Origins: Griesly Bride

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 02:12 PM

Grisly, please!

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST,robinia
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 02:27 PM

I guess I simply lost my initial message, a request for info on this haunting song (and for the missing word), which I think I first heard from Rosalie Sorrels.   To recap:

"Lie still, my newly wedded wife
lie easy as you can
You're young and ill accustomed yet
to sleeping with a man.

The snow was deep, the moon was clear
as it shone on the cabin floor
His young bride rose without a word
run barefooted through the door.

He up an followed after her
and an angry man was he
The snow was lying all around
and only the moon shone clearly [awkward scansion on this last word!]

He followed her tracks through the new deep snow
a-calling out her name
But only the dingos in the hills
yelled back at him again.

And the hairs stood up all around his neck
and his angry mind was gone
For where a two-footed track gave out
a four-footed track went on.

Her night dress lay upon the snow
as it would a white bedsheet
And the track that led from where it lay
was never of human feet.

Well, first he took to walking back
and then he began to run
His quarry turned all in her track
and followed him in turn.

Now an empty bed still waits for him
as he lies in a crimson tide
Beware, beware all travelling (????) men
beware of a griesly bride.

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 03:01 PM

A long one. Hope I get it right: Grisly bride
Complete text, attributed to Cynthia McQuillin

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 03:08 PM

Whee! It worked. Most unusual song. I think the word was pronounced gris-el-y in the song (a singer's prerogative to make changes like this for effect).
I will copy the song here if anyone is interested. Does anyone know which of the old Sorrels albums it appeared in?

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Giac
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 03:54 PM

It's in the DT, here:

The Griesly Bride

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 04:32 PM

The version in the DT is obviously an Australian remake ("dingos in the hills") and the date is probably post-Sorrels.
Cynthia McQuillin (prominent filker) wrote parodies of Child ballads among others. Her tale of Gilda and the Dragon is an example. Dragon

But is this one by McQuillin? The site where I found the poem only attributed it to her. The title (Grisly Bride) I put on it may not be correct. More info, anyone?

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Susan of DT
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 08:19 PM

Robinia - that's trapper men

The attributions from the DT:
Words by John Manifold, music by Tom Campbell.
Recorded by Harry Tuft on "Across the Blue Mountains," copyright
1976 by Folk Legacy Records, FSA-63.
also by Cindy Mangsen

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 08:54 PM

Found the poem by John. S. Manifold at Griesly Wife
It is "griesly" and "Griesly Wife" is the title. The song in the DT, Griesly Bride," is a revision.
You will find more bush poetry at www.bushpoetry.com.au

Thread 26004 has comment by Bob Bolton on Manifold. Bolton says Manifold liked old usages, hence "griesly." Griesly Wife

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 09:00 PM

Here are the notes from Harry Tuft on his 1976 Folk-Legacy album, Across the Blue Mountains. The album is available on CD from Sandy and Caroline Paton at Folk-Legacy. For comparison, I'll post the Digital Tradition lyrics in the right-hand column - I think they should be the same.
-Joe Offer-

---

The Griesly Bride
Tom Campbell read a poem called "The Griesly Wife" by John Manifold, an Australian poet, in a high school text book called Sound and Sense, An Introduction to Poetry, edited by Laurence Perrine and published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. (New York). He adapted the text and added the melody that I sing here. Griesly, by the way, is the correct spelling; it means "uncanny". I've heard that the story of wolves assuming human form to take revenge on hunters and trappers can be found in the folklore of a number of countries. I try to sing this as close as I can to the way Tom sang it into a cassette recorder for me at the Cafe York in Denver around 1972. Tom's best-known song to date is "Darcy Farrow" written with Steve Gillette. More recently, Tom has been working throughout the western states on initiatives to limit the expansion of the use of nuclear energy.

 

"Lie down, my newly married wife;
Lie easy as you can.
You re young, and ill-accustomed yet
To sleeping with a man.

The snow was deep, the moon was full
As it shown on the cabin floor.
His young bride rose without a word
And ran barefoot through the door.

He up and followed, fast and sure,
And an angry man was he,
But his young bride wasn't e'er in sight,
And only the moon shone clearly.

He followed her track through the new deep snow,
Calling out loud her name.
Only the dingoes* in the hills (*wild dogs)
Yowled back at him again.

Then the hair stood up along his neck
And his angry mind was gone,
For where the two-foot track gave out,
A four-footed track went on.

Her nightgown lay upon the snow
As it might on a bed sheet,
And the tracks that led from where it lay
Were never of human feet.

He first started in to walkin' back,
Then he began to run,
And his quarry turned all in her track
And hunted him in turn.

An empty bed still waits for him
As he lies in a crimson tide.
Beware, beware, oh trapper men,
Beware of a griesly bride.
(Tuft's version)

"Lie down, my newly married wife;
Lie easy as you can.
You're young, and ill-accustomed yet
To sleeping with a man."

The snow was deep, the moon was full
As it shown on the cabin floor.
His young bride rose without a word
And ran barefoot through the door.

He up and followed, fast and sure,
And an angry man was he,
But his young bride wasn't e'er in sight,
And only the moon shone clearly.

He followed her track through the new deep snow,
Calling out loud her name.
Only the dingoes in the hills
Yowled back at him again.

Then the hair stood up along his neck
And his angry mind was gone,
For where the two-foot track gave out,
A four-footed track went on.

Her nightgown lay upon the snow
As it might on a bed sheet,
And the tracks that led from where it lay
Were never of human feet.

He first started in to walkin' back,
Then he began to run,
And his quarry turned all in her track
And hunted him in turn.

An empty bed still waits for him
As he lies in a crimson tide.
Beware, beware, oh trapper men,
Beware of a griesly bride.

-----------------------------
Words by John Manifold,
music by Tom Campbell.
Recorded by Harry Tuft on "Across the Blue Mountains,"
copyright 1976 by Folk Legacy Records, FSA-63.
also by Cindy Mangsen
@myth @animal @marriage
filename[ GRSLYBRD
D

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 09:26 PM

Looks like the DT and Tuft versions are identical, and I think it's the same as what's posted at bushpoetry.com.

As far as I know, I am the only person on earth who uses this tune for The Marvelous Toy. I can't imagine why my idea hasn't caught on.

Is there a recording of this song by Rosalie Sorrels? The only ones I know of are Tuft and Mangsen. This site says that sometime Mudcatter Dan Keding has a recording of "Grisly Bride" on a CD - I imagine he does it as a recitation, since Dan is a storyteller.
By the way, the Penguin Australian Song Book was compiled by John S. Manifold, published in 1964 - is it the same John Manifold?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GRIESLY WIFE (poem by J.S. Manifold)
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 10:04 PM

Nope. Here is the poem at bushpoetry.com.

THE GRIESLY WIFE
J. S. Manifold

"Lie still, my newly married wife,
Lie as easily as you can.
You're young and ill-accustomed yet
To sleeping with a man."

The snow lay thick, the moon was full
And shone across the floor.
The young wife went with never a word
Barefooted to the door.

He up and followed sure and fast,
The moon shone clear and white.
But before his coat was on his back
His wife was out of sight.

He trod the trail wherever it turned
By many a mound and scree,
And still the barefoot track led on
And an angry man was he/

He followed fast, he followed slow,
And still he called her name.
But only the dingoes of the hill
Yowled back at him again.

His hair stood up along his neck,
His angry mind was gone,
For the track of the two bare feet grew out
And a four-feet track went on.

Her nightgown lay upon the snow
As it might upon the sheet,
But the track that led on from where it lay
Was never of human feet.

His heart turned over in his chest
He looked from side to side,
And he thought more of his gumwood fire
Than he did of his griesly bride.

And first he started walking back
And then began to run,
And his quarry wheeled at the end of her track
And hunted him in turn.

Oh, long the fire may burn for him
And open stand the door,
And long the bed may wait empty;
He'll not be back any more.

Griesly Wife

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: MAG
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 10:05 PM

Er, Dan Keding is a sometime poster on this list, and an impeccably good folk singer and songwriter as well. I would recommend his CD/tape. -- MA

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 02 - 10:13 PM

Tried hunting for a version by Rosalie Sorrels, but all I found were titles of her albums.
If you go to thread 26004, (clickie given in post, above, 08:54 pm) the message by Bob Bolton says it is the same Manifold who compiled the Penguin Australian Songbook (1964).

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: robinia
Date: 07 Oct 02 - 03:58 AM

Thanks, Susan -- I should have guessed "trapper men," which does make it a gruesome vengeance song!   And I'm pretty sure that I first heard it on an old Rosalie Sorrels LP (since lost) with quite a few ballads on it (including a lovely one of Two Brothers)

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 May 03 - 02:47 PM

I'm listening to a Judy Henske recording of Love Henry. The tune sounds a lot like "Griesly Bride." Could "Love Henry" be the original source of this tune?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 10 May 03 - 03:13 PM

I've tried the link to bushpoetry.com, and the page is listed as that, but all the contents have to do with mortgages, loans, insurance, and so forth.   Don't see anything at all about music. Whazzup?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 May 03 - 07:43 PM

Hi, Dave - that's what happens when a domain name expires and is not renewed. I don't know who holds the domain name now, if it's a company that seels domain names, or what. Larry Otway found something worse happened to his domain name. His band's site, www.sorchadorcha.com, turned into a porn site.
But back to Griesly Bride's tune - is it from "Love Henry"?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: GUEST,Giac, where's my cookie?
Date: 10 May 03 - 08:02 PM

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Giac
Date: 10 May 03 - 08:04 PM

OK, as I was about to say -- the tune's not in the DT, where can I hear it, without buying it?

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 May 03 - 08:35 PM

I suppose that's an age-old question, Giac. In some ways, we wish that all music could be free for everybody to hear - but on another plane, we know that musicians and record producers need to be able to make a living from their efforts. It's available on a wonderful CD by Harry Tuft called Across the Blue Mountains, available from Sandy and Caroline Paton at Folk-Legacy Records.

Sandy might disagree with me, but I don't see that posting the basic melody here would cause harm to anybody. If somebody can e-mail a transcription of the tune to me, I'll post it in Mudcat MIDIs. As far as I know, it's not available in songbooks.

On the other hand, if it were a pop song, you could hear it on the radio before you bought it - so I'm torn in both directions on this issue.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Giac
Date: 10 May 03 - 09:06 PM

Why thanks, Joe.

Doesn't matter in the greater scheme of things. I was just curious.

On an even different plane, some of us can't hop out and buy a CD to hear one song -- especially when the car battery dies, and on and on and on ... **LOL**

Why, since we have the words, I expect I could just make up a tune, or adapt the one you mentioned. Don't reckon the dog will care.

Mary ~;o)

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 May 03 - 03:34 PM

Guest on Oct. 6, 2002 posted the version of the poem "The Griesly Wife" that agrees with that printed in my copy of Perrine's Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry. The one posted further up in the thread that is attributed to that book is considerably shorter and also altered. This text notes that griesly should be understood as "uncanny."

SRS

Subject: RE: Is the Griesly Bride considered trad?
From: Kathryn
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 01:27 PM

I understand this song is from a poem by John Manifold, music by Tom Campbell.
But I have no feeling for date or if it is in public domain now.
Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: Is the Griesly Bride considered trad?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 02:42 PM

It doesn't appear in any trad collections so I very much doubt if it could be considered traditional as in 'oral tradition'. It may well qualify for being some other sort of 'traditional' though. Try googling the names you have given and if dates come up it may give you an idea.

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Joe_F
Date: 26 Sep 12 - 10:16 AM

Campbell's adaptation is considerable & (IMO) often for the better. However, it creates two problems that (I hear) have puzzled Australians who have heard the song but not read the poem. One is the substitution of "dingoes" for "wild dogs", which places the narrative in Australia. The other is the griesly news in the last stanza that the man is a *trapper*, thus providing a vengeful motive for the animal. I gather that there are in fact no animals in Australia whose pelt is valuable enough to provide a living for trappers. It seems clear that Manifold did *not* intend the story to be set in his native Australia.

Subject: ADD: The Griesly Wife (John Manifold poem)
From: GUEST,Casey (by email)
Date: 16 Oct 21 - 04:24 PM

I turned up a bit of info for the song "The Griesly Bride". You posted 6 Oct 02 on how the John Manifold poem became a song.    I want to be sure the following additional info is posted so as to be available to anyone researching this song. Could you please post it for me?

*******************
The song “The Griesly Bride” is adapted from Australian poet John Manifold’s poem ‘The Griesly Wife,” published in Manifold's 1946 book Selected Verse, The John Day Company, Inc. publisher.   

The Harry Tuft liner notes, quoted in the 6 Oct 02 post, do not specify the edition of Sound and Sense, An Introduction to Poetry, edited by Laurence Perrine and published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. (New York). The Manifold poem appears in the 1963 edition but is omitted from subsequent editions.   Here is a link to the poem in the 1963 edition, and the text of the original poem, which has been adapted and modified in various ways by singers since then.

https://archive.org/details/soundsenseintrod0000perr/page/12/mode/2up?q=Griesly

THE GRIESLY WIFE
poem by John Manifold 1946

"Lie still, my newly married wife,
Lie easy as you can.
You re young, and ill-accustomed yet
To sleeping with a man.”

The snow lay thick, the moon was full
And shone across the floor.
The young wife went with never a word
Barefooted to the door.

He up and followed sure and fast,
The moon shone clear and white.
But before his coat was on his back
His wife was out of sight.

He trod the trail wherever it turned
By many a mound and scree,
And still the barefoot track led on,
And an angry man was he.

He followed fast, he followed slow,
And still he called her name,
Only the dingoes of the hills
Yowled back at him again.

Then the hair stood up along his neck
His angry mind was gone,
For the track of the two bare feet gave out
And a four-foot track went on.

Her nightgown lay upon the snow
As it might upon the sheet,
But the track that led from where it lay
Was never of human feet.

His heart turned over in his chest,
He looked from side to side,
And he thought more of his gum wood fire
Than he did of his griesly bride

At first he started walking back
And then began to run,
And his quarry wheeled at the end of her track
And hunted him in turn.

Oh, long the fire may burn for him
And open stand the door,
And long the bed may wait empty:
He’ll not be back any more.

Subject: RE: Origins: Griesly Bride
From: Joe_F
Date: 16 Oct 21 - 05:32 PM

That link (as the note at the end explains) is *not* to the original poem, but to one of the adaptations. Note that "dingoes" is there.