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Subject: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: Roberto Date: 29 Apr 04 - 04:10 AM I'd like to get the text of the ballad number 243 in Child in the versions recorded by PEARL JACOBS BORUSKY, Wisconsin, 1940 (Well Met, My Old True Love) and by CLAY WALTERS, Kentucky, 1937 (The Ship Carpenter). They should be both on Bronson's collection. By the way, is Bronson's collection available at the moment, and at what cost? Thanks. Roberto |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 29 Apr 04 - 12:21 PM Both are in Bronson, but I don't have that bit at the moment and need to spend some more time at the photocopier. Original editions are prohibitively expensive nowadays, though you can get "print on demand" copies at a more sensible (though still not small) price. There is to be a reissue on CDROM, perhaps at the end of this year; but the Child CDROM from the same publisher appeared a year behind schedule, so I'm not holding my breath, and continue with photocopying trips to the library. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: GUEST,MMario Date: 29 Apr 04 - 12:29 PM Bronson 243.88 is fro Mrs. M. G. Jacobs of Bryant Wisc - "learned from her mother" - it that the one you want? "Well Met, Well Met, My Old True Love Clay Walters did two versions it seems - Bronson has them as 243.13 and 243.78 Which did you want? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE SHIP CARPENTER From: GUEST,MMario Date: 29 Apr 04 - 12:45 PM okay - it appears Bronson 243.78 should be one of the one's you want at least... THE SHIP CARPENTER Sung by clay Walters, Salyersville, Ky 1937 Collected by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax Well me, well met, my one true love Long I've been searching for thee I've been all across the salt roaring sea And it's all for the sake of thee. Ph, I could have married the king's daughter fair She all the same would have had me But I refused that rich crown of gold And it's all for the sake of thee If you could have married the king's duaghter dear I'm sure that you are to blame For I wouldn't have my husband to hear tell of thee For ten thousand pounds of gold. Oh, I am married to a ship carpenter And a ship carmenter I obey And by him I have a little son Or I would go along with thee. What have you to maintain me on? Is it houses, land, gold, and fee? I've senven loaded ships a-sailing on the sea Besides the one that brought me to land She picked up her baby all in her arms And kissed it sweetlie embraced and laid it down on a soft bed of down and bid it go to sleep As they walked down by the seashore The water it set running so bold The sides was lined with silver so bright And the top was the purest of gold. As they sailed all on the sea The music did seem so sweet She thought of her babe she had left behind And set herself down to weep. are you weeping for my gold, said he? Are you weeping for fee? Or are you weeping for some other man That you love far better than me? I'm not a-weeping for your gold Neither am I a-weeping for fee But I'm weeping to return to dry land again My poor little babe to see. If you had ten thousand pounds of gold And would give it all unto me You never should return to dry land again Your babe you never will see What hills, what hills, my own true love, That look so white like snow? It's the hills of Heaven, my own true love Where all righteous people go. What hills, what hills, my own true love, that look so dark and low? It's the hills of Hell, my own true love where you and I must go. Straight news, straight news to the ship carpenter Staright news come back to the land The ship that his own dear wifee sailed in Went sinking to the sand. Sailors may be the worst of men That lead poor women astray The sailor has ruined the ship carpenter By deluding his poor wife away. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 29 Apr 04 - 12:48 PM Mrs Pearl Jacobs Borusky (Wisconsin), Bronson III p.103 (Bronson doesn't index variant numbers, and Roud doesn't include III and IV yet). Also transcribed in Harry B Peters, Folksongs out of Wisconsin, 1977, 109-110. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: GUEST,MMario Date: 29 Apr 04 - 12:55 PM sorry - don't have that one. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: masato sakurai Date: 29 Apr 04 - 12:58 PM Both are on Child Ballads Traditional in the United States (II), edited by Bertrand H. Bronson (Library of Congress AAFS L58) [LP]. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WELL MET, WELL MET, MY OLD TRUE LOVE From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 29 Apr 04 - 03:31 PM Seems to be this one, Mrs. M. G. Jacobs, Wisc., 13 verses, 243, 88. "WELL MET, WELL MET, MY OLD TRUE LOVE" Well met, well met, my old true love, Well met, well met, said he. I have just returned from the salt, salt sea; And 'twas all for the sake of thee, And 'twas all for the sake of thee. I once could have married a king's daughter fair, And she would have married me. But I refused that rich crown of gold, And it's all for the sake of thee. If you could have married a king's daughter fair I'm sure you're much to blame, For I am married to a house carpenter, And I think he's a fine young man. If you'll forsake your house carpenter And go along with me, I will take you where the grass grows green, {On the banks of the Sweet Willee} {On the banks of the Sweet Liberty.} If I forsake my house carpenter And go along with thee, What have you got for my support, And to keep me from slavery? I have six ships sailing on the sea, The seventh one at land, And if you'll come and go with me They shall be at your command. She took her babe into her arms And gave it kisses three, Saying, Stay at home, my pretty little babe For to keep your father company. She dressed herself in rich array To exceed all others in the town, And as she walked the streets around She shone like a glittering crown. They had not been on board more than two weeks, I'm sure it was not three, Until she began to weep And she wept most bitterly. Are you weeping for your houses and your land, Or are you weeping for your store, Or are you weeping for your house carpenter You never shall see any more? I'm not weeping for my house nor my land, Nor I'm not weeping for my store, But I'm weeping for my pretty little babe I never shall see any more. They had not been on board more than three weeks, It was not four I'm sure, Until at length the ship sprung a leak, And she sank to arise no more. A curse, a curse to all sea men! A curse to a sailor's life! For they have robbed me of my house carpenter And taken away my life. Good riddance, I say. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 29 Apr 04 - 03:40 PM Interesting; but not the text Roberto was looking for. See my earlier note; MMario has the abridged edition and mis-identified the singer. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WELL MET, MY OLD TRUE LOVE From: GUEST, NOMADman Date: 29 Apr 04 - 07:44 PM Bronson's Text #103, titled "WELL MET, MY OLD TRUE LOVE" sung by Mrs. Pearl Jacobs Borusky, Antigo, Wisc., 1940, collected by Robert F. Draves - from Bronson Vol. 3, p 476. Well met, well met, my old true love Well met, well met said he I have just returned from the salt, salt sea And it's all for the sake of thee. And it's all for the sake of thee. I once could have married a king's daughter fair And she would have married me But I refused that rich crown of gold And it's all for the sake of thee. And it's all for the sake of thee. If you could have married a king's daughter fair I'm sure you are much to blame For I am married to a house carpenter And I think he's a fine young man. And I think he's a fine young man. If you'll forsake your house carpenter And go along with me I will take you where the grass grows green On the banks of the sweet Willie. On the banks of the sweet Willie. If I forsake my house carpenter And go along with thee What have you got for my support And to keep me from slavery? And to keep me from slavery? I have six ships upon the sea And the seventh one at the land And if you come and go with me They shall be at your command. They shall be at your command. She took her babe into her arms And gave it kisses three Saying, stay at home my pretty little babe To keep your father company. To keep your father company. She dressed herself in rich array To exceed all others in the town And as she walked the streets around She shone like a glittering crown. She shone like a glittering crown. They had not been on board more than two weeks I'm sure it was not three Until one day she began to weep And she wept most bitterly. And she wept most bitterly. O are you weeping for your houses or your land? Or are you weeping for your store? Or are you weeping for your house carpenter You never shall see any more? That you never shall see any more? I'm not weeping for my houses or my land Nor I'm not weeping for my store But I am weeping for my pretty little babe I never shall see any more. I never shall see any more. They had not been on board more than three weeks It was not four, I am sure Until at length the ship sprung a leak And she sunk to arise no more. And she sunk to arise no more. A curse, a curse to all seamen And a curse to a sailor's wife For they have robbed me of my house carpenter And have taken away my life. And have taken away my life. Regards, John |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: Roberto Date: 30 Apr 04 - 11:32 AM Thank you all very very much. Just a little problem in the 6th stanza of Clay Walters' version that MMario put on the thread: "And kissed it sweelie embraced" (?). Thank you again. R |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: MMario Date: 30 Apr 04 - 11:36 AM sorry - should be "sweetlie" |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE HOUSE CARPENTER (from Daithi Sproule) From: Roberto Date: 01 May 04 - 04:48 AM Daithi Sproule's recording of Child #243 based on Pearl Jacobs Borusky's version. THE HOUSE CARPENTER Daithi Sproule (with Liz Carroll, fiddle), A Heart Made of Glass, Green Linnet GLCD 1123, 1993. Well met, well met, my old true love Well met, well met - cried he I have just returned from the salt, salt sea And it's all for the sake of thee And it's all for the sake of thee Well, I could have married a king's daughter fair I'm sure she'd have married me But I refused her rich crown of gold And it's all for the sake of thee And it's all for the sake of thee Well, if you could have married a king's daughter fair I'm sure you are to blame For I am married to a house carpenter And I think he's a fine young man And I think he's a fine young man Well, if I should forsake my house carpenter And go along with thee What have you got for my support To keep me from slavery? To keep me from slavery? I have six ships upon the sea And the seventh one nigh to land And if you come and go with me They would all be at your command They would all be at your command So she's dressed herself in such rich attire To exceed all others in the town And as she walked the streets around She shone like some glittering crown She shone like some glittering crown Then she's taken her baby in her arms And given him kisses three Saying - Stay at home my pretty little babe And keep your daddy company And keep your daddy company They had not been on board but just two weeks I'm sure it was not three Until this lady she began for to weep And she wept most bitterly And she wept most bitterly Well, are you weeping for your house or your land? Or are you weeping for your store? Or are you weeping for your house carpenter That you never shall see any more? That you never shall see any more? No, I'm not weeping for my house nor my land Nor I'm not weeping for my store But I am weeping for my pretty little babe That I never shall see any more That I never shall see any more They had not been on board but just three weeks It was not four, I am sure Until at last the ship sprung a leak And it sunk to arise no more And it sunk to arise no more A curse, a curse to all seamen And a curse to a sailor's life You have taken from me my pretty little babe And now you have taken my life And now you have taken my life |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: GUEST,socratesthekid Date: 02 Feb 08 - 12:22 AM Just as a point of curiosity... Anyone know what "the sweet willie" is? I've also heard of the line being "sunny Italy" or "Shores of Italy" Just curious as to the mutation of it |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: masato sakurai Date: 02 Feb 08 - 02:32 AM Liner notes with transcriptions in Child Ballads Traditional in the United States, edited by B.H. Bronson, are at Voices from the Dust Bowl: The Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin Migrant Worker Collection, 1940-1941. Page images are combined with those of Anglo-American Shanties, Lyric Songs, Dance Tunes and Spirituals. See pp. 4-23. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Child 243 on Bronson From: GUEST,Blueuke08 Date: 25 Feb 10 - 11:54 AM I just heard a variant on this on Pop Wagner's show. Played with autoharp accompaniment. Album Inside Dave N. Ronk. Some of the verses are left out or differently arranged. FYI, sweet Willie drowned on the dewey dens of the Yarrow in another song. I think he may have ended up in here by folk accident. |
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