Origins: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?

Subject: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 07:47 PM

No, I've got the words and the tune. Also, the voice in my head singing it is Giok (hey, Giok -- do you sing it? Did you sing it at the Press Room or at Sinsull's?)

Anywho, I KNOW I've heard it a couple times lately (meaning the past couple months) on CD in my car -- maybe the same recording; maybe several recordings.

I've been through the pile o' CDs that I know I've been listening to over the past few months. But probably not all of them.

It's just something that's driving me as crazy as an ear worm -- maybe one of you will mention the recording(s) I've got and that will not only narrow it down, it will answer the question that's got me lying awake nights! (Yeah, I know -- I need a life.)

Mudcat's bailed me out before. Thank you for whatever information comes my way.

Linn

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Greg B
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 07:47 PM

Steeleye Span?

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Declan
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 07:52 PM

Steeleye may well be correct.

I remember an Irish version from the late 60s/early 70s. May have been the Johnstons?

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 08:03 PM

try this as a starter.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 08:53 PM

I first heard it on a record by John Allen Cameron.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 09:52 PM

1959---first recording I ever heard of this song. It was done wonderfully, on his first album, by the one and only---SANDY PATON !!!

This was his Elektra LP called The Many Sides Of Sandy Paton--the front cover of which can be viewed at my photo website: http://rudegnu.com/art_thieme.html

It was a much better album than Sandy would ever admit!! ;-)

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 09:55 PM

The Clancy Brothers recorded it.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Abby Sale
Date: 25 Jun 06 - 11:05 PM

I have Isla Cameron from back then. It was a standard of Barbara Dickson but I don't know if she recorded it.

Google shows a few - Makem..

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Anglo
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 12:42 AM

Jeannie Robertson

(also Ellen Mitchell on the Musical Traditions CD Kevin & Ellen Mitchell)

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Big Tim
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 01:30 AM

Sweeney's Men too.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 02:15 AM

It was also recorded here in NZ by The Tartan Clansmen but I doubt you would have heard that one.
(My husband was a member of the Tarts for a few years).
Robyn

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 03:39 AM

It is my wife´s favourite song. She hasn´t recorded it though.

I sing Tom Lehrer´s "She´s My girl" as a reply.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 03:45 AM

Ray Fisher.

eric

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 04:13 AM

Yes Linn I did sing it at Sinsull's, I learnt it from Alex Campbell way back in the dark ages. I do believe he also recorded it.
Giok

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 07:44 AM

Hmm...I HAVE been listening to Ray Fisher lately, but I didn't think it was on the CD I've been listening to.

Will have to check it out further.

Thanks, Jon, for the search at Amazon -- that hadn't occurred to me. (But it also didn't turn up anything I've been listening to lately.) And what I've been listening to lately (too) has been Art Thieme -- but you didn't record it, did you, Art?

Trying to reconstruct what I've been listening to for the past several months is an interesting project...

Linn

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 07:50 AM

It wasn't Amazon, Linn, it was the Gracenote CDDB I used.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 08:33 AM

I have the version by Steeleye Span on a taster CD Park Recordings PRKCD37

Various Artists - Park Taster CD

PRKCD37 Park Taster CD £5.50

Description
An exciting collection featuring tracks from some of Park's most successful albums.


Tracks
1. The Fox - Steeleye Span
2. The Jovial Beggar - Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band
3. The Old Maid In The Garrett - Steeleye Span
4. The Galway Farmer - Davey Arthur
5. Africa - The Guitar Orchestra
6. Marigold / Harvest Home - Maddy Prior
7. Jacko Diamonds - Wild Willy Barrett
8. Lady Diamond - Steeleye Span
9. Bewcastle - Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band
10. Commit The Crime - Maddy Prior
11. The Boar's Head - Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band
12. So Early In The Spring - Pentangle
13. A Pernod For The Bamboo Man (Aperitif) - The Guitar Orchestra
14. Boys of Bedlam (live) - Maddy Prior
15. The Rolling English Road (live) - Maddy Prior

http://www.parkrecords.com/index.php

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 09:51 AM

I seem to remember Debbie McClatchy singing it, way back when. Donn't know if she ever recorded the song though.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Auldtimer
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 12:53 PM

Anyone who ever heard Lizzie Higgins sing this song will be aware of her alternative ending. Stuned many an audence.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 01:02 PM

That´s the one my wife sings.......... (See above)

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,graciek
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 06:37 PM

There is a version on the Steelye Span recording "Time" featuring Maddy Prior and Gay Woods.

_ Grace

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Declan
Date: 26 Jun 06 - 07:21 PM

Big Tim

I think you're right that the Irish hit was Sweeney's rather than the Johnsons. My memory of it sounds like Johnny Moynihan.

If my memory serves me correctly the (recorded) Steeleye version dates back to the 90s when Gay Woods rejoined the group rather than her original stint with the band in the early days.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 07:36 AM

Still haven't figured out which CD(s) it was on that I was listening to.

Not the Ray Fisher, not the Maddy Prior.

I'm not seeing it by that title at least on a 2 CD compilation I was listening to a couple weeks ago. There's a couple things I have to find time to check out.

This is worse than an ear worm!

Thanks for all the suggestions -- but none of them have hit it yet.

Linn

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Rasener
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 07:45 AM

Linn
Have a look at this link, it might be one of these

Old Maid In The Garrett

Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Scrump
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 08:01 AM

Yes, definitely the first version I remember from around 1967 (?) was by the original Sweeney's Men. It was issued as a 45 rpm Pye single b/w their version of the Derby Ram. I had a copy of it on an old Pye album of Irish Folk Hits, which included both tracks, as well as some by the Johnstons and other Irish bands and singers. I still sing it occasionally, mine being based on the Sweeney's Men version.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Big Tim
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 08:22 AM

Yes Declan, it was Sweeney's Men, dated 1967. I think it was quite a hit in Ireland, tho not sure as I was then living in England.
(Actually, I don't like the song, finding it rather too music hall, and too cruel for my taste).

A double CD, 'The Legend of Sweeney's Men: anthology' has recently been issued on the Castle label. 41 tracks in total, including such delights as 'Willie o' Winsbury', 'Dark-Eyed Sailor', and, 'Hiram Hubbard', and some early Woods tracks. Plus detailed sleeve notes.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 12:01 PM

Yes, it is a bit music hall, Big Tim. I remeber an auntie singing it round the piano about 60 years ago. She sang either 'parrot' or 'carrot' depending upon how many wee nips she had partaken of!

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Jon pfaff
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 05:54 PM

I recorded it as 'Joan in the Garret' on a CD about 10 years ago.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Declan
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 07:33 PM

Big Tim,

I have the "Tracks of Sweeney" CD which has most of the same things on it - the full 1968 CD plus their other major album relase on one CD. The 'legend of ' CD seems to contain a fair amount of extra material?

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Joybell
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 08:42 PM

Jim, that's interesting because a song-collector friend just asked me if I'd ever heard "carrot" in place of "parrot" in this song. He heard it this way from a singer recently. I never had although I've known this song for over 40 years. Makes more sense really. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Deckman
Date: 27 Jun 06 - 09:26 PM

Art ... You're quite right. It was none other than SANDY PATON on his first recording ... where he was wearing MANY HATS on the album cover! CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Big Tim
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 02:51 AM

The Sweeney's Men 'Legend' bonus tracks,are,
                  
The Capital Show Band - The Black Velvet Band.
Johnny Kelly - The Nightingale.
The Capital Showband - The Streets of Baltimore.
The Capital Showband - McAlpine's Fusiliers.
The Capital Showband - Bottle of Wine.
Annie Briggs - Willie o' Winsbury.
Steeleye Span - Dark-Eyed Sailor.
Steeleye Span - Lowlands of Holland.
The Woods Band - Dreams for Me.
Annie Briggs - Sullivan's John.
Rain on the Roof - Baneasa's Green Glade.
Rain on the Roof - My Heart's Tonight in Ireland.                  

At £9.99 is a great bargain.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 05:43 AM

I'll have to add that newer Sweeneys compilation next time I'm ordering.

I had the earlier CD reissue of the two old LPs (my vinyl copies being somewhat knackered) but after having to return the third copy to my shop becuase of a fault on the CD I gave up on it. The newer CD looks most interesting.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 07:38 AM

Definitely not Sweeney's Men that I've been listening to -- or any of the others listed. And it's definitely not on the only Ray Fisher CD that I own (everything else is on LP) and actually HAVE been listening to lately.

Speaking of alternate titles, could I have been listening to a CD with an alternate title listed on the outside so that my ear is telling me I heard it, but when I check the label, I'm not finding it?

What are alternate titles for the song?

Linn

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: JennyO
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 11:10 AM

I used to sing this song in a duo with another woman, and when we came to the carrot/parrot verse, we always pretended to 'accidentally' sing carrot and correct it to parrot, as a joke. It always got a laugh!

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Declan
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 01:36 PM

Big Tim,

Thanks for the information. I'll keep and eye out for this disk.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Chris Cole
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 07:08 PM

Mary Humphreys used to sing this - not sure if she still does. Attend one of her sessions at Sidmouth (which will, no doubt, be excellent) and encourage her to sing her version. Mary.. if you see this, you have time to practice.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 05:38 AM

Did Sandy Paton learn this song from Joan and Rena Swankie when he used to appear at the Ballads and Blues Club in London I wonder?

Does anybody know if Joan (Read) and Rena (Jerrom) still sing together?

Hoot

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Rasener
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 06:20 AM

Maybe Mary & Anahata could be persuaded to do that on when they appear at Market Rasen Folk Club :-)

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Galway Joe Dolan
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 07:00 AM

We(Johnny Moynihan,Andy Irvine and myself)recorded this on pye in Dublin,1966-Andy did the singing.We sang "The Derby Ram" on the other side with Andy and meself swapping verse and verse about.
Hope that helps.
Joe Dolan.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: DMcG
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 07:12 AM

For what it is worth, a good way of answering this type of question general is to look at GraceNote. This is the CDDB database, so contains all the tracks from some 5 million CDs - and many CDRippers can add the track names of anything they grab to CDDB, so it keeps fairly current.

Of course, it omits most things before the CD era.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Tootler
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 04:19 PM

I first heard this song back in the 60's, but I can't remember who was singing it. My memory suggests that it was Julie Felix, but I don't entirely trust my memory

Geoff

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 04:33 PM

To creep slightly, I saw Sullivan's John on a list of tracks further back and thought, 'Oh I love that song', but I can't find it in the DT, not under S anyway. If it isn't there [I'm probably wrong] why not? It's a song I love.
Giok

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 01 Jul 06 - 11:42 PM

No, guest Hootenanny. I learned it from Lizzie Higgins and her mother, Jeannie Robertson. My wife and I stayed with them in Aberdeen for a week in September, 1958. We had planned to camp outside of town, but Jeannie wouldn't hear of it. So we spread our sleeping bags out in the front room of their tiny house. In the mornings, Isaac, Donald Higgins' brother (Donald was Jeannie's husband, Lizzie's father), would bring us tea and scones, served to us "in bed." Every evening we sang, and sang, and then sang some more when neighbors dropped in to share the music. Jeannie kept asking me to sing the Virginia version of Mattie Groves that I had learned from Paul Clayton. Later, I heard two English singers singing that melody, with a good Scottish text worked out for it, and read that they had learned it from Jeannie.
    Lizzie informed us that the REAL way to end "The Auld Maid in a Garret" was "I'll dee an auld maid in a garret. Wi' a carrot." Polite singers sang, "wi' a parrot," as did I when I recorded it for Elektra in 1959. I figured that was the wiser course, since I was earning my family's living by doing school assembly programs at that time, and felt some school authorities might object to hiring a singer of such bawdy material.
    Sandy

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 06:41 AM

Alex Campbell did record it on his Xtra "Alex Campbell" LP released around 1964. I also heard Isobel Sutherland sing it around this time but I don't know if she actually recorded it.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: cptsnapper
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 06:45 AM

I don't think that Rena Jerrom & Joan Read still sing together: the last that I knew Rena was living in Bedford & Joan still up in Glasgow - but that was a few years ago.

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Big Tim
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 11:39 AM

Re 'Sullivan's John', this is an old song of the Travelling People, based on fact, usually credited to Pecker Dunne, but almost certainly not in fact written by him, tho he probably re-wrote it somewhat. The lyrics will almost certainly be online somewhere. If they don't turn up, I'll post them later.

Joe 'Nelson's Farewell' Dolan?

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 12:48 PM

Sandy,

Thanks for that fine reminiscence of the time you and Caroline stayed with the great singer herself and family. I could see and hear you all as I read it. Jeanie Robertson was one of the great voices of the last century. (I want a scone now in the worst way!!)

I did mention your recording of this song in an earlier post.

Art

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Big Mick
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 01:16 PM

Funny thing, Art. As soon as I read Sandy's post, I hauled out my copy of the field recordings and played them. Imagine the thrill of being in that room, listening to that voice. I just close my eyes and imagine........

Mick

Subject: RE: Old Maid In the Garrett -- Recorded By?
From: Effsee
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 02:11 PM

Isabel Sutherland recorded this song on her eponymous album. Folk Classic Series, EFDSS, LP1007, 1974.