Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Big Tim
Date: 13 May 08 - 01:55 PM

Planxty (Christy Moore singing) did a great version of this song, lyrics pretty much as posted by Reiver 2 in '99. It was originally a single but is (or was) available on CD on a 3 CD box set 'Best of Ireland' on Music for Pleasure EMI Trio 1995.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: GUEST,MC Fat (at work)
Date: 13 May 08 - 04:29 AM

I always thought that Maidenhead was in Berkshire

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: irishenglish
Date: 12 May 08 - 10:54 AM

To further what Ed just wrote, it was also on Fairport's Tippler's Tales album.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: GUEST,Edthefolkie
Date: 12 May 08 - 05:17 AM

Simon Nicol and Dave Swarbrick performed this years ago when they toured as a duo.

I seem to remember that when I saw them do the song at the Three Crowns in Barwell, Simon explained that the young ladies were taking ducks to Maidenhead market and in fact lost their Aylesburies on the way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: GUEST
Date: 11 May 08 - 04:28 PM

Which was the Planxty version? Does it differ from these? I understand its not available on CD and was only a 45RPM single,

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Fidjit
Date: 11 May 08 - 05:21 AM

Maddy and Steeleye did Three Drunken Maidens, more or less as Malcolm has above on Drunken Maidens.

Chas

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 May 08 - 05:14 PM

I always wondered where they had mislaid their maidenheads.

Nice notes.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 10 May 08 - 04:30 PM

The MS text transcribed by the late Bruce Olson, together with another from Logan's Pedlar's Pack, can be seen at

http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/Olson/SONGTXT1.HTM#FRDNKMD

There are two texts in the DT.

Drunken Maidens: presumably a transcription by ear, with some uncorrected mis-hearings, from a record; inevitably with 'me' substituted for 'my' throughout. No source is acknowledged, but three revival arrangements are mentioned; all derive originally from Lloyd.

Four Drunken Maidens: the two texts from Bruce Olson.

There are many passing mentions of the song in the Forum, and two other threads devoted to it: but none has any useful information not given in this one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 08 - 03:52 PM

Thanks, Martin.

And hear Mike Bosworth sing a little of Fry's tune - the one used by Lloyd - here:

http://www.mikebosworth.co.uk/mikebaringgould.htm

Nice site.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 May 08 - 03:24 PM

Nice work!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 10 May 08 - 03:15 PM

I'm refreshing this because someone raised the question on the current "Bertsongs" thread of what changes Bert Lloyd may have made to the song.

The answer is, just a few, none of which alters the sense of the song as it is given in Baring-Gould's "Songs of the West," collected from "an elderly man, Edmund Fry," at Lydford in 1887-88.

Only three verbal alterations - modernizations, really - are of any interest. Whereas BG's text addresses the audience as "Sirs," Lloyd has modernized this slightly to "my boys." He also modernizes the "Malaga/ Malago" (wine) of Fry's and earlier texts to "beer."
Fry's final stanza asks the whereabouts of the maidens' "spencers." Lloyd substitutes "feathered hats."

In BG's printing, the girls' "characters" have all been drunk away. In Lloyd's version - and most everyone else's since he recorded it - it's their "maidenheads."

Lloyd traces the song to "Charming Phillis's Garland." The British Library dates this 8pp. pamphlet to "ca1750," and guesses that it was printed in Newcastle. "Charming Phillis's" text is nearly identical to the one Bruce Olson posted on his website from a manuscript of "1740-1750" in the National Library of Scotland.   Though rather different from both Baring-Gould and Lloyd, the garland text contains an extra stanza that puts it beyond all doubt that the maidens...lost their heads in the alehouse.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: seagoddess
Date: 04 Dec 99 - 10:20 PM

Mouldy - Speaking of folk music and the oral tradition: I once heard a recording of "I's the B'ye" with the lyrics, "Sally Wight, she's out of site, her petticoat won't support her," rather than "her petticoat wonts (as in needs) a border." Years later, when I met the singer, I asked about the odd lyrics he'd recorded. Seems he'd learned the song orally and never questioned the silliness of the lyrics. He was a bit embarrassed, but laughed at his own folly, reminding me that it was, after all, folk music. Bernie Clay, rest in peace; you taught me a very valuable lesson with that one! If I don't understand it, I don't sing it.

Well, back to those maidens in the ale house. I have located a copy of the book with the other verses and will have it by Monday. I'll try to post them asap.

seagoddess

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: roopoo
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 05:56 PM

The versions of the song already quoted are similar to the one I know. Last verse is slightly different:

Oh where are your feathered hats, your mantles rich and fine? They've all been a-swallowed up in tankards of good wine. Oh where are your maidenheads, you maidens brisk and gay? We left them in the ale-house, we drank them clean away, we drank them clean away!

Strikes me that it's one of those songs that has been altered over the years according to people's memory of the words. All in the good old oral tradition!

mouldy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: seagoddess
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 06:32 PM

Thank you all for the lyrics and the leads for further information. But, honest, there is another version than the ones that have shown up so far. If, no when, I find it, I'll post it.

seagoddess

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Bruce O.
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 04:49 PM

Dick, even on ABCs now I just do them as needed, not like those broadside tunes on my website where I did all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 03:55 PM

Bruce O.- Sadly, it takes me more time to transcribe a tune than to enter a song that's already been digitized. I haven't lost the tune; it'll get there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Reiver 2
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 03:34 PM

GeorgeH, thanks for the Maddy Prior website. I hadn't come across it before, and am very glad to have it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Willie-O
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 10:42 AM

So have the wonderful Tex-Mex-Irish band The Mollys, and they sing it like they wrote it!

(They have one of the more fun and funky band websites around, they update it themselves with really detailed, grungy tour reports and stuff. I lost the URL in my last hard drive crash.)

Bill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: bob schwarer
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 10:21 AM

I think John Roberts and Tony Barrand have it on a CD, also.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: GeorgeH
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 10:00 AM

The Maddy Prior version of this is, indeed, similar to those given here. It's on the Tim Hart and Maddy Prior LP/CD currently (or recently??) available as:

Shanachie 79046 (US, 1991)

CD - Mooncrest CRESTCD 023 (UK,1996)

and is a recording I'd recommend! The text of their version (with the odd typo) can be found on the Maddy Prior web site at:

http://www.soldigit.net/gaudela/prior/frames.html

which is a remarkably thorough and altogether impressive "fanzine" site. I found the lyrics by following links from the discography, but it looks as if there are other routes to them.

Cheers!

George

Subject: Lyr Add: THREE DRUNKEN MAIDENS
From: Reiver 2
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 01:44 AM

The version I have is very similar to Len's. Can't remember, offhand, what the source was, but I can look it up if anyone is interested.

THREE DRUNKEN MAIDENS

There were three drunken maidens, came from the Isle of Wight.
They started to drink on a Monday, never stopped 'til a Saturday night.
But when Saturday night it came, me lads, oh, still they wouldn't get out;
Them three drunken maidens, they pushed the jug about.

Then in came bouncin' Sally with her cheeks as red as a bloom.
Said, "Move up, me jolly sisters, and give young Sally some room.
And I will be your equal before the evenin's out."
Them three drunken maidens, they pushed the jug about.

They had woodcock and pheasant; they had partridge and pear,
And every kind of dainty, no shortage there was there.
They had forty casks of beer, me lads, and still they wouldn't get out;
Them three drunken maidens, they pushed the jug about.

Then in came the landlord, he was lookin' for his pay.
And a forty pound bill, me lads, these girls were forced to pay.
They had ten pounds apiece, me lads, but still they wouldn't get out;
Them three drunken maidens, they pushed the jug about.

Where are your feathered hats, your mounts both rich and fine?
They've all been swallowed up, me lads, in tankards of fine wine.
And where are your fancy men, young maids, that are so brisk and gay?
We left them in the alehouse, and it's there they'll have to pay.

(Repeat first verse -- last line twice.)

Although I learned it as "Three Drunken Maidens", I can understand why it's sometimes referred to as "four." in the first verse there are three, but in the 2nd verse sally bounces in, making the total of four. This fits with the fourth verse: a bill of 40 pounds and each girl having ten pounds.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Bruce O.
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 11:19 PM

The version I found was an early MS copy and rather more pithy that later copies. The tune is also from an early MS.

Subject: Lyr Add: THREE DRUNKEN MAIDENS
From: Len Wallace
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 10:32 PM

Hmmm... trying to remember what I remember.

There were three drunken maiden came from the Isle of Wight.
They started to drink on Monday and stopped on Saturday night.
When Saturday night it came, me lads, still they wouldn't get out.
Them three drunken maidens they pushed the jug about.

In walks bouncin' sally with her cheeks as red as the bloom.
She said, "sit down me darling sisters and get yourselves a brew.
And I will be your equal before the evening's out."
Them three drunken maidens they pushed the jug about.

They had roast duck and pheasant there and partridge and pear.
And every kind of dainty, no shortage there was there.
They had ten casks of beer, me lads still they wouldn't get out.
Them three drunken maidens they pushed the jug about.

Can't remember next two verses....

Where are your fancy hats, your mantles rich and fine?
They all got swallowed up, me lads in tankards of fine wine.
And where are your maidenheads you young girls bright and gay?
We left them in the alehouse instead of having to pay!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: sophocleese
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 10:17 PM

I don't know the particular publication you are speaking of seagoddess. Maddy Prior recorded this on one of her albums but I don't know how her lyrics compare with what you remember. That's the only version I know, at teh moment.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Bruce O.
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 09:59 PM

I can't get Mudcat's tune to play for the one I contributed to DT. Error message says no tune file. Song and ABC of tune are on my website, Scarce Songs 1 at www.erols.com/olsonw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Drunken Maidens
From: Susan of DT
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 07:55 PM

Put [drunken maidens] in the big blue search box above to get two versions of the song.

Subject: Drunken Maidens
From: seagoddess
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 07:44 PM

I know there are several excellent versions of this song in the data base -- but not the verses I am looking for. I saw them in a small, paperback publication that was printed in Great Britain. However, now I can't locate either the book or the lyrics. The song is variously known as, The Drunken Maidens, The Four Drunken Maidens, The Maidens in the Ale House. Does anyone have the lyrics or know of this publication?