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British supernatural folk-songs...? |
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Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Mrrzy Date: 29 Oct 19 - 12:39 PM Twa magicians is awfully rapey. The Dublin Murder [a.k.a. Green Grows the Laurel] (he stabbed her and ripped her and cut her in 3) I think most of my ghost ballads have already been mentioned. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: DMcG Date: 28 Oct 19 - 03:18 PM I hadn't heard "The Ballad of Cursed Anna" for a few decades before I sang it at a local club three years ago. I have heard it about a dozen times since.... ... but that may be a lack of attention on my part! I doubt if I am any kind of trendsetter in such things. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Susan of DT Date: 28 Oct 19 - 05:15 AM Check out several keywords in the Digital Tradition: @myth @devil @witch @fairy |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: GUEST,Kenny B(Inactive) Date: 28 Oct 19 - 05:01 AM How about the Highwayman by Alfred Noyes set to music at The Highwayman - Loreena McKennitt Or Dundee Cat Sung by Hamish Imlach |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Big Al Whittle Date: 28 Oct 19 - 04:03 AM Then there's that classic about the brides in the bath murderer https://soundcloud.com/denise_whittle/george-joseph-smith |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Mr Red Date: 28 Oct 19 - 03:00 AM Supernatural cf ghosts and witches is a fine distinction - have a look at - Halloween playlists |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Dave Hanson Date: 27 Oct 19 - 03:35 PM You have to admit, whoever wrote it, it's quite chilling, Both day and night she's followed him, His teeth did brightly shine, As he led her over the mountains, Did this sly bold Reynardine. Dave H |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: punkfolkrocker Date: 27 Oct 19 - 03:14 PM Personl tastes and all that... But this version My Lady's Coach is the one more to my liking... Now if only there was a version with droning Northumbrian smallpipes...??? |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Brian Peters Date: 26 Oct 19 - 06:12 AM Debatable Brian We heard part of an Irish version of it from two elderly farming brothers in North Clare and they first told it as a ghost story. Interesting, Jim. I was referring to Bert Lloyd's 'brightly shining teeth', but I'd accept that the Rinordine character does seem quite sinister in some other versions. With her 'ead tucked underneath her arm" Often in my repertoire around this time of year. 'The Frozen Girl' isn't supernatural, but the idea of driving around in a carriage with a corpse as a passenger is a bit creepy. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Ged Fox Date: 26 Oct 19 - 05:59 AM My Lady's Coach My Lady's Coach alternative tune |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Big Al Whittle Date: 26 Oct 19 - 05:36 AM With her 'ead tucked underneath her arm |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Iains Date: 26 Oct 19 - 04:43 AM "Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight" (Child #4; Roud #21) The Two Magicians [ Roud 1350 ; Child 44 ; G/D 2:334 ; Ballad Index C044 ; trad.] |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: theleveller Date: 26 Oct 19 - 03:21 AM Tam Lin. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Jack Campin Date: 25 Oct 19 - 06:58 PM Two Magicians The Wife of Usher's Well While it never got into folk tradition, the song about the murderer Mary McKinnon I included in my "Embro, Embro" pages, where her dissected corpse rises from the grave to deliver an awful warning, reaches a level of Grand Guignol horror that I doubt has ever been matched in popular literature. I've also included the actual chant used by the witches of North Berwick to raise a storm intended to kill James VI in 1592, with a purported tune. You sing it with jew's harp accompaniment. Easily singable but I've never heard it done. Fearties. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Jim Carroll Date: 25 Oct 19 - 06:50 PM "The supernatural element in Reyardine is a fake, though -" Debatable Brian We heard part of an Irish version of it from two elderly farming brothers in North Clare and they first told it as a ghost story They said they got it from local Travellers Stranger things....! Jim |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE TWO MAGICIANS (A. L. Lloyd) From: gillymor Date: 25 Oct 19 - 06:49 PM The Two Magicians - Bert Lloyd w/ Dave Swarbrick The Two Magicians The lady stood at her own front door As straight as a willow wand, And along there come a husky smith With a hammer in his hand. And he said, [Refrain] “Bide lady, bide, There's nowhere you can hide. The husky smith will be your love And that'll pull down your pride. “Well may you dress, you lady fair, All in your robes of red. Before tomorrow at this same time I'll have your maidenhead.” Saying, [Refrain] “Away, away, you coal blacksmith, Would you do me this wrong? To think to have me maidenhead That I have kept so long. “I'd rather I was dead and cold And my body laid in the grave Than a husky, dusty, coal blacksmith My maidenhead should have.” Then the lady she held up her hand And swore upon her soul, She never would be the blacksmith's love For all of a box of gold. And the blacksmith he held up his hand And he swore upon the mass, “I'll have you for me love, me girl, For the half of that or less.” Saying, [Refrain] Then she became a turtle dove And flew up in the air, And he became an old cock pigeon And they flew pair and pair. And he cooed, [Refrain] And she became a little duck, A-floating in the pond, And he became a pink-necked drake And chased her round and round. Quacking, [Refrain] She turned herself into a hare And ran upon the plain, And he became a greyhound dog And fetched her back again. Barking, [Refrain] And she became a little ewe sheep And lay all on the common, And he became a shaggy old ram And swiftly fell upon her. Saying, [Refrain] She changed herself to a swift young mare As dark as the night was black, And he became a golden saddle And clung unto her back. Saying, [Refrain] And she became a little green fly, A-flew up in the air, And he became a hairy spider And fetched her in his lair. Saying, [Refrain] Then she became a hot griddle And he became a cake, And every change that poor girl made The blacksmith was her mate. Saying, [Refrain] She turned herself to a full-dressed ship A-sailing on the sea, And he became a captain bold And aboard of her went he. Saying, [Refrain] So the lady ran in her own bedroom And changed into a bed, And he became a green coverlet And gained her maidenhead. And was she woe, he held her so, And still he bad her bide, And the husky smith became her love And that pulled down her pride. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: GUEST,Brian Peters Date: 25 Oct 19 - 06:33 PM Riddles (Child 1) False Knight Two Sisters Sweet William's Ghost Young Benjie (really spooky, this one). Various witchcraft ballads, eg: Willie's Lady King Henry Alison Gross T The supernatural element in Reynardine is a fake, though - see previous threads. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Dave Sutherland Date: 25 Oct 19 - 07:08 AM The London broadside "The Midwife's Ghost" is in the DT. |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 24 Oct 19 - 02:43 PM The Holland Handkerchief is a brilliant other-worldly ballad, which I remember Packie* singing. He wrote out the words for me in his beautiful handwriting, and I have them in a file box somewhere in this barn of a house. (This was in the pre-computer/word processor days, so they never got Typed Up For Posterity.) I loved the air too, suitably minor-key and brooding. Anyway, the words are on this excellent website, and his version is the one Norma Waterson sings (scroll down, bottom left). In fact, I think he was the one who gave it to them, many years ago. Link is: https://mainlynorfolk.info/watersons/songs/thehollandhandkerchief.html And - if Ireland can be included - there's always She Moved Through The Fair, though it probably doesn't qualify as traditional because some of the words are said to have been written by Padraic Colum, a County Longford poet who is still in copyright. There's disagreement about the extent of his input, covered in more detail on Wiki. He apparently composed/collected it in Donegal, Packie's home county. - - - * Packie Manus Byrne, for anyone who doesn't already know. |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUNDEE GHOST (Matt McGinn) From: Jim Carroll Date: 24 Oct 19 - 02:35 PM This THE DUNDEE GHOST By Matt McGinn Noo a deid man seldom walks, he very rarely talks, (dead) It’s no very often you’ll see him running aroond, But I’m a refugee from a graveyard in Dundee And I’ve come tae haunt some houses in Glasgow Toon And I’ve come tae haunt some hooses in Glasgow Toon. Noo the reason I arose was to get masel’ some clothes, (myself) For I really get helluva cold below the ground, And I whispered tae masel’, “ah, I think I might as well Hang aroond a while and ha’e some fun, I’ll hang around a while and ha’e some fun”. Noo a chap put oot his light on a cold and frosty night, I showed him one of ma eyes and I skelped his head, (smacked) He said “Oh”, and I said “boo” he says, “who the hell are you” ? I said, “don’t be feart, I’m on’y a man that’s deid, (afraid) Oh no, don’t be feart, I’m only a man that’s deid”. Well the feller knelt and prayed and this is what he said; “Oh why, in the name of God have you picked on me” ? So I battered him on the lug and I pulled awa’ his rug. (ear) “The reason”, I said “is just tae let you see”. “The reason” , I said, “is just tae let you see”. Well he brought the polis in and I belted him on the chin, (police(man) The polis turned aroond and he blamed my friend. And he marched him aff tae jile and he’ll be in there quite a while, (off to gaol) But I’ll see naebody taks his single end, (House of one apartment, flat) Oh, no, I’ll see naebody taks his single end. Noo the polis thought him daft and a lot of people laughed When the feller said a ghost was in his hoose, But what the feller said was true and I might be visiting you, So just remember. I’m still on the loose, Aye, just remember, I’m still on the loose. TUNE HERE Jim Carroll |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: Iains Date: 24 Oct 19 - 02:19 PM Perhaps "The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry," a traditional folk song from Shetland and Orkney. A woman has her child taken away by its father, the great selkie of Sule Skerry which can transform from a seal into a human. The woman is fated to marry a gunner who will harpoon the selkie and their son. (Child ballad number 113) and this thread https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=39820 Supernatural Ballads....?? |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: GUEST,keberoxu Date: 24 Oct 19 - 01:43 PM Hurrah! Die Toten reiten schnell! Erm, yes, I know that's "Deutsch" and not "English." It's a quote from Gottfried August Buerger's "Lenore," which has been set to music by numerous composers. tive about The Suffolk Miracle? Both Child and Roud I believe. Maybe there are songs about that in English. (By the way, an English translation of the above: Hurrah! The dead ride swiftly!) |
Subject: Lyr Add: BURKE AND HARE From: Jim Carroll Date: 24 Oct 19 - 01:37 PM Unquiet Grave Wife of Usher's Well The Grey Cock - several versions All wonderfully serious There are wonderful children's versions of Death and the Lady - one begins "If ever you see a hearse go by" Another finishes with the singer shouting "For you" and grabbing the nearest listener Can be very funny but best keep the defibrillator handy Jim Carroll I often roll this out this time of year, given the opportunity BURKE AND HARE
William Burke it is my name |
Subject: RE: British supernatural folk-songs...? From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK Date: 24 Oct 19 - 01:28 PM PS I did a search to check whether or not there was already a thread - and all I could find was focused on American ballads (see below). Apologies if there was already another thread that I've missed! /mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=39820&messages=54 |
Subject: British supernatural/macabre folk-songs...? From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK Date: 24 Oct 19 - 01:25 PM As we approach the Eve of All Hallows, I wanted to ask - what British traditional songs do people know of, that engage with the supernatural, or otherwise grisly or chilling material befitting of the season? Songs that immediately spring to mind include Death and the Lady, Long Lankin, The Cruel Mother, Reynardine etc., but I'm really interested to gather other examples. Not technically traditional numbers, but the recordings of Mr Fox are also an excellent source of ghastly/ghoulish material.
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