Ray Driscoll's Sir Patrick Spens

Subject: RE: Ray Driscoll's Sir Patrick Spens
From: Roberto
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 03:06 PM

Thanks a lot, Tradsinger. I have Ray Driscoll's CD. R

Subject: RE: Ray Driscoll's Sir Patrick Spens
From: Tradsinger
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:53 PM

I meant to say "he took the words from a book" not the tune.

BTW, my favourite version is the reworking by Bob Coltman 'Patrick Spencer'.

Cheers

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Ray Driscoll's Sir Patrick Spens
From: Tradsinger
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:50 PM

I recorded Ray singing this song. He told me he learnt the tune from a Scotsman with whom he worked, but I don't have any more details on that. Ray always had an ear for a traditional song and asked the singer what the tune was, and was told it was Sir Patrick Spens. He then looked up the words in a book. When I recorded him, he took the tunes from a book, as he didn't learn any from the anonymous Scottish singer. I note that the tune is very similar to that sung by Ewan MaColl. So although the performance was recorded in England, it would be stretching things a bit to call it an English version of the song. That's about all I know about it. The full sleeve notes to the CD were not published with the CD, but can be found here.

Regards

Tradsinger

PS - buy the CD!

Subject: RE: Ray Driscoll's Sir Patrick Spens
From: Reinhard
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:42 PM

This review of Wild Wild Berry: The Songs of Ray Driscoll says about the CD booklet: "We are told that the words to 'Sir Patrick Spens' were from a printed source," i.e. not from the oral tradition.

Subject: Ray Driscoll's Sir Patrick Spens
From: Roberto
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:34 PM

Some sources write that the ballad Sir Patrick Spens has not been found in English and Irish versions in the oral tradition, only Scottish, and American. It seems that the recording by Ray Driscoll would prove this statement untrue. I'd like to know something more on the Ray Driscoll version. Thanks. R