Lyr Add: Thaney (need help)

Subject: Lyr Add: Thaney (need help)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 18 Apr 03 - 03:39 PM

Here's my transcription of the words. Anyone who knows it better: please check for errors, also check the ? and fill in the [].

THANEY

"Mak your bed fu' broad, dear Thaney, mak your bed fu' broad and wide,
there will lie a southern suitor, and you shall be his bonny bride."
"Faither, dear, my bed is narrow, narrow so it will remain,
never will I wed a stranger, I would rather lie my lane."

"Then I will call you no more daughter, I will call you no more mine.
Til the day you die, you'll wander, wander out among the swain."
Thaney frae the hall was banished, banished oot untae the night,
by and by there came a lady busking linens lily-white.

And Thaney beckoned tae the lady, through the murk she couldnae tell
that it was a fair-faced laddie, come [] like the yellow bell.
"Tak' your hands frae off ma shoulders, tak' your hands frae off my wain."
"I will tak' the one thing, lady, I never can return again."

He has left her lyin' low and fallen there among the swain.
Thaney saw her belly growin', growing wi' a new []
Word has gone untae the castle, word has gone untae the hall:
"Thaney has lain wrang wi' a stranger, she has let her snood downfall."

"Wae be to the wanton, Thaney, she has hurt a girt my heart.
Tak' her tae the highest mountain, tie her fast untae a cart.
Lay a shackle on Thaney's body, wi' her belly round and fu',
every man wi' stones be ready for to break her back in two."

But wonders on that bonny lady, wonders on that barrack? wall,
though the stanes rained down with fury, not a one on her did fall.
Word has gone untae the castle, word has gone through a' the land,
Thaney rose up like the morning, she steps off frae on the strand.

"Wae be tae the wonton, Thaney, curses on her blithesome head,
let it be by love here commanded, I will live to see her dead.
Without sail or oar or rudder if you should cross the wild, wild fame (foam),
let the ocean's [] devour you, never more you'll rise again."

But wonders on that bonny lady, wonders on the silver spray,
cradled by five thousand fishes, it's she has reached the Isle o' May,
through the turning tide they come back?, through the rattling, roaring storm,
safe to [] Kirk, she's landed, there's she has her baby born.
"I will make my bed fu' narrow, and in it I will lie my lane,
and my bonny boy beside me, nothing more to rue again."

Words and music by Karine Polwart of the Scottish group, Malinky. About 'one of the earliest documented rape victims in Scotland' the daughter of a sixth century Lowland King. She was later canonized to become Saint Thenew (St. Enoch), patron saint of shopping centers and her son became Kentigern (St. Mungo), patron saint of Glasgow.
The tune is in a weird Balkan kind of meter, so I'm a bit shy of trying to transcribe it, though I could do the notes, with some work. Anyone else got it?

This song was nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for Best Original Song in 2003. Breezy, if you check in, what did you mean in last year's thread mentioning this: "As its a 'ballad', it opens up the debate as to whether it qualifies to be classified as a 'Song'"?

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thaney (need help)
From: My guru always said
Date: 21 Apr 03 - 01:08 PM

Becky: As you've found on an older thread (Folk Awards?), I've been singing this one out for a while now & am very impressed with Karine Polwart's songwriting!

I took the words from the 3 Ravens CD sleeve notes & kinda un-broadened them so that I wasn't abusing the dialect too much (am English). The Scots words are sung phonetically. It was the best I could do & it's such a cracking song I felt it needed singing out.

Good luck with it :-)


THANEY
Karine Polwart of Malinky

Mak yer bed full broad, dear Thaney, mak yer bed full broad and wide
There will lie a Southern suitor and you shall be his bonnie bride
Father dear my bed is narrow, narrow so it will remain
Never will I wed a stranger; I would rather lie my lane

Then I will call you no more daughter, I will call you no more mine
Till the day you die you'll wander, wander oot among the swine
Thaney frae the hall was banished, banished oot into the night
By and by there came a Lady, busked in linens lily-white

And Thaney beckoned to the Lady, through the murk she couldnae tell
That it was a fair-faced laddie, come looming like the Earl of Hell
Tak yer hands from off my shoulders, tak yer hands from off my wame
I will tak the one thing Lady, I never can return again

He has left her lying lowing, lowing there among the swine
Thaney saw her belly growing, growing wi' the rue and thyme
Word has gone unto the castle, and word has gone unto the hall
Thaney has lain wrang with a stranger; she has let her snood doon fall

Wae be tae the wanton Thaney, she has hattered at my heart
Tak her tae the highest mountain; tie her fast intae a cart
They have shackled Thaney's body, with her belly growing full
Every man with stone stood ready, for to break her back in two

But wonders on the bonnie Lady, wonders on the Berwick Law
Though the staines rained doon with fury, not a one on her did fall
Word has gone untae the castle; word has gone through all the land
Thaney rose up like the morning, she stepped softly on the strand

Wae be tae the wanton Thaney, curses on her blithesome head
Let it be by Loth here commanded, I will live to see her dead
Without sail or row or rudder it's you shall toss the wild, wild foam
Let the ocean's dogs devour you, never more you'll rise again

But wonders on the bonnie Lady, wonders on the silver spray
Cradled by five thousand fishes, it's she has reached the Isle of May
Through the turning tide they tumbled, through the rattling roaring storm
Safe at Culross Kirk she has landed, there she has her baby born

I will make my bed full narrow, and in it I will lie my lane
And my bonnie boy there beside me………… nothing more to rue again

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thaney (need help)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 21 Apr 03 - 06:06 PM

Thanks for your help, MGAS.

~ Becky

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thaney (need help)
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 21 Apr 03 - 07:18 PM

Coincidently, I was reading similar lyrics last night from The Oxford Book of Ballads1910, #42, p.179 FAIR ANNIE. Its first two lines are:

It's narrow, narrow, mak your bed,
And learn to lie you lane;

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thaney (need help)
From: My guru always said
Date: 21 Apr 03 - 07:34 PM

That certainly is a coincidence!