Origins: Braw New Shoon

Subject: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 11:29 AM

In searching for creepy Halloween songs, I came cross this song in a book called "Harmonized Melodies" by Ferdinand Trifet pub Charles D Blake 1893
The melody is completely inappropriate for the words (very major and romantic). Wonder if there are other versions out there, or anything about the song?
^^
The Braw New Shoon W.T.Bell

Where gat ye the braw new shoon , laddie?
Where gat ye the braw new shoon?
I gat them frae a peddlar lad
Just as the sun gaed doon
He was waitin' by the bogle stane
Tae hear the cushat croon
He was waitin' by the bogle stane
Tae hear the cushat croon

An' what ga'e ye for the shoon laddie?
An' what ga'e ye for the shoon?
I caimed his hair wi'an iron caim
Till the reed swat ran doon
An' I left him sleepin' by the burn
Amang the bracken broon
I left him sleepin' by the burn
Amang the bracken broon

Oh! An wae's me for the shoon laddie
Wae's me, but I rue the shoon!
The judge will say the fearsome words
Donned in black cap an' goon
An' ravens croak an' flap their wings
The gallows tree aboon
An' ravens croak an' flap their wings
The gallows tree aboon

What hae ye dean wi' my shoon lassie?
What hae ye dean wi' my shoon?
I left them baith by Rab McGill's
When I was in the toon
An' I've gitten a cog o' barley bree
An' we'll gar our sorrow droon
I've gitten a cog o' barley bree
An' we'll gar our sorrow droon

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 01:54 PM

Thanks for posting a scary song suitable for Halloween parties.

To get a new tune, simply pick up a guitar, start strumming in Am, G and Em, and a tune will come.

I believe it needs some folk processing. We need to strike a balance between using Scots dialect and having it be totally unintelligible. For example, what the heck's a cushat?

If I were doing it, I would change 'reed swat' to 'red bluid' to make it clearer that the laddie murdered the poor gypsy for his shoes. And I'd forget the last verse.

Good job. Thanks for posting.

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: Jim McLean
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 02:07 PM

A cushat is a wood pigeon, short for cushie doo (dove). I would leave the phrase 'reed swat' as 'red blood' destroys the mystery and eerieness of the song. You could, of course, just put the whole song into English.

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: maeve
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 02:29 PM

I like it exactly as it is, and have no trouble understanding it.

Jim McLean- I agree that "reed swat" is necessary. The understated description gives me the shivers.

    "I caimed his hair wi'an iron caim
      Till the reed swat ran doon
      An' I left him sleepin' by the burn
      Amang the bracken broon..."

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 03:39 PM

Julia, more thanks. Much appreciated.
I googled for the song and for W. T. Bell, and found nothing. Also nothing at Abebooks. The Blake book (Trifet is publisher of a number of song books) also seems to be rare.

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 05:58 PM

Thanks all- I agree that "reed swat" is gorier than the standard red bluid . And I like the fact that the lassie has passed the buck in the last verse- even more dastardly and desperate

Now for a suitable tune.. it's actually rather creepy with the cheery tune, but would be more singable with something modal perhaps.

best- J

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: Jim McLean
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 06:13 PM

Julia,
Every tune is modal: major, minor, mixolydian .. you name it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 06:38 PM

Yes, I know. I was referring to the more exotic modes (of course that is certainly open to one's preference)Something non- major would be more evocative I think
j

Subject: RE: Origins: Braw New Shoon
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 10:02 AM

A little update, although not directly about the song itself. It seems it was fairly popular being included in a number of large collections in the late 19th centuryincluding "Harmonized Melodies" by Ferdinand Trifet pub Charles D Blake 1893.

Apparently, according to The Encyclopedia of Numismatic Biographies,by John Lupia (http://www.numismaticmall.com/numismaticmall-com/trifet-ferdinand-marie) Trifet originally dealt in the printing of stamps in the Boston area. He says "In 1879 publishing music was added to the stamp business, with the object of furnishing music to the masses of the people in large quantities at small profits. That success attended this undertaking is shown by the fact that Trifet Editions of music and music books were not figured by hundreds or thousands, but by hundreds of thousands and millions; one book alone, Harmonized Melodies, had, in 1899, consumed two hundred and seventy-five tons of paper."

The song also appears in "Grand Musical Library" 1891, Music for the Millions" 1889, as advertised in Ladies Home Journal, The Rural New Yorker, Youth's Companion, Demorest's Family Magazine also in Australia (Traralgon Record, Victoria Tues April 30 1901 page 1 "Put into Rhyme")

But virtually nothing about the song and it's maker, who we must assume was Scottish, given the lyrics. Anyone over there know anything?