Origins: Is this how myths are created?

Subject: Origins: Is this how myths are created?
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 25 Jun 21 - 02:45 PM

On Desert Island Discs this morning actor Richard Wilson (Victor Meldrew) claimed that The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is a Scottish song?!
The song was of course written by James Henry Miller (Ewan MacColl) who was from Scottish parents and born in Salford where he spent a good deal of his early life before eventually moving to London, where he died.
The song was written for an American lady, Peggy Seeger, for a show she was involved in in America. It became internationally known following its recording by Roberta Flack, another American lady.
Lots of reasons then to claim the song is Scottish!

Subject: RE: Origins: Is this how myths are created?
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 25 Jun 21 - 03:40 PM

I can only imagine it was a bit of wishful thinking - that he thought of EM as being Scottish, like him.

To be fair he did introduce it as
",,, he had written it for her,,,"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000x6cj

> 24:55

Subject: RE: Origins: Is this how myths are created?
From: RTim
Date: 25 Jun 21 - 03:54 PM

Like "The Shoals of Herring" is traditional...and sometimes Irish at that as "The Shoals of Erin" - not forgetting that other traditional song - "Dirty Old Town"......Myths beyond recovery I think sometimes....

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Origins: Is this how myths are created?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jun 21 - 04:00 PM

Nah, Malcolm, not a myth - a myth-take.

Subject: RE: Origins: Is this how myths are created?
From: G-Force
Date: 25 Jun 21 - 04:30 PM

A chap at our folk club once sang "Fiddlers' Green", calling it an Irish sea shanty.

Subject: RE: Origins: Is this how myths are created?
From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey
Date: 25 Jun 21 - 10:05 PM

Good one Joe - didn't realise Americans did that sort of humour.
(two spellings in that bit Americans would not recognise + one in this)
Are you are sure you are on the right side of the pond?

Subject: RE: Origins: Is this how myths are created?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jun 21 - 10:15 PM

You can never predict a Mudcatter, Malcolm - especially us American Mudcatters.
Joe Offer, Wisconsinite in California