Lyr Req: The Baffled Knight (John Campbell)

Subject: Lyr Req: John Campbell's 'Baffled Knight'
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Oct 10 - 05:23 PM

Fred McCormick's terrific "World's of Trad" radio show:

http://www.live365.com/cgi-bin/mini.cgi?station_name=oneworldmusic&tm .

This month's playlist includes a somewhat unusual Irish version of Child 112, "The Baffled Knight" ("Oh, there was a shepherd's boy, and he had sheep out on the hill"), sung thirty or forty years ago by John Campbell in Co. Cavan.

It has refrain that may be Irish, or it may be gibberish. If Irish, can anyone tell what it means? Here's what it sounds like to me:


        "Agus O malla malla mo,
        Rocka misha wallia lass,
        Rocka misha wallia lass, oho."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Campbell's 'Baffled Knight'
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 09 Oct 10 - 05:39 PM

The repeated "rocka misha wallia lass" line is almost certainly "racaidh mise 'bhaile leat" which means "I will go home with you". Turns up as chorus line in a number of songs, IIRC.

I'll need to listen to the track to pin down the first line.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Campbell's 'Baffled Knight'
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 10 Oct 10 - 03:53 AM

Here, complete with notes:
From the (hopefully) soon to be re-issued 'Early ballads in Ireland 1968-1985'
Jim Carroll

THERE WAS A SHEPHERD'S BOY (Child no 212)

Oh, there was a shepherd's boy
And he had sheep out on the hill;
He went unto the river
For to see the lasses swimming.

Agus ó. maith liom, miaith liom ó.
Rachaidh rnise ahhale leatsa.
Rachaidh mise abhaile leatsa ó.

It would be better for the girls
For to sew their silks and slips
Than to be going down to the river
Trying to swim again the stream.

Come on, come on, young man' she said,
Unto the field of hay
And that will be the bonny place
Where you and me will play.

Come on, come on, young man' she said,
Unto the field of rye,
And that will be the bonny place
Where you and me'll be dry,'

'Ah, don't you tear my petticoat
Nor don't you tear my gown,
But come on home to my father's house
And you'll have your will and a hundred pound.

They went home to her father's house
And I tell you it's no fable,
When they got to bed upstairs
Sure the boy he wasn't able.

She said 'You're like an oul dog my father had,
He had a bushy tail,
He'd lay his head right in the sack
But he wouldn't eat the meal.

You're like an oul cock my father had,
He couldn't tread the hens;
So now, my bonny young boy,
Sure I think you're one of them,'

John Campbell (b.1950), a clothing factory worker from Bettystown, Co. Meath, now living in Shankill, Co. Cavan, rec. at breakfast-time in Cunningham's guest house, Forkhill, CO. Armagh (with the rattling of crockery) on ? Oct. 1984. Rec. TM If TM 933 1. John learned the song from Mick Smith of Kilcogy, Co.Cavan. The only other known Irish recording of this ballad is a Tyrone one of 1975 made by Sean
McCann:TfSMcC6U45 75. The refrain is interesting for the Irish language seems to have died out in Co. Cavan, around Glangavlin, in the 1950s, John said that the refrain, as he got it was 'a bit mangled but he 'straightened it out without having to alter it much', Translation: 'Oh, I like it (2), I'll go home with you (2),'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Campbell's 'Baffled Knight'
From: Lighter
Date: 10 Oct 10 - 12:00 PM

Thanks, Jim and ^&*. Good to hear that the recording will soon be reissued.

The background information is good to know, as is the proper spelling of the refrain.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Baffled Knight (John Campbell)
From: GUEST,diplocase
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 03:41 AM

as of August 2021, the two-CD set of recordings "Early Ballads in Ireland" mentioned in this thread is available from ITMA, for 10 pounds sterling plus ten pounds shipping across the Atlantic.
ITMA Early Ballads in Ireland

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Baffled Knight (John Campbell)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 05 Aug 21 - 10:41 AM

The Baffled Knight (Child 112) - John Campbell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaak3VHV8O0