Origins: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away

Subject: RE: Origins: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: Levana Taylor
Date: 20 Jan 22 - 06:48 PM

OK, here's what Baring-Gould wrote down from "J Masters, Bradstone":

1.?As I was agoing to Strawberry Fair,
Ri-tol-Ri-tol, riddle-tol-de-lido.
I saw a fair maid of beauty rare
Tol-de-dee
I saw a fair maid go selling her ware
As she went on to Strawberry Fair
Ri-tol-ri-tol-riddle-tol-di-dee.

2.?O pretty, fair maiden I prithee tell
My pretty fair maid, what do you sell?
O come tell me truly sweet damsel,
As you go on to Strawberry fair.

3.?O I have a lock that doth lack a key
O I have a lock, sir, she did say,
If you have a key, then come this way,
As we go on to Strawberry Fair.

4.?Between us, I reckon, that when we met
The key to the lock it was well set,
The key to the lock it well did fit,
As we went on to Strawberry Fair.

5.?O would that my lock had been a gun
I’d shoot the Blacksmith, for I’m undone.
And wares to carry I need have none
That I should go to Strawberry Fair.

(I dunno why Baring-Gould felt the need to change "Ri-tol-ri-tol, riddle-tol-de-lido" to "Singing, singing, buttercups and daisies." I suppose that what Lloyd not-unfairly called its mawkishness may be deliberate: buttercups and daisies being considered standard stuff of children's play, Baring-Gould threw them in to try to turn listeners' minds to childishness and away from any possible sexual connotations of fruit, even after he had gotten rid of the lock and key.)

PS Proofreading is needed in my Pete Harris transcription above, four measures have superfluous rests.

Subject: RE: Origins: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: RTim
Date: 20 Jan 22 - 03:40 PM

The Waterson:Carthy version here uses the tune that was also used for "Old Mother Crawley" - Roud 1057 - collected by Dr. Gardiner from George Lovett,Winchester, Hampshire in 1906....

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Origins: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 20 Jan 22 - 02:45 PM

Levana, not only do all of Baring Gould's voluminous manuscripts survive, they are readily available online at the EFDSS VWML website. Go exploring. I'd say the song was pretty explicit so any double entendre would be unnecessary. Cliche maybe.

Subject: RE: Origins: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: Levana Taylor
Date: 20 Jan 22 - 02:12 AM

@Guest (11:04 AM) Which version??? ... Because I enjoy analyzing, here's chords of three quite different guitar accompaniments from my library.

Waterson:Carthy (vocals: Norma, guitar: Martin) have a version that starts "As I was going to Bucklington Fair." Martin's chords, first verse only -- you transcribe the variations:

T:Rambleaway
N:As recorded by Waterson:Carthy on "Common Tongue"
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:3/4=60
K:Gmaj
"G" d | B2 G/2G/2 | G F G | B c "C" d | e2 g/2g/2 | e d B | "G" d e d |
w:As I was a-go-ing to Buck-ling-ton Fair In his fine scar-let ja-cket and
B G G | G2 "C" z/2 d/2 | e2 f | "D" g a g | f d e | f2 z/2 f/2 |
w:ev-ry-thing rare E-nough to 'tice all the young girls that day When
f f f | "G" g f e | d B G | "C" (e d c) | "G" B G F | G2 z |
w:they set their eyes on young Ram-ble-a-way__ Ram-ble-a-way
"C" d d e | "G" B2 d | "C" e f e | "G" d B d | c B "D" A | "G" G2 ||
w:Ram-ble-a-way When they set their eyes on young Ram-ble-a-way

Here's Gordon Bok's, a different melody:

T:Ramble Away
N:As recorded by Gordon Bok on "A Rogue's Gallery of Songs for 12-String"
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:3/4=48
K:F#min   
c | "F#m" c>c f | "A" e c B | A>B c | "Bm" B2 z | z2 A/2B/2
w:As I was a-wal-king down Bir-ming-ham Street In my
"A" c f f | e c B | "F#m" A B c | "Bm" B2 z | z2 z/2 B/2 |
w:new scar-let ja-cket all neat and com-plete The
"A" c c c | (c<B) A | "C#m" G G>F | G2 z | z2 c/2c/2
w:young girls all smiled_ as they passed me by Say-ing
"A" c2 c/2c/2 | c/2c/2 B "E" A | E F>G | "F#m" F3 | z2 ||
w:one to a-no-ther there goes Ram-ble-a-way

Pete Harris has much the same melody as Gordon Bok but an entirely different accompaniment:

T:Rambleaway
N:As recorded by Pete Harris on "The Widow's Promise"
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:3/4=40
K:Dmin
"A" z/2 G/2 | "Dm" A>A "Am" d | "F" c<AG | "Bb" F>GA | "C" G z z2 | z2 z F/2G/2 |
w:As I was a-wal-king down Bir-ming-ham Street In my
"Dm" A A "Am" d | "F" c<A G | "Bb" FG>A | "C" G z z2 | z2 z z/2 G/2 |
w:new scar-let ja-cket so neat and com-plete The
"Dm" A>B A | "F" (A<F) z/2 D/2 | D "Bb" E>F | "A" E2 z2 | z2 z z/2 G/2 |
w:girls they all said_ as I passed them by Are
"Dm" A>A "Am" B | "F" A G A | "C" C D>E | "Dm" D2 z | "F" z3 | "C" z3 | "Dm" z3 | "Am" z3 | "A" z2 :|
w:you the young man they call Ram-ble-a-way?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: Levana Taylor
Date: 19 Jan 22 - 06:11 PM

Do Baring-Gould's manuscripts of the songs he collected survive? His publications certainly are excedingly prim. That said, rewrite or no, I'm unable to hear a song about a woman offering a man fruit as anything but a double entendre!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jan 22 - 11:04 AM

Could someone do the chords for Brimbledon Fair or Ramble Away above

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: GUEST,Romney Quay
Date: 27 Nov 21 - 04:45 AM

[Verse 1]
As I was a walking to Tetbury Fair
With smart hat and waist coat I'd rather to ware
To meet all the young girls, raining that day
Well, I swore I was living to ramble away

[Verse 2]
The very first steps I took to the fair
I saw pretty Nancy a-combing her hair
I tipped her the wink, she roll'd her black eye.
Said aye to myself, "I'll be there by and by."

[Verse 3]
The very first step that I took in the dark
I took this girl Nancy to be my sweetheart
She smiled in my face and these words she did say:
"Are you the young man they call Rambleaway?"

[Verse 4]
I said, Pretty Nancy, don't smile in my face
For I do not intend to stay long in this place
She packed her fur coat and she followed her dear
She'd left all her troubles, she did't care where

[Verse 5]
They rambled the country from Mid-West to town
This Nancy, she followed her true love around
He swore from the start, he'd be faithfull and true
And the very next town, well he gave her the due

[Verse 6]
Well, the autumn has passed, winter moves on a pace
And pretty girl Nancy grew stout on her waist
Her dress wouldn't fit her and her shoes weren't paced
And she longed for the sight of young Rambleaway

[Verse 7]
She cursed his dark eye and his long curly hair
She was alide to fall down with a grinds of dispare
She was sick in the morning and sick in the day
Now see what you've done with your Rambleaway

[Verse 8]
Now the autumn has passed and the winter has come
And pretty girl Nancy, she's had a fine son
She kissed him and cuddled him, he's where he would be save
Don't be like your father, don't ramble away

[Verse 9]
As I was a walking to Tetbury Fair
In demin and leather and pony tailed hair
I thought of my mother, what she did say
I still have the notion to ramble away


[Verse 10]
The very next step that I took to the fair....

Subject: Lyr Add: YOUNG RAMBLE-AWAY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 05:48 PM

The Bodleian Library Ballad Collection has two copies of this song: Harding B 13(20) and Harding B 13(19).


YOUNG RAMBLE-AWAY

1. As I was a-going to Birmingham fair,
With my scarlet coat and everything rare,
Enough to entice girls buxom and gay,
Who are willing to go with young Ramble-away.

2. When that I set my foot in the fair,
I saw pretty Nancy a-combing her hair.
I gave her the wink. She roll'd her black eye.
Thinks I to myself, "I'll be there by and by."

3. As I was a-watching one night in the dark,
I took pretty Nancy for my sweetheart.
She smil'd in my face and thus she did say,
"Are you the young man call'd young Ramble-away?"

4. I said, "Pretty Nancy, don't smile in my face.
I do not intend to stop long in this place."
So I tipt her the double through fair Lincolnshire,
And I said I would ramble, I didn't care where.

5. "Your dad and your mam they are going from home,
And when they return, I will sing them a song."
O then he did say, "Your daughter's astray
With a strange little rogue called Ramble-away."

6. Come all pretty maidens whoever you be.
With those jolly lads never make over free.
Hat, cap and feather you may have [for] to wear,
And a bunch of blue ribbons to tie up your hair.

7. Her person grew round when she got to the play,
Where she look'd in vain for young Ramble-away.
When her baby was born, with tears she did say,
"What a fool to be led off by Ramble-away!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: GUEST,Ebor.Fiddler
Date: 27 Jan 11 - 05:02 PM

I can just hear the late Jon Rennard singing "Brimbledon Fair" in my head now, God rest his soul. Thanks for the memory.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: Artful Codger
Date: 27 Jan 11 - 02:31 PM

"Rambleaway" also appears on The Young Tradition's eponymous recording under the title of "Derry Down Fair" (compare to the DT entry Susan linked).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brimbledon Fair / Young Ramble-Away
From: Susan of DT
Date: 27 Jan 11 - 07:22 AM

Rambleaway

Subject: Lyr Add: BRIMBLEDON FAIR / YOUNG RAMBLE-AWAY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Jan 11 - 01:04 AM

From Folk Songs from Somerset, Volume 3 edited by Cecil J. Sharp & Charles L. Marson (London: Simpkin & Co., Ltd., 1906), page 61, where there is also musical notation for one voice and piano:


BRIMBLEDON FAIR, or, YOUNG RAMBLE-AWAY

1. As I was a-riding to Brimbledon Fair,
I saw pretty Nancy a-curdling her hair.
I gave her a wink and she rolled a dark eye,
And said I to myself: "I'll be there by and by."

2. I watched and I watched, all the night in the dark,
For to ask pretty Nancy to be my sweetheart,
But all that she said, when I saw her next day:
"And are you the young rogue they call Ramble-Away?"

3. I said: "Pretty Nancy, don't laugh in my face."
But she answered by slipping away from the place.
So to find her I rambled through fair Lincolnshire,
And I vowed I would ramble I did not care where.

4. Come all you young maidens, wherever you be,
And find pretty Nancy and bring her to me.
And all you young ramblers, you mind and take care,
Or else you'll get brimbled at Brimbledon Fair.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Mar 00 - 12:58 PM

Gypsy:  "Scarborough Fair" is a completely different song!

Amos:  "Strawberry Fair" (also unrelated to "Brimbledon Fair"/ "Rambleaway") was collected by the Rev. Sabine Baring Gould in a Devon pub; he re-wrote the text -in the process turning a perfectly good song into what A. L. Lloyd described in 1967 as (a) "mawkish thing of buttercups and daisies that has wearied generations of schoolchildren for the last half-century"- because he felt that the double entendre in the original was unsuitable for publication!  It's probably 18th century rather than Elizabethan.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Gypsy
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 11:53 PM

Theres gotta be 8 different, each slight different versions of Scarborough Fair. Wimbledon Fair is just one of them. Try the child page that is noted above, and if you can't find it, yell. I have the collection, will post for you.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From:
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 10:07 AM

WELL DONE M Mario . BULLSEYE Cheers Jack

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 12:17 AM

THANK YOU MMARIO!!!!!!!, for the site,.... it brings me great happiness to see, hear and induldge!

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 11:56 PM

could it be "ramble away?"

as I was a going to farslington fair in a fine colored jacket and everything there in order to (delight) all the young girls that day when they set their eyes on yound ramble away ramble away, when they set their eyes on young ramble away

waterson-carthy

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Amos
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 09:33 PM

But it still is not in the DT, and p'raps it should be. Is it a 60's synthesis, or an actual --from the sound of it -- Elizabethan ballad? Anyone know?

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Amos
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 08:17 PM

STRAWBERRY! DOH!!Slap me wiht a cleaver! And daisies...jeez...here I thought it was some arcane memory...dohhhh (grumble...)

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 06:41 PM

The Anthony Newley song was a spoof version of "Strawberry Fair" (Singing, singing, buttercups and daisies etc.), and the whole point of "Widdicombe Fair" is that nobody intends to walk!  I reckon MMario's link is the one.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 06:27 PM

Make that Widdicome Fair. If the song mentions Tam Pierce, check the database under Tom Pierce.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 06:24 PM

Could it be Widdecomb Fair? Does song mention Tam Pierce's old mare?

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Melbert
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 06:02 PM

Wasn't the song in question recorded by Anthony Newley (around the time of his "pop goes the weasel" thingy? I think it was actually "As I was going to Scarborough fair", because I think Simon & Garfunkle's "Scarborough Fair" had been a recent success. Can't remember any more lyrics tho'. Sorry.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: squirrel
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 04:14 PM

The Albion Band album is called "1990". There is also a version of Rambleaway by Waterson:Carthy out there.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From:
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 04:07 PM

There is a song by the Albion Band called Rambleaway - I think - It has the words "As I was a walking to Tetbury Fair" I have it on a tape that i can't find - I am not sure what the album was called - it's a good song.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: MMario
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 04:00 PM

try here

url = http://www.childballads.com/folk3/brmbldon.html

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: Amos
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 03:26 PM

As I was walking to Isomething) Fair,
SInging, singing, buttercups and roses
I met a fair maid vending her wares, to me oooh!
Her eyes were bllue, and brown was her hair
As we walked down to (something) Fair
Singing singing, buttercups and roses,
Singing, singing fold-de-diidle day...


I am sorry to say I don't recall the name of the song OR the Fair!! But, having been dutifully so instructed by Joe, I have checked in the DT and not found this verse, which is a piece of a long-ago memory.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: GUEST,bigJ
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 02:59 PM

There's a 'Brimbledon' or 'Brimbledown' Fair which begins 'As I was a (going or walking) to ....... fair. Any good?

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 02:32 PM

There are lots of songs with 'Fair' in the title, and more titles than songs, because to name of the fair was often changed to fit the locale where the song was sung.

Subject: RE: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From: MMario
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 02:26 PM

Jack, he said, confessing his ignorance, I don't recognize the title. Any other phrases you might give us to provide a clue?

Subject: as I was walking to wimbledon ? fair
From:
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 02:19 PM

Anybody help me out on this song with the lyrics?? Jack