Lyr Req: Illiterate Blacksmith Song

Subject: Lyr Req: Illiterate Blacksmith Song
From: GUEST,Elena
Date: 13 Sep 22 - 05:06 PM

I'm Irish and my mother often mentions an old aunt of hers back in the 40s / 50s at get-togethers would sing a song (a song, that apparently had 10 million verses, meaning everyone would roll their eyes when she did it as her party piece) about a blacksmith.

She remembers that the story in the song is about an illiterate blacksmith who in the chorus asks the local school teacher whose horse he is shoeing to "write a letter to my sweetheart fair".

She reckons that this particular aunt would have been fairly anglicised, so presumes it was likely an English rather than Irish song. I'd love to find it, just to keep the thread of history of what my relatives sang back in the day, but despite much-googling can't find this lyric anywhere. Does anyone know it? Could you give me a link or the title or anything at all?

Thanks in advance : )

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Illiterate Blacksmith Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 01:08 AM

Gee, Elena, I'm not coming up with anything - and I'm usually pretty good at this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Illiterate Blacksmith Song
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 04:22 AM

Sounds a bit like the Blacksmith. Sung by Gypsies today.

'There came a 'tenter to my wife etc. He kills him and then the letters from prison reveal his wife is dying. He escapes etc etc. Fairly modern song I believe. Any help?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLACKSMITH
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 12:49 PM

Maybe not the same song after all.

THE BLACKSMITH

Twenty years ago last Christmas
Came a tempter to my wife
Stole the only flower I cherished
And I vowed I'd have his life
In the street one day I met him
In my eyes that villain grinned
Then the curse of Cain came o'er me
'Twas on that very day I sinned

Sure I dream as the hammer strikes the anvil
And I dream as the sparks light on the floor
Of my blue-eyed turtle dove, she's the only girl I love
As she stood outside that good old Smithy door

Twelve months passed then came my trial
In the court I saw my wife
And I heard her beg for mercy
When they sentenced me for life
For twelve long years I've read her letters
The only comfort I can tell
When I heard that she was dying
'Twas then my lonely spirits fell

Sure I dream as the hammer strikes the anvil
And I dream as the sparks light on the floor
Of my blue-eyed turtle dove, she's the only girl I love
As she stood outside that good old Smithy door

Late one night I dodged the warders
O'er the prison walls I sprang
Then on home foot-sore and weary
At the breaking of the dawn
She was glad, so glad to see me
In my arms that night she died
Then the warders rushed the doorway
And they found me there inside

When they saw her lifeless body
And I kneeling on the floor
They said Jake, my lad, we'll trust you
Come back when you've laid her low

Sure I dream as the hammer strikes the anvil
And I dream as the sparks light on the floor
Of my blue-eyed turtle dove, she's the only girl I love
As she stood outside that good old Smithy door

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Illiterate Blacksmith Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 03:20 PM

Interesting song, Nick - although I'll agree it's not the song that was requested.

I found more-or-less the same lyrics at https://www.songtexte.com/songtext/foster-and-allen/the-blacksmith-4bf6c3f6.html, identified as a Foster & Allen song with this songwriter attribution: Writer(s): Tony Allen, Unknown Composer Author, Donie Cassidy, Mick Foster Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Illiterate Blacksmith Song
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 06:27 PM

Donie Cassidy was an Irish politician and Saxophone player who managed Foster and Allen. Looks like they swiped a traditional melody for this one. The Gypsy folk love it, along with Doyle the poacher, and other songs in the same style.

(from Nick Dow)

Subject: Lyr Add: A BLACKSMITH COURTED ME
From: cnd
Date: 15 Sep 22 - 10:54 AM

Would it be "A Blacksmith Courted Me"? Some versions involve writing a letter, perhaps this was a variation on it?

https://mainlynorfolk.info/shirley.collins/songs/theblacksmith.html

A blacksmith courted me nine long months and better,
At first he won my heart wroted me a letter;
With his hammer in his hand, he strike both neat and clever,
If I was with my love I would live for ever.

“Don't talk of going abroad, fighting for strangers,
You stay at home young man, free from all danger;
You stay at home young man, with your lovely jewel,
And fold me in your arms, love and don't be cruel.”

“You promised to marry me when you first laid by me,
You promised you'd marry me love, you'd not deny me.”
“If I promised to marry you it was only to try you,
Go and fetch your witness here, love, I won' deny you.”

“ Oh witness have I none, save the sky above me,
And you' be rewarded well for the slighting of me.”
Her lips grew pale and white, it made her poor heart tremble,
To think she loved that one that proved deceitful.

“ Now when I had gold in store, you seemed to like me,
But now I'm low and poor, all you're going to dislike me;
You courted me for a while, just to receive me,
But now my heart you have won, Love, you're going to leave me.”

My true love's across the sea, with a bunch of posies.
My true love's across the sea, with his cheeks like roses.
I'm afraid the rising sun will spoil his beauty,
If I was with my love, I would do his duty.

Sad news have come to tell, sad news is carried,
Sad news have come to tell that my true love's married;
I wish him well to-do, although he ain't here to hear me,
I would never die for love, young girls, believe me.

Down on the ground she fell, syphing and crying
Throwing her arms abroad like one a-dying;
There is no belief in a man, if it's your own brother,
So young girls when you love one, you love one each other.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Illiterate Blacksmith Song
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 12:05 PM

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'll pass them onto my mother and see what she says and report back! Though, alas I don't think it's any of them, as she was fairly convinced that the chorus had the line "write a letter to my sweetheart fair". Of course, she might be mis-remembering too...

Seems if that is the song, it has vanished entirely. I googled replacing blacksmith with farrier and other combinations in case it turned up anything but no. - at least from the Internet - it may yet be in some book somewhere.

I might ask the Irish Traditional Music Archive and see if they can point me in the right direction. Thank you all!