Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 04:54 PM

I wonder, Joe, if you could now give the thread its proper title 'Richard of Taunton Dean'.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 04:52 PM

The tune and the chorus are very widespread and popular for little country comic ditties. It has even become hybridised in some areas with the 16th century Brian O'Lynn. This type of song more often appears in local dialect collections and tends to have been largely overlooked by the folk song collectors.

I can take it back a little further. Pitts issued at least 2 different slips with it on before he moved premises in 1819. I'd be surprised if it wasn't at least 18thc. When he printed it on a broadside at his new premises at number 6 (1819-1844) he changed the title to 'Dumble Dum Deary'

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: GUEST,#
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 03:36 PM

Ballad: RICHARD OF TAUNTON DEAN; OR, DUMBLE DUM DEARY.

[This song is very popular with the country people in every part of
England, but more particularly with the inhabitants of the counties
of Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. The chorus is peculiar to
country songs of the West of England. There are many different
versions. The following one, communicated by Mr. Sandys, was taken
down from the singing of an old blind fiddler, 'who,' says Mr.
Sandys, 'used to accompany it on his instrument in an original and
humorous manner; a representative of the old minstrels!' The air
is in Popular Music. In Halliwell's Nursery Rhymes of England
there is a version of this song, called Richard of Dalton Dale.

The popularity of this West-country song has extended even to
Ireland, as appears from two Irish versions, supplied by the late
Mr. T. Crofton Croker. One of them is entitled Last New-Year's
Day, and is printed by Haly, Hanover-street, Cork. It follows the
English song almost verbatim, with the exception of the first and
second verses, which we subjoin:-


'Last New-Year's day, as I heard say,
Dick mounted on his dapple gray;
He mounted high and he mounted low,
Until he came to SWEET RAPHOE!
Sing fal de dol de ree,
Fol de dol, righ fol dee.
'My buckskin does I did put on,
My spladdery clogs, TO SAVE MY BROGUES!
And in my pocket a lump of bread,
And round my hat a ribbon red.'


The other version is entitled Dicky of Ballyman, and a note informs
us that 'Dicky of Ballyman's sirname was Byrne!' As our readers
may like to hear how the Somersetshire bumpkin behaved after he had
located himself in the town of Ballyman, and taken the sirname of
Byrne, we give the whole of his amatory adventures in the sister-
island. We discover from them, inter alia, that he had found 'the
best of friends' in his 'Uncle,'--that he had made a grand
discovery in natural history, viz., that a rabbit is a FOWL!--that
he had taken the temperance pledge, which, however, his Mistress
Ann had certainly not done; and, moreover, that he had become an
enthusiast in potatoes!

That is from    http://www.fullbooks.com/Ancient-Poems-Ballads-and-Songs-of-England4.html

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Jan 21 - 03:22 PM

Needs some work.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 11:01 AM

I just looked at the Folkways LP featuring Wallace House, and I see that the name of the "hero" there is Herchard, not Richard.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Selchie - (RH)
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 03:37 AM

Glad you found it Uke.

I do like the tune & first heard it sung in harmony by 'Ninepenny Marl' a group from the West Midlands, UK.

R

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Judy Cook
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:19 PM

It's on a cd currently available here Rounder's "Alan Lomax Collection: World Library of folk and Primitive Music. volume 1, England"

Just happened to be listening to that song just before I saw this thread.

Judy Cook

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 10:50 PM

The Bodleian has one dated ca. 1828-1832, "Richard of Taunton Dean;" Harding B25(1617), T. Batchelar, London. It may be older, because the old 'f'-shaped 's' is used; seldom seen after about 1810. There are several others. I didn't check them for variation.

The Harding broadside has, I think, a better verse 8. I'll include the rest to keep the flow because there are slight differences:

'O I can reap and I can mow,
And I can plow and I can sow;
And I goes to market to sell father's hay,
And I yarns my nine pence every day.'

'Nine pence a day will never do,
For I must have silks and satins too;
Nine pence a day! That won't buy meat!'
'Adzooks,' cries Dick, 'I've a sack of wheat.

'Besides, I've a house that's here hard by,
That's all my own when mother does die;
And if you'll consent to marry me now,
I'll feed ye as fat as my father's old sow.'

Dick's compliments were so polite,
That all the company laugh'd outright,
And when he'd got no more to say,
He mounted old Dobbin and rode away.

"Dicky of Ballyman" is another version. http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/lit/poetry/AncientPoemsBallads/chap43.html

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Uke
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 03:59 PM

Thanks Dave - Thought I'd paste the lyrics from the 'Contemplator' website for anyone who's interested. They come from "English Folk-Songs" (1891). The earliest example known is a broadside from 1837:

Richard of Taunton

Last New Year's Day, as I've heard say,
Young Richard he mounted his dapple grey,
And trotted along to Taunton Dean,
To court the parson's daughter Jean.
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

With buckskin breeches, shoes, and hose,
Dicky put on his Sunday clothes,
Likewise a hat upon top of his head,
All bedaubed with ribbons red.
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

Young Richard he rode without any fear,
Till he came to the house where lived his sweet dear;
When he knocked and he kicked and be bellowed 'Halo!
Be the folks at home? say aye or no!'
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

A trusty servant let him in,
That he his courtship might begin;
Young Richard he walked along the great hall,
And loud for Mistress Jean did call.
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

Miss Jean she came without delay,
To hear what Richard had got for to say.
'I s'pose you know me, Mistress Jean
I'm honest Richard of Taunton Dean.'
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

'I'm an honest fellow, although I be poor,
And I never were in love afore;
My mother she bid me come here to woo,
For I can fancy none but you.'
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

'Suppose that I were to be your bride,
Pray, how would you for me provide?
For I can neither sew nor spin,
Pray, what will your day's work bring in?'
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

'Why, I can plough and I can row,
And zometimes I to the market go
With Gaffer Johnson's straw or hay,
And yarn my ninepence every day.'
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

'Ninepence a day! 'Twill never do,
For I must have silks and satins too!
Ninepence a day won't buy us meat!'
'Adzooks!' says Dick, 'I've a zack of wheat!'
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

'Beside; I have a house hard by,
'Tis all my own when mammy do die:
If thee and I were married now,
I'd feed thee as fat as my feyther's old zow.'
Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

Dick's compliments did so delight,
They made the family laugh outright.
Young Richard took huff, and no more would say,
But he mounted old Dobbin and gallop'd away,
Singing, Dumble-dum deary, dumble-dum deary,
Dumble-dum, dumble-dum, dumble-dum dee.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 03:43 PM

I have Richard o' Taunton Dean on an old 10 inch LP, from the 50s, sung by Wallace House.

In his version he tells her, among other things:
"For I've a pig penned up in a stye
That'll coom to me when granny do die"

"Dick's compliments were so polite
That she said yes before it were night
***** (don't remember)
Why, he gied her a kiss, and she coomed away!
With my dumble-dum dollykin, dumble-dum day!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Uke
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 01:42 PM

Thanks Selchie - that's the one.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Selchie - (RH)
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 09:20 AM

Try this:    http://www.contemplator.com/england/taunton.html

The song is Richard of Taunton Dean
Chorus ~ Dumble-down deary, Dumble-down deary,    etc. etc.

Hope it's what you're looking for.

R

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: GUEST,John in Brisbane
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 07:24 AM

No luck on the tune but Prof John Glaister seemed to be scholarly in Medical jurisprudence and Toxicology.

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Uke
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 04:10 AM

I'm afraid I know just the title - not much use I know. And I must confess I misread the title - it is "Dumpledown Daisy".

There is a passing mention in an article on bawdy monologues (Gershon Legman in 'Western Folklore' Vol. 40 1976), as the tune to a medical students song called "Professor John Glaister".

Now I'm curious, because I feel I've heard of this "Dumpledown Daisy" song, but where eludes me. 'Dumpledown' sounds English...

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 12:03 AM

What does it sound like, then? Quote us a few words, perhaps?

Subject: Tune Req: Dumbledown Daisy
From: Uke
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 11:52 PM

I'm looking for tune and lyrics this, which sounds like an old nursery rhyme - and have searched online - no luck.

Can anybody help with a version? Cheers.