Lyr Req: Dowie Dens o' Yarrow (Davey Stewart)

Subject: Davey Stewart's Dowie Dens O' Yarrow
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 04:07 PM

Does anyone have more than six verses to Davey Stewart's singing of The Dowie Dens O' Yarrow ? I have two published tapes, one vinyl Topic record and the Davie Stewart Greentrax C.D. but all feature the same performance, and each has the same six verses of this long ballad.I am not interested in any other versions of the song but would be grateful for more of Davey's version if anyone has it.
                   Thanks, Geoff

Subject: RE: Davey Stewart's Dowie Dens O' Yarrow
From: GUEST,Matthew Edwards
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 04:34 PM

Geoff, I can't help with any other recordings of Davie, but his niece Jane Turriff has a version, and her Mill o Tifty's Annie makes use of Davie's Dowie Dens tune. Is this of any help?

Subject: RE: Davey Stewart's Dowie Dens O' Yarrow
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 05:54 PM

Thanks Matthew, I didn't know Jane Turriff was Davie Stewart's niece but I'll see where that leads. I know that Ewan McColl recorded a version of the DDOF does anyone know if that starts with
    "There was a lady into the north " , like the Davie Stewart version?

Subject: RE: Davey Stewart's Dowie Dens O' Yarrow
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 02:51 AM

There are two recordings I have on CD, both as part of the Alan Lomax Collection on Rounder.

One is the same as the Topic I believe edited down to six verses, 2mins 38secs, on "the Child Ballads Vol 2" Rounder 1776.

But the other is on an excellent whole CD of Davie in the Lomax Portraits series ""go On Sing Another Song" Rounder 1833 and appears to be the full thing, 11 verses 6mins 46secs. Well worth getting.

There is also a double CD of Davie and Jimmy MacBeth called "Two Gentlemen of the Road" Rounder which appears to be interviews, stories and songs which were not on their "solo" portaits CDs. That one is still in my pile of recent acquisitions "to play", I think I'll move it nearer the top.

There is more info on the Rounder Web Site follow links to the lomax stuff under "series"

Subject: RE: Davey Stewart's Dowie Dens O' Yarrow
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 01:17 PM

Thanks Kevin, I stumbled about on the net yesterday and discovered Folktrax which has some recordings of Davie Stewart ( plus an amazing archive of other field recordings) and because you helpfully told me that the full version of the ballad take 6mins 46 secs I was able to tell that the recording they offer contains all the verses though at 6m 33s it is possibly a different recording from the Lomax one

Subject: RE: Davey Stewart's Dowie Dens O' Yarrow
From: GUEST,Bograt
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 02:34 PM

Geoff.

I don't know if it will help you at all but I have a 12 verse
version, (lyrics/chords), in a book called "The Seeds of Love".
(Compiled and edited by Stephen Sedley, published by Essex Music
1967, in association with English Folk Song/Dance Society).

The first verse however begins, "There was a lady in the west"

The notes state that the text was collated from Child, Greig and
MacColls "Scotland Sings"

If you would like to have this version I would be very pleased to
put it on here for you.

Hope you find what you're looking for.

Cheers

Bog

Subject: RE: Davey Stewart's Dowie Dens O' Yarrow
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 05:42 AM

Thanks Bog but I have that book myself