Maid on the Shore background?

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Feb 21 - 04:17 PM

It's an English ballad, usually sung a cappella

Written around 1828

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: MMario
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:23 PM

I'll admit I saw little relationship between the two.

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 02:21 PM

It's certainly found in Newfoundland, but also (earlier) in other places, as I've mentioned. There are analogous songs in various parts of Europe, including a number of French examples, though there the girl generally escapes through trickery rather than magic.

Not everyone would necessarily go along with Bronson's bracketing of this song with The Broomfield Hill; the tendency nowadays is to consider them as separate. Laws assigned it his number K27, and it's number 181 in Roud.

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: MMario
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 01:57 PM

just going by what bronson says....

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 01:34 PM

In the liner Notes for his album with the Maid on the shore Stan Rogers asserts that it is a traditional song from Newfoundland. For whatever it is worth. Nick

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 01:25 PM

MMario:

It certainly has VERY general similarities in plot to Broomfield Hill, that is: A maiden is brought to a place where a man means to deflower her. While he is sleeping, she escapes still a maiden.

That's an extremely general resemblance, seems to me. Now whether there is a developmental track of versions that would show a historical connection I don't know, but just based on the commonalities in plot it seems far-fetched to posit any close connection, seems to me.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 05:22 AM

Thanks for all this, people. A web search did come up with a number of recordings - I'm surprised how many - but it's the history I was seeking. Thanks, Malcolm, for the country information. MMario, I think I've seen reference to Childe before - I thought it was #44 but could well be #43. I'll have to check that!

All I need is a couple of introductory lines before singing it (maybe - haven't decided yet) at the Welsh Folk Song Soc. weekend coming up. (And, yes, I know it isn't Welsh, but they let me do one 'from home' sometimes! For variety.)

Thanks again

sian

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: rich-joy
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 10:46 PM

A. L. Lloyd's sleeve notes to Frankie Armstrong's version on her 1972 Topic album "Lovely on the Water" makes mention that "some countryfolk call this ":The Mermaid", but doesn't discuss WHICH countryfolk ...

Cheers! RJ

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 09:12 PM

With respect, modern recordings made by professional entertainers are irrelevant to the history of the song. According to the Roud Folk Song Index, it's been found (very rarely) in Ireland, Scotland and England (respectively, thrice, once and once, the Scottish sighting being the earliest and the English set perhaps imported from Ireland); far more often, however, in the USA and -particularly- Canada.

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: MMario
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 04:14 PM

aha! see this light-hearted but informative post from joe offer in a previous thread.

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: GUEST,kate
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 04:06 PM

it was also sung by Stan Rogers and the Irish group Solas more recently on their CD's.

Subject: RE: Maid on the Shore background?
From: MMario
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 04:03 PM

If I recall correctly it is suppossed to be related to broomfield hill (child #43)

Subject: Maid on the Shore background?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 03:44 PM

Help! I need some background info on "The Maid on the Shore" by Saturday morning. I think I must have learned it originally from an album by Anita Best and Pamela Morgan who credited, "Mose Harris of Lethbridge, Bonavista Bay" (Nfld.) but I imagine that it's Scottish or Irish originally?

Any details would be most appreciated. I tried a search for previous threads but only got an error message...

sian