,
For tae hear the cannons roar,
An the bloody shouts o war, my Mally-o.

Will ye go tae Flanders, my Mally-o,
Tae see the chief commanders, my Mally-o,
You'll see the bullets fly,
And the sodgers how they die,
And the ladies how they cry, my Mally-o.

The first and last verses are over 200 years old, but the middle two are a 20th century addition by singer/songwriter John Faulkner 1978.

Henryp - No post from Billy Ross that I can see.

Applicable in what way?
At what time during the First World War did the British Army wear Red Coats?

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Effsee
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 04:30 PM

Teribus, see this post:- http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=122213&messages=42#3741317

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Teribus
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 04:59 PM

Thanks Effsee

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 03 Oct 15 - 05:34 PM

Teribus = I'm afraid your source has confused the verses written by Billy Ross with those written by John Faulkener.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 05:22 AM

From the sleeve notes insert of "Dove Across The Water" - by "Ossian", released 1982.

"This song from Herd's collection is said to date from the Duke Of Marlborough's campaign in Flanders in 1708. The first and last verses are original, and the second and third were written by ex-"Ossian" member Billy Ross. The tune at the end of the song is called "Lord Lovat's Lament".

"Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o,
Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o,
There we'll get wine and brandy,
Sack and sugar-candy,
Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o.

And will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o,
Tae see the bonnie sodjers there, my Mally-o,
They'll gie us pipes tae blaw, coats o' red and kilts sae braw
Oh, the finest o' them a', oh, my Mally-o.

And will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o,
Gin I tak' the royal shilling there, my Mally-o,
And will ye tae a foreign shore, for to hear the cannons roar,
And the bloody shouts o' war, oh, my Mally-o.

And will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o,
To see the chief commanders, my Mally-o,
You'll see the bullets fly,
And the sodjers how they die,
And the ladies loudly cry, oh, my Mally-o".

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Teribus
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 06:41 AM

Thanks, Henryp and Kenny, the following website rather mislead me:

http://sangstories.webs.com/willyegotaeflanders.htm

What they state is obviously wrong.

However I still maintain that the song has got absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the First World War.

The low countries Netherlands and Belgium can be accurately described and have been by those studying the history of conflict in Europe as the crucible of Europe certainly true for the last 600 years.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 07:19 AM

From the sleeve notes accompanying "Broken Hearted I'll Wander", by Dolores Keane and John Faulkner, released in 1979.

"I learnt this also from Ewan MacColl,who sung two verses of it on an old LP. Failing to trace any other verses to it anywhere, I took the liberty of making up two more.
Peter Hall in Aberdeen told me that the original stanzas date back to the 1st Duke Of marlborough's campaign in Flanders in 1706. Its' pacifist sentiments, though, make it applicable to any of the imperialist wars". - John Faulkner

Mention of Peter Hall above reminded me that Arthur Watson has an excellent version on "The Fighting Scot", a CD recorded by the "Gaugers" in Aberdeen in 1999.

I can provide John Faulkner's lyrics, from the recording, if requested.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 08:01 AM

Some of them have already been posted higher up the thread: and it's on YouTube too. (The Villan's link from 2009 isn't working for me, so here goes again).
John Faulkner Version

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 08:29 AM

John's version is a long-winded and unnecessarily padded-out take on the one he learned from the singing of Ewan MacColl
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Lighter
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 01:12 PM

MacColl sings the original words on his 1960 Folk-Lyric LP "A Garland of Scots Folksong," which is back in print through the good offices of Dick Greenhaus at CAMSCO Music.

This is an important album in that some of the songs are sung by MacColl's mother, Betsy Miller, whose status as a trad singer has never been impugned.

As suggested above, MacColl's performance was the direct or indirect inspiration behind all others since.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 02:26 PM

I don't know of a definitive explanation of the spelling "Mallie." Conceivably it's simply "Molly" with an "a" either to indicate that "Molly" is a diminutive of "Mary" (strange but true!) or else, probably more likely, simply that the pronunciation was closer to "ah" than to "aw."

I think it is an affectionate name for Malcolm.
Not to a girl at all.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 02:59 PM

From: Reinhard Date: 03 Oct 15 - 02:12 PM
Teribus, the song is originally about the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713), but its verses are also applicable to the slaughter of the First World War.

From: Teribus Date: 03 Oct 15 - 04:16 PM
Applicable in what way?

From: Teribus Date: 04 Oct 15 - 06:41 AM
The low countries Netherlands and Belgium can be accurately described and have been by those studying the history of conflict in Europe as the crucible of Europe certainly true for the last 600 years.

Teribus - I think you've answered your own question.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Lighter
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 05:05 PM

Keith, that could be possible, though you may be the first person to think of it.

But has Mallie ever been an *established* diminutive of Malcolm?

"Mallie" is well documented as a woman's name in Scotland. Both Burns and Cunningham used it..

If the *speaker* is a woman addressing her sweetheart Malcolm, the song becomes even more bitter, like some of Sassoon's Great War verses indicting women as encouragers of war.

Imagine a young woman urging her beau to go to Flanders to die while she sits on the sidelines snacking and drinking!

A bit much, I think.

If the speaker is a man, and so is "Mallie," then you have one friend suggesting they both go to fight and die (and snack and drink).

Conceivable, of course, but such songs are traditionally spoken by a man to a woman.

(Not that you should be stopped from imagining whatever makes the most sense to you.)

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 06:55 PM

Lighter - surely the song is addressed to a man who is thinking of joining the army. The singer is telling him that he risks death if he goes to fight in Flanders.

The singer might be a mate, a girl or perhaps an older, more experienced person, say, his mother or father.

The use of the name/term Mally remains unexplained. But it would make sense if you considered it to be an equivalent of 'marra'.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Teribus
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 07:42 PM

"If the *speaker* is a woman addressing her sweetheart Malcolm, the song becomes even more bitter, like some of Sassoon's Great War verses indicting women as encouragers of war."

Well there is quite a hint in the following:

Original verse:
"Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o,
Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o,
There WE'LL get wine and brandy,
Sack and sugar-candy,
Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-o.

Modern additional verse:
"And will ye go tae Flanders my Mally-o
Tae see the bonnie sodjers there my Mally-o
They'll gie US pipes tae blaw
Coats o red an kilts sae braw
The finest o them a' my Mally-o

The song is about two young men, the singer has already decided to go and is trying to convince his friend "Mally" to join him.

Song even with modern additional verses has got nothing whatsoever to do with the First World War - anti-war song?? Nope all about the Army being a way by which the unemployed of those times could find food, clothing, pay and board and in which the young could find adventure and possible riches, very typical of the young to be lured by danger, they after all are invulnerable and if anything happens - it will only happen to somebody else.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 04 Oct 15 - 08:18 PM

Teribus - you can't use the modern verses to support an argument about its origin!

And if the first of the original verses gives a romantic view, then the second presents the reality. And it doesn't say 'we'.

Will ye go to Flanders, my Mally-O?
And see the chief commanders, my Mally-O?
You'll see the bullets fly,
And the soldiers how they die,
And the ladies loudly cry, my Mally-O

And if Mally was regarded as a term for 'mate' or 'marra', then the second verse would be a response to the first verse.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Teribus
Date: 05 Oct 15 - 03:53 AM

Henryp - you can if the writer of the modern verses stayed with the theme of the original. In the original verse I quoted and in the modern verse I quoted the words WE and US are used. Either way still absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the First World War.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 05 Oct 15 - 06:38 AM

Thanks Lighter.
I did not know that mallie was a recognised female name.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 05 Oct 15 - 06:42 AM

No, Teribus, you really can't do that!

Besides, we haven't reached agreement on the theme of the original verses. And the two verses leave room for continuing discussion.

But you are right - in hard times, men have enlisted for food and clothing. In Clear the Way, John Doyle sings; We killed for three square meals a day.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,Teribus
Date: 05 Oct 15 - 07:15 AM

We probably won't Henryp.

But if the song originally consisted of two verses and for what ever reason (Best known only to themselves) others insert "new" verses in between then for the song to make any sense they must "stay in period" and in context of the song. If on the otherhand they want to "progress" the narrative of the song and transpose it to another period the new verses would come after the originals.

Another way of looking at the song is that original verse one lists the advantages, the second details the drawbacks

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 05 Oct 15 - 09:57 AM

Many soldiers left good employment to serve too.
Marlborough achieved successes that themselves would entice adventurous men to join.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 30 Jul 17 - 03:57 PM

Sung tonight in the Square at Ypres, and very well sung too.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 30 Jul 17 - 06:48 PM

McGrath of Harlow reported above;

I was in the Ypres museum last year, and in that setting, June Tabor's version definitely made the hairs stand on end.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 17 - 10:05 AM

Couple of years late, I know, but Jimmy Carroll's bitter little aside (John's version is a long-winded and unnecessarily padded-out take on the one he learned from the singing of Ewan MacColl) is more a reflection of a 45-year-old feud than of any objective reality.

We'll all be dead soon, Jimmy.

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 17 Nov 17 - 04:31 AM

Example of "Mali" as a name for a male soldier,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5090337/Heroic-Army-dog-gets-Victoria-Cross.html

Subject: RE: Wiil Ye Go Tae Flanders - best version
From: Lighter
Date: 17 Nov 17 - 08:40 AM

Thank for posting, Keith. Hero dogs rock!

Central Park in NYC features a bronze statue of the heroic Siberian husky Balto. He fascinated me as a youngster long (long, long) before Disney's 1995 movie.