Origins: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)

Subject: Lyr Add: THE NIGHTINGALE^^
From: Dan Milner
Date: 07 Jan 99 - 11:27 PM

THE NIGHTINGALE

Oh woeful was the day when I was pressed to sail afar
And leave behind the girl I loved in the town of Ballinagard.
The shady groves were my delight till I was forced to sail.
You all may guess at my distress lying in the Nightingale.

Oh, grief and woe that I must go and fight for England's King.
I do not know his friends or foe and war's a cruel thing.
The Nightingale lies near at hand, my time alas is brief.
From pearling streams and mountain rills I part with bitter grief.

No more I'll walk the golden hills with Nancy by my side
Or stroll along the sun-bright rills or view my land with pride.
We sail away at dawn of day. Our sails are ready set.
When Old Ireland's shore I see no more, I will sigh with deep regret.

Now all is changed and I must range across the ocean wide.
Our ship she may in Biscay Bay be sunk beneath the tide.
If I should fall by a cannonball or sink beneath the sea,
Good people all, a tear let fall and mourn for mine and me.

But if God should spare my graying hair and bring me back again,
I will love far more my Antrim shore, it's dark blue hills and glens.
Around my fire but one desire God grant till life shall fail
To keep me far from cruel war and from the Nightingale.^^

Source: Frank Harte. Book: Huntington, Gale and Herrmann, Lani. Sam Henry's Songs of the People. Athens (GA) and London: The University of Georgia Press, 1990. Recording: Dan Milner, "Irish Ballads & Songs of the Sea," Folk-Legacy CD-124. The song is called "Bonny, Bonny" in the Henry collection. The melody is unique.

Subject: ADD: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Mar 03 - 01:44 PM

Here are two songs from Sam Henry's Songs of the People

BONNY, BONNY

Bonny, bonny was my seat in yon red rosy yard,
And bonny was my portion in the town of Ballynagard:
Shade and shelter was for me till I began to fail,
Ye all may guess now my distress lies near the Nightingale.

While I go before these lords to let these nobles know
Our ship is in the ocean just ready for to go,
Surely all will get the call tomorrow or next day,
And my town boys will me convoy the day I go away.

Grief and woe that I must go to fight for England's king,
I neither know his friend nor foe, and war's a cruel thing;
The Nightingale is near at hand, my time at home is brief,
And Carey's streams and mountain land I part with bitter grief.

No more I'll walk the golden hills with Nancy by my side
Or dream along the sun-bright rills, or view my land with pride:
We sail away at dawn of day, the sails are ready set,
When old Benmore I see no more, I'll sigh with deep regret.

Now all must change and I must range across the ocean wide;
Our ship she may in Biscay's Bay lie low beneath the tide;
If I should fall by cannon ball, or sink beneath the sea,
Good people all, a tear let fall and mourn for mine and me.

If God should spare my graying hair and bring me back again,
I'd love far more my Antrim shore, its dark blue hills and rain,
Around its fires, my heart's desires, heaven grant till life shall fail,
And keep me far from cruel war and from the Nightingale.^^

---

The Sam Henry book identifies this as H75b
Here are the background notes:

This beautiful and pathetic air was taken down in 1909 .... The first two verses were obtained from the same source, the remainder are original and written by the Song Editor. The Nightingale was one of his Majesty's ships used for the Press when the Navy's hungry maw was insatiable.

Source: first two stanzas from Peggy McGarry of Newcastle. Other stanzas by Sam Henry.

---

Click to play

^^

Subject: Lyr Add: THE NIGHTINGALE (BONNY, BONNY)^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Mar 03 - 01:56 PM

Here's the other Nightingale song from the Sam Henry book, #H75a. Is it the same ship? It almost seems like an answer to the previous songs.

THE NIGHTINGALE

Ye Christians all, where'er you be,
Give ear to my sad trag-ed-ee,
I'm lonely now, I here bewail
And mourn the fate of the Nightingale.

My love, he was a rich farmer's son
When first my tender young heart he won,
His love unto me he did reveal,
But little thought on the Nightingale.

The Nightingale was a vessel stout,
Well manned, well decked, well finished out
With thirty bright guns, the truth I'll tell,
But mark the fate of the Nightingale.

His cruel parents contrived it so
That my true love to the seas must go,
They bribed the press gang, who did not fail
To press my love on the Nightingale.

On the twenty-fifth of November last,
The wind it blew a most bitter blast,
My love stood under the lashing sail,
And to the bottom went on the Nightingale.

The very night that my love was lost,
He appeared to me in a frightful ghost
In sailor's clothing, his visage pale,
'Twas the clothes he wore on the Nightingale.

I lifted my head from my pillow high
And from the bedside the ghost did fly,
Saying, 'Molly, dear Molly, don't be in surprise,
In the Bay of Biscay my body lies.

'To become a prey to some shark or whale
It was my fate on the Nightingale,
To become a prey to some shark or whale
It was my fate on the Nightingale.'^^


Other titles: "The Loss of the ... ," "The Sailor and His Love."
Source: (w) John H Macauley (Ballycastle);
(stanza 1) William Sloan (Boghill);
(m) Willie Hegarty] (Agivey district).

A ship of this name, 251 tons, 24 guns, was taken by the French in August 1707 and re-taken by the Ludlow Castle in December 1707 and re-named Fox. Of the eight Nightingales in the Navy since 1651, this ship most nearly agrees with the ship in the song.

---

The tune is similar to that used by Dan Milner's haunting recording of the first song in this thread.

Click to play

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Mar 03 - 04:24 PM

Roud 1093, Laws M37

The song appears on 19th century broadsides; first in England and later in Ireland (though without Sam Henry's Nationalist spin). It appeared in print in America as early as 1835 (The Forget Me Not Songster). It has been found in tradition in England, Scotland, Ireland, the USA and Canada.

Broadside examples at  Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

The Nightingale

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 25 Mar 03 - 08:18 PM

A version from Doerflinger (NIGHTINGALE (Wreck)) is in the DT (The title should be "The Nightingale"; "(Wreck)" is unnecessary).

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 11:56 AM

Another broadside edition is at The Murray Collection. Click on Index Of Broadside Ballads, and scroll down to Mu23-y4:029.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: GUEST,Sinclair
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 06:24 PM

There is a lovely rendition of this song on Cara Dillon's new CD "Sweet Liberty". You can hear Cara Dillon singing this song at

http://www.caradillon.co.uk/audio.html#

If you find Cara's singing of this song as spine-tingling as I do, please leave a message of appreciation for her on her website at:

http://www.caradillon.co.uk/guestbook/guestbook.cgi

Subject: Lyr Add: The Nightingale
From: radriano
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 03:59 PM

Here's a lovely traditional Irish anti-war song that I learned from the singing of Frank Harte. You can hear Mr. Harte singing it himself here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK9sXomuBGo

THE NIGHTINGALE

Oh, woeful was the day when I was pressed to sail afar
And leave behind the girl I loved in the town of Balnagar
The shady groves were my delight till I was forced to sail
You all may guess at my distress, lying in the Nightingale

Oh, grief and woe that I must go and fight for England's king
I do not know his friends or foes, and war's a cruel thing
The Nightingale lies near at hand, my time, alas, is brief
From purling streams and mountain rills I part with bitter grief

No more I'll walk the golden hills with Nancy by my side
Or stroll along the sun-bright rills and view my land with pride
We sail away at dawn of day, our sails are ready set
When old Ireland's shore I see no more I will sigh with deep regret

But all has changed and I must range across the ocean wide
Our ship she may, in Biscay Bay be sunk beneath the tide
If I should fall by cannonball or sink beneath the sea
Good people all, a tear let fall and mourn for mine and me

But if God should spare my greying hair and bring me back again
I will love far more my Antrim shore, its dark blue hills and glens
Around my fire but one desire, God grant till life shall fail
To keep my far from cruel wars and from the Nightingale

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Nightingale
From: Reinhard
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 06:00 PM

That's the same version that Dan Milner posted in 1999 in the thread Lyr Add: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny). Milner noted:

Source: Frank Harte. Book: Huntington, Gale and Herrmann, Lani. Sam Henry's Songs of the People. Athens (GA) and London: The University of Georgia Press, 1990. Recording: Dan Milner, "Irish Ballads & Songs of the Sea," Folk-Legacy CD-124. The song is called "Bonny, Bonny" in the Henry collection. The melody is unique.

---

Threads combined. The results are impressive.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Nightingale
From: leeneia
Date: 08 Jan 21 - 04:19 PM

You can hear the song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK9sXomuBGo

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Nightingale
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 09 Jan 21 - 09:52 PM

I recently transcribed this song from the Flanders collection. It will appear in my new upcoming book of over 150 transcriptions of Bygone Ballads of Maine vol 1-Songs of the Sea Ships and Sailors

THE NIGHTINGALE
Jack McNally, Stacyville ME 5/10/1942
Helen Hartness Flanders Collection
Middlebury College, Middlebury VT
Transcription © 2017 Julia Lane

*Cl0B07 31:16, D23Bl6 8:23

Compiled by Julia Lane from the two recordings with some additional lyrics from the Forget-me-not songster

My love he was a rich farmer's son
His come-lye person my heart had won
When I think on him my courage fails            
Since my love was lost in the Nightingale

My parents were of a high degree
And my true love not so rich as they
They sent a press gang who did not fail      
For to press my love in the Nightingale   

Oh the Nightingale was a vessel stout
Well rigged, well manned and well fitted out
With fifty guns the truth to tell
Five hundred on board of the Nightingale

On the eighteenth day of November last
The wynds they blew a tremendious blast
We lost our spars likewise every sail
What a dismal wreck was the Nightingale

Then a sea o'er-whelmed us both fore and aft
Not many men on our decks was left
Her sides stove in and her timbers-failed
To the bottom went the brave Nightingale

And the very night that my love was lost
He appeared to me in a frightful ghost
He appeared to me being cold and pale
Just as he was lost in the Nightingale

These words he spoke with lamenting cries
In the Bay of Biscay my body lies
Saying Nancy, Nancy you may bewail (dear love)
For your love is lost in the Nightingale

To the mountain green I will make my way (McNally chooses for her to seek Nature's solace)
To the lonesome seaside myself I'll take
And every time that I see a sail            
And my heart will bleed for the Nightingale

Subject: RE: Origins: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Jan 21 - 01:36 AM

Thanks for sharing that, Julia.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 10 Jan 21 - 09:50 AM

You're welcome.

Just a couple of notes:

The recordings are often not clear and are difficult to decipher.AS such some words are indistinct. The singers were sometimes recorded more than once and each recording might include variations on lyrics and melody. Given this, I sought alternate more stable versions to "mend" the songs.   

The singer pronounces word "wind" as "weind" so is written as "wynd"

Regarding the note in the last verse,it is a comparison with the Forget-me-not Songster

Just FYI, the tune here is a variation on the classic "Female Smuggler". The originals can be heard at archive.org

Subject: RE: Origins: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 10 Jan 21 - 09:58 AM

Correction
The tune is different from the Female Smuggler
Here's a link to the recording
I have also written it out but not sure how to send- PDF?
https://archive.org/details/HHFBC_tapes_C10B/C10B+sideA.mp3

Subject: RE: Origins: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 10 Jan 21 - 10:32 AM

I have made a pdf of the tune as well as an mp3 which wants to open in audacity. If anyone wants this I'm happy to send-just tell me wherever is appropriate
julia

Subject: RE: Origins: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: radriano
Date: 10 Jan 21 - 02:59 PM

I should have checked Mudcat before posting my version of the song - sorry about that.

Julia L - I like your compilation a lot. The version in the Sam Henry book did not have a satisfying ending, I would like very much to purchase a copy of your new book when it comes out (I am one of the resident shanty singers at Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco).

Subject: RE: Origins: The Nightingale (Bonny, Bonny)
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 10 Jan 21 - 10:41 PM

Hi radriano- thanks much!
You (or anyone) can email me at [e-mail]
Best- Julia

PS You may have known my brother Tad Lyford who worked at the Seaport a few years ago