Origins: Robin Grey / Bridegroom Greets

Subject: Origins: Robin Grey / Bridegroom Greets
From: Dunlace
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 12:43 PM

Prof. Jane Millgate gave a talk last week at the BARS conference in Newcastle, about 'Old Robin Gray'. She mentioned it had a great tune but originally the words were so unseemly, (it was called something like 'the bridegroom greets when the sun gaes doon'), that an 18th century lady, Ann Barnard (nee Lindsay), wrote a new poem for it, 'Old Robin Gray' which became so famous that the Rev. William Leaves then wrote another good tune to the new words, which Jean Redpath sings. Sir Walter Scott published the ORG text but, as usual, no tune. I'd like to hear it as a part of my border ballads PhD research. Could anyone send me an mp3 of it, or sell me the CD, which Amazon doesn't have in stock? Thanks for any help. Also, if anyone knows the words of the bridegroom poem I'd love to see them.

Subject: RE: Origins: Robin Grey / Bridegroom Greets
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 08 Aug 05 - 07:13 PM

I expect your university has copies of the Folk Music Journal. See Ian Spring's paper in volume 5, number 4, 1988: Why did 'the Bridegroom Greet'? (469-481). That will tell you all about the earlier song and some of its descendants, and will provide further references.

"Auld Robin Gray" (both old and new tunes) can be found in most older commercial collections of popular Scottish song. Pittman and Brown, Songs of Scotland I, 1877 (and many times reprinted), comes to hand, and there are plenty more. You need to be able to read music or make a midi file from notation, but if you are working on ballads for a further degree I imagine you can do that.

Subject: RE: Origins: Robin Grey / Bridegroom Greets
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 03:37 PM

First time I heard there was a folk lyric (AND original tune!) behind Lady Ann Lindsay's "Auld Robin Gray" (a nice, if sophisticated, song in its own right).

Anybody got a liine on "The bridegroom greets when the sun gaes doon?"

Bob

Subject: RE: Origins: Robin Grey / Bridegroom Greets
From: Gatherer
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 06:32 PM

I could give you the tune, but not the lyrics. What format is best?

Subject: RE: Origins: Robin Grey / Bridegroom Greets
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 10:00 PM

I've told you where you can get "the lyrics". Visit a library, or, if that isn't convenient, consider buying a book using money. For quite a small sum, you can get a copy of the Folk Music Journal from EFDSS. Back numbers are available.

If people actually buy copies, the Journal (first published in 1899) may survive.

Subject: RE: Origins: Robin Grey / Bridegroom Greets
From: Dunlace
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 11:07 AM

Thanks Malcolm, very kind of you to provide the exact info I needed. Sorry about the delay in replying, I've been away from my desk for quite a while. I hope to visit C # House soon to view the FMJ and read that article. The music I can of course find in many forms, but it was Jean Redpath's performance I especially wanted to hear.

All the best,
Dunlace