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Subject: h-g From: Gerry Date: 31 May 97 - 12:44 PM Has anyone got the lyrics for the old folksong "The Keys of Canterbury"? |
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Subject: The Keys of Canterbury From: Gerry Date: 31 May 97 - 12:46 PM Anyone got the lyrics? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: KEYS OF CANTERBURY / KEYS TO CANTERBURY From: Bill D --extree@erols.com Date: 31 May 97 - 03:14 PM I'll be durned...that's one I thought for sure would be in the database (they DO have "Paper of Pins" which is a first cousin) Ok, here you go...from memory.. KEYS OF CANTERBURY / KEYS TO CANTERBURY Oh, Madam, I will give to you the Keys of Canterbury, And all the bells of London, to ring & make you merry, If you will be my darling, my joy & my dear.. If you will go a'walkin' with me everywhere. reply: "oh, sir I'll not accepet for you the Keys of Canterbury..etc ...and I'll not go a'walkin' with you everywhere. "Oh Madam, I will give to you, a pair of boots of cork.. The one made in London, the other made in York..etc... "Oh madame, I will give to you a little Ivory comb to fasten up your golden locks, when I am not at home. "Oh madame, I will give to you the keys to my heart And all my sacred promises that we will never part... Final reply: Sir, I will accept from you, the keys to your heart To lock it up forever that we never more shall part. And I will be your bride, your joy & your dear.. And will take a walk with you anywhere. ( you sing the 'anywheres' and 'take a walk'/'go a walkin' to suit yourself... I have never figured out which is 'right'....also 'darlin' & 'bride' There may be other verses, but these are the standard ones. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,mysterious Date: 14 Jul 10 - 02:23 AM it doesnt have the verse with the comb in it its : madam i will give to a pair of boots of cork one made in london and the other made in york if you will be my darling my sweet and only dear and walk along with me anywhere |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: The Doctor Date: 14 Jul 10 - 10:06 AM This is the version recorded by Vulcan's Hammer in 1973, with Phil and Kay singing alternate verses: KEYS OF CANTERBURY Oh madam, I will give to you the keys of Canterbury, And all the bells of London shall ring to make us merry, If you will be my joy, my sweet and only dear, And walk along with me anywhere. I shall not, sir, accept of you the keys of Canterbury, Nor all the bells of London shall ring to make us merry. I will not be your joy, your sweet and only dear, Nor walk along with you anywhere. Then, madam, I will give to you a pair of boots of cork, Though one be made in London, and the other made in York..... I shall not, sir..... Then, madam, I shall give to you a little silver bell To ring for all your servants and make them serve you well..... I shall not, sir..... To ring for all my servants and make them serve me well..... Then, madam, I will give to you a gallant silver chest, With a key of gold and silver, and jewels of the best..... I shall not, sir..... Then, madam, I will give to you the embroidered silken gown, With nine yards a-dangling, and a train unto the ground..... Oh sir, I will accept of you the embroidered silken gown..... (sung as a duet) And I/you will be your/my joy..... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Roberto Date: 14 Jul 10 - 10:25 AM Keys of Canterbury Oscar Brand & Jean Ritchie Elektra Madam I will give to you the keys of Canterbury And all the bells of London town to ring and make you merry If you will be my darling, my joy and my dear If you will go a-walking with me anywhere Sir I'll not accept from you the keys of Canterbury Though all the bells of London should ring and make us merry And I'll not be your bride, your joy and your dear And I'll not take a walk with you anywhere Madam I will give to you a pair of boots of cork O, one was made in London and the other made in York If you will be my darling, my joy and my dear If you will go a-walking with me anywhere Well, Sir I'll not accept from you a pair of boots of cork Though one was made in London and the other made in York And I'll not be your bride, your joy nor your dear And I'll not take a walk with you anywhere Madam I will give to you the keys to me heart And all my secret promises that we shall never part If you will be my darling, my joy and my dear If you will go a-walking with me anywhere O Sir I will accept from you the keys to your heart To lock it up forever that we never more may part And I will be your bride, your joy and your dear And I will take a walk with you anywhere |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST Date: 14 Jul 10 - 12:43 PM The Doctor's version given above is word for word from the version that appears in various published Cecil Sharp collections, and its the one I remember singing at school too! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: foggers Date: 14 Jul 10 - 12:45 PM Oooops that was me, posting sans cookie, during a rain-dodging idle moment at the work station before dashing out to the car.... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Bill D Date: 14 Jul 10 - 04:04 PM No doubt 'mysterious' will be along again to tell us we still don't have it 'right', and that 'embroidered silken gown' isn't in it either. *grin*... Hey, mysterious...it's a FOLK song... it has in it whatever we 'folk' remember being in it. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE KEYS OF CANTERBURY From: Jim Dixon Date: 22 Jul 10 - 10:11 PM Note this old version has a less sentimental ending! From The Nursery Rhymes of England, edited by James Orchard Halliwell (London: John Russell Smith, 1846), page 229: THE KEYS OF CANTERBURY. 1. Oh, madam, I will give you the keys of Canterbury, To set all the bells ringing when we shall be merry, If you will but walk abroad with me, If you will but walk with me. Sir, I'll not accept of the keys of Canterbury, To set all the bells ringing when we shall be merry; Neither will I walk abroad with thee; Neither will I talk with thee! 2. Oh, madam, I will give you a fine carved comb, To comb out your ringlets when I am from home, If you will but walk with me, &c. Sir, I'll not accept, &c. 3. Oh, madam, I will give you a pair of shoes of cork,* One made in London, the other made in York, If you will but walk with me, &c. Sir, I'll not accept, &c. 4. Madam, I will give you a sweet silver bell,** To ring up your maidens when you are not well, If you will but walk with me, &c. Sir, I'll not accept, &c. 5. Oh, my man John, what can the matter be? I love the lady and the lady loves not me! Neither will she walk abroad with me, Neither will she talk with me. Oh, master dear, do not despair, The lady she shall be, shall be your only dear, And she will walk and talk with thee, And she will walk with thee! 6. Oh, madam, I will give you the keys of my chest, To count my gold and silver when I am gone to rest, If you will but walk abroad with me, If you will but talk with me. Oh, sir, I will accept of the keys of your chest, To count your gold and silver when you are gone to rest, And I will walk abroad with thee, And I will talk with thee! * This proves the song was not later than the era of chopines, or high cork shoes. ** Another proof of antiquity. It must probably have been written before the invention of bell-pulls. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Brian Peters Date: 23 Jul 10 - 03:28 AM These 'Will You Marry Me' songs seem to go back to an old ballad (one that F J Child chose not to include in his collection) in which one protagonist is actually the Devil. I've just recorded a version - sentimental it is not! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: MGM·Lion Date: 24 Jul 10 - 12:48 AM I recall a version, starting & ending with the My·Man·John verses, is on one of the Dransfields' early vinyl albums under title "My Man John". ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Roberto Date: 24 Jul 10 - 01:32 AM I'd like to know the ballad Brian Peters refers to. He's recorded Child #1 (Riddls Wisely Expounded), but not in the very last CD, and that is a ballad with the devil in disguise... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,synbyn Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:03 AM Version sung by Tantethra on the Keys Of Canterbury CD, first of 3 issued by Steel Carpet featuring Songs of Kent... still available, I thimk, & a songbook available |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Brian Peters Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:31 AM "I'd like to know the ballad Brian Peters refers to." The Devil's Courtship, from the Andrew Crawfurd collection - there's a second version somewhere, as well. It's on my forthcoming CD which I was putting the finishing touches to this last week. There was no tune so I had to make one up. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies) Date: 24 Jul 10 - 10:13 AM "The Devil's Courtship, from the Andrew Crawfurd collection" Sounds fascinating Brian! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Brian Peters Date: 25 Jul 10 - 02:25 PM Yes, it is interesting - not least because it's rare for a Devil ballad, in that the Devil actually wins. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies) Date: 25 Jul 10 - 02:29 PM Yes, I think I found the lyric after some rummaging. She gets iffy about the deal after she spies his cloven hoof (just after accepting his gold). Then he clings fast onto her as he rides into the night, so she can't escape! Great stuff, looking forward to hearing it. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Brian Peters Date: 26 Jul 10 - 12:52 PM That's the one. A cloven foot scarcely ever constitutes a positive character reference, in my experience. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,Charlotte Davis Date: 11 Oct 10 - 08:20 AM These are the verses sung by Show of Hands in their version on the CD AIG Madam i will give you the keys of canterbury And all the bells in London shall ring to make us merry If you will be my joy, my sweet and only dear And walk along with me anywhere Sir I won't accept from you the keys of canterbury And all the bells in London won't ring to make us merry I will not be your joy, your sweet and only dear Or walk along with you anywhere Madam i will give you this fine silken gown With nine yards a trailing, a drooping on the ground If you will be my joy, my sweet and only dear And walk along with me anywhere Sir I won't accept from you your fine silken gown With nine yards a trailing, a drooping on the ground I will not be your joy, your sweet and only dear Or walk along with you anywhere Madam i will give you this small golden bell So you may ring our servents and they may serve us well If you will be my joy, my sweet and only dear And walk along with me anywhere Sir I won't accept from you your small golden bell So we may ring our servents and they may serve us well I will not be your joy, your sweet and only dear Or walk along with you anywhere (There is an additional bit here that i cannot remember but it ends: You will not be bourght you will not be sold You won't be mine to have and hold Or walk along with me anywhere) Madam I will give you the keys to my heart So we might be together and never more shall part If you will be my joy, my sweet and only dear And walk along with me anywhere Sir I will accept from you the keys to your heart So we may be together and never more shall part I will be your joy, your sweet and only dear And walk along with you anywhere |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,John Klein Date: 08 Jun 11 - 02:50 PM Im not sure my mother used to play it on a recorder for me and then she would sing the first two verses. I guess she didnt know there is more. I think The Docter is right though. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Steve Gardham Date: 08 Jun 11 - 07:30 PM Brian, The only other 'devil' version I know of is the one given in Chambers 'Popular Rhymes of Scotland' 1841, p64, repeated notes in JFSS 33 pp150-151. This only mentions the devil in a spoken intro and conclusion to a usual version (i.e., cantefable style) whereas Crawfurd 1, p104 actually includes the devil episode in the concluding verses. I am highly suspicious of both of these. None of the 4 versions given in Greig Duncan Vol4 have any mention of the devil. Crawfurd was known to have Scottified English material and even though it's the earliest text I don't trust it. There are other examples of English quite secular ballads being embellished in Scotland with supernatural beings. The Chambers version even mentions 'Bristol Town'. Robert Chambers is also not an altogether trustworthy editor and he gives no indication where his cantefable version came from. Even if this version is genuinely from oral tradition the interferences of the collectors and editors soon fell into oral tradition, 'Peter Buchan's 'Bonny Lass of Fyvie' being a prime example. The piece is highly typical of the quite rare country ditties that used to be performed as a dialogue at village shows in past centuries. Certainly no stall copy has yet surfaced and I don't expect to find one, but I wouldn't be surprised to find it dated back at least to the 18th century. Music Hall versions however do exist. It gets a mention in Kilgarriff. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,Brian Milner Date: 10 Apr 12 - 03:28 PM It's a long time since I heard this song (early seventies?), but I'm sure the penultimate verse was:- Oh madam I will give to you a little golden ring To wear upon your finger to make you dance and sing If you will be love, etc. Nor do I remember verses about a dress/gown, however the little bell was silver! From the various postings, it appears there are several versions of the song, so who is to say which if any is correct? As Bill D said, it's a folk song, so it's what people remember, because it isn't written anywhere. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 11 Apr 12 - 10:18 AM I found the music for this at a nice flute-music site: keys to c |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,Steve Fowles Date: 27 Sep 14 - 08:45 AM Oh, madam, I will give to you the keys to Canterbury And all the bells of London town will ring to make us merry If you will be my bride, my sweetheart and my dear, If you will walk with me anywhere. Oh, no, I'll not accept of you the keys to Canterbury Though all the bells of London should ring to make us merry And I'll not be your bride, your sweetheart nor your dear, And I'll not walk with you anywhere. Oh, madam, I will give to you a pair of boots of cork, Though one was made in London and the other was made in York, If you will be my bride, my sweetheart and my dear, If you will walk with me anywhere. Oh, no, I'll not accept of you a pair of boots of cork, Though both were made in London or both were made in York, And I'll not be your bride, your sweetheart nor your dear, And I'll not walk with you anywhere. Oh, madam, I will give to you a little golden bell, To ring for all your servants and to make them serve you well, If you will be my bride, my sweetheart and my dear, If you will walk with me anywhere. Oh, no, I'll not accept of you a little golden bell, To ring for all my servants and to make them serve me well, And I'll not be your bride, your sweetheart nor your dear, And I'll not walk with you anywhere. Oh, madam, I will give to you a gallant silver chest, With a key of golden silver and jewels of the best, If you will be my bride, my sweetheart and my dear, If you will walk with me anywhere. Oh, no, I'll not accept of you a gallant silver chest, With a key of golden silver and jewels of the best, And I'll not be your bride, your sweetheart nor your dear, And I'll not walk with you anywhere. Oh, madam, I will give to you an embroidered silken gown, With nine yards a-drooping and a-trailing on the ground, If you will be my bride, my sweetheart and my dear, If you will walk with me anywhere. Oh, no, I won't accept of you an embroidered silken gown, With nine yards a-drooping and a-trailing on the ground, And I'll not be your bride, your sweetheart nor your dear, And I'll not walk with you anywhere. Oh, madam, I will give to you the keys to my heart, And all the love that's in it and we nevermore shall part, If you will be my bride, my sweetheart and my dear, If you will walk with me anywhere. Oh, yes I will accept of you the keys to your heart And all the love that's in it and we nevermore shall part, And I'll will be your bride, your sweetheart and your dear, And I'll will walk with you anywhere. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: GUEST,Daniel Giraud Date: 04 Jan 22 - 03:58 AM Hello ! Alle the versions here o' this song art wrong ! An' it must be a little French who telleth thee ... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Nigel Parsons Date: 04 Jan 22 - 06:47 AM Reading this I recognise similarities with the Cheshire song I will give you the keys of Heaven (He:) I will give you the keys of heaven, I will give you the keys of heaven Madam, will you walk? Madam, will you talk? Madam, will you walk and talk with me? (She:) Though you give me the keys of heaven, Though you give me the keys of heaven, Yet I will not walk; no, I will not talk; No, I will not walk or talk with thee. (He:) I will give to a blue silk gown, To make you fine when you go to town; Madam, etc. (She:) Though you give me a blue silk gown, To make me fine when I go to town; Yet, etc. (He:) I will give you a coach and six, Six black horses as black as ptch; Madam, etc. (She:) Tough you give me a coach and six, Six black horses as black as ptich; Yet, etc. (He:) I will give you the keys of my heart, And we will be married till death us do part; Madam, etc. (She:) Thou shalt give me the keys of my heart, And we will be married till death us do part; I will walk, I will talk; I will walk and talk with thee. abc | midi | pdf Source: Lucy Broadwood and J A Fuller Maitland. 1893, English County Songs, Leadenhall Press, London Notes: From the Rev S. Baring-Gould, who had it from the Rev F Partridge. Lucy Broadwood wrote:
Roud: 573 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six Laws: Child: |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Nigel Parsons Date: 04 Jan 22 - 08:48 AM THE KEYS OF CANTERBURY Somerset folk song (He) O Madam, I will give to you the keys of Canterbury, And all the bells in London shall ring to make you merry. If you will be my joy my sweet and only dear, And walk along with me, anywhere (She) I shall not, Sir, accept of you the keys of Canterbury, Nor all the bells of London shall ring to make us merry, I will not be your joy, your sweet and only dear, Nor walk along with you, anywhere. (He) O Madam, I will give to you a pair of boots of cork, The one was made in London the other made in York. If you will be my joy my sweet and only dear, And walk along with me, anywhere (She) I shall not, Sir, accept of you a pair of boots of cork, Though both were made in London, or both made in York, I will not be your joy, your sweet and only dear, Nor walk along with you, anywhere. (He) O Madam, I will give to you a little golden bell, To ring for all your servants, and make them serve you well. If you will be my joy my sweet and only dear, And walk along with me, anywhere (She) I shall not, Sir, accept of you a little golden bell, To ring for all my servants, and make them serve me well, I will not be your joy, your sweet and only dear, Nor walk along with you, anywhere. (He) O Madam, I will give to you a broidered silken gownd, With nine yards a-drooping and training on the ground. If you will be my joy my sweet and only dear, And walk along with me, anywhere (She) Sir, I will accept of you a broidered silken gownd, With nine yards a-drooping and training on the ground, (Both)Then (I will be your joy, your) sweet and only dear, (You shall be my joy, my) And walk along with (you,) anywhere. (me, ) X: 1 T:Keys of Canterbury M:6/8 L:1/8 S: Singing Together Spring 1967 Z: NP 4 January 2022 K:G B|B2 EE2F| G2FG2B|A2GF2G|EE2z2B|B2EE2F|G3G2B|A2GF2G|EE2z2F|G2FG2F|(E3E2)F|G2FG2A|(B3B2)B|B2EE2F|G2zF2G|(E3E2)|| w: O Mad-am, I will give to you the keys of Can-te-rbu-ry, And all the bells in Lon-don shall ring to make you mer-ry. If you will be my joy_ my sweet and on-ly dear,_ And walk a-long with me, a-ny-where Sourced from "Singing Together" (BBC Schools radio broadcasts) Spring Term 1967. It also appears in the same publication for Autumn 1948 but without the 'cork boots' verse NP |
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Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Keys of Canterbury / Keys to Canterbury From: Joe Offer Date: 16 Jan 23 - 06:33 PM Joe - clean up |
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