The.Slave's.Lament (Burns)

Subject: The.Slave's.Lament
From: Alice
Date: 04 Feb 99 - 01:21 PM

I have been singing this Burns song around the house for the last week, and now I can't get it out of my head. Yes, the lyrics are taped to my shower wall. (For newbies, this goes back to a discussion of how we learn songs.) I learned it as an afterthought of Robert Burns songs, and Fiona included it on her Thistle and Shamrock Burns program this year. The lyrics are in the database, so NO NEED to repost them here. I was just wondering how many other Mudcatters sing this song. It has such a haunting melody... a little tricky to learn at first, and the lyrics, especially the Virginia-ginia Oh, part really catch your attention.

Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: Bruce O.
Date: 04 Feb 99 - 02:00 PM

Burns' song is based on a late 17th century broadside ballad, "The Trappan'd Maiden, Or, The Distressed Damsel", about an English girl sold to Virginia.

Give ear unto a maid,
That lately was betray'd,
And sent into Virginny O:
In brief I shall declare,
What I have suffered there,
When that I was weary,
weary, weary, weary, O.

For texts see ZN966 in the broadside ballad index on my website. Click

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: Alice
Date: 04 Feb 99 - 02:49 PM

thanks, Bruce, that gives me more verses than the 3 Burns' verses I have found.

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: Alice
Date: 27 Oct 99 - 10:04 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jun 18 - 08:38 AM

Hm.... what DID "slave" mean colloquially, before the US economy eclipsed that meaning with its system based on its CHATTEL slavery? Would that have led to Suman tic confusion as types of slavery were recalled, generations later?

~S~

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 18 Jun 18 - 09:11 AM

Terry Clarke, a singer songwriter currently based in South Wales, heard about this song while living in Dunoon some years ago. The words blew him away - and he couldn't wait for me to give him the tune to which Burns set it!! So he composed his own (at that time he was still touring in the New Orleans area, there was empathy for that particular song)
I learned the song / tune from Jean Redpath and prefer to sing the original version - but Terry's does capture the feeling of the words.
Not sure if he has recorded it on a cd - his website might have the info?

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Jun 18 - 09:17 AM

The tune Burns used was given two him by an English friend who thought it was Sephardic - it's almost identical to the Catalan "Cant dels ocells", whose history seems unknown. There is also a major-key tune, equally appropriate, that was attached to Burns's words in the early 19th century. So it looks like we're spoilt for choice.

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 19 Jun 18 - 02:44 AM

wysiwyg: "...what DID "slave" mean colloquially, before the US economy eclipsed that meaning with its system based on its CHATTEL slavery?"

"Chattel" is mostly 19th century New England abolitionist glossary. At one time or another endentured servants, apprentices &c could all be bought, sold, traded and taken away by the courts like any other property.

Encyclopedia Virginia: Colonial Indentured Servants

For many Colonials "slave" & "liberty" usage and practice was serious Old Testament stuff. Square hats at graduation.

At the end of the day, the Yanks put up the one 13th Amendment for the lot of it. Works for me.

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: Thompson
Date: 19 Jun 18 - 04:57 AM

The difference, though, was that the child of an indentured servant or an apprentice was not a slave, and could not be bought and sold.

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 19 Jun 18 - 01:14 PM

"The difference, though, was that the child of an indentured servant or an apprentice was not a slave, and could not be bought and sold."

Children were bought, sold, traded and confiscated as a package deal with the indentured parent. One difference was the familiy unit could not be broken up but if the parent died in contract almost anything could, and did, happen to the children.

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 19 Jun 18 - 01:35 PM

It should be noted that, under the indenture system, any child could be 'sold' by the parent or legal guardian at any time, indentured parent or not.

Subject: RE: The.Slave's.Lament
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 19 Jun 18 - 01:46 PM

I first heard it sung by Dougie MacLean, whom I believe learned it from Sheena Wellington. Also recorded by Michael Marra [ RIP ] with "Mr. McFall's Chamber". 3 very different treatments of a great song.
I also discovered an "international" version by a Dutch singer Leoni Jansen who recorded the song with "Les Freres Guisse" from Senegal.
Also recently recorded by Robyn Stapleton.