A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 16 Nov 21 - 04:10 PM

Yes, in this case I felt he was a bit behind the game. He havered a bit and admitted it was possible.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 16 Nov 21 - 09:20 AM

What!!! Bert would have deliberately enhanced any bawdry! Unbelievable.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 15 Nov 21 - 04:51 PM

The choirs of respectable ladies who happily chant The Next Market Day, certainly don't - until they link it with the language and similar story of the Carman's/Comber's whistle. Bert Lloyd didn't see it when I suggested it back in the late sixties in a workshop in Belfast. We've come a long way!

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 15 Nov 21 - 10:42 AM

Hi John,
Anyone'd have to be pretty naive not to see the 17thc Comber's Whistle as bawdry, and NMD.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 15 Nov 21 - 05:05 AM

Actually this link would be more direct.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 15 Nov 21 - 05:02 AM

Don't think I misread anyone. There's a connection - plot and comber (occupation) against Comber (toponym) but, my interest is in showing that the familiar text of the Comber Ballad/ Next Market Day can be read as bawdry. (See my website "Changing Tradition - Studies - "The Best English-Irish Poetry before Yeats"

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 12 Nov 21 - 10:34 AM

Hi John,
I think you possibly misread what I stated. The fact that both songs contain the word 'Comber' doesn't make them the same song even if they tell the same story. There might well be some sort of influence there but they certainly are not the same song in any stretch of the imagination.

I fully agree with the fact that Bruce presented us with a mine of excellent info, but with anything it's as well to do your own research once you've found a wonderful source like that.

The misleading bit is where he first states that 'Whistle' is a 'version' of 'Next Market' but to be fair he then changes this quickly to 'variant version of the tale' which it certainly is. Trouble is some will jump on the first statement and start grouping the 2 quite different songs together. Such things even occur very occasionally in the Roud Index.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 12 Nov 21 - 06:30 AM

Somewhere between Bruce's and Steve's information lies this: Herbert Hughes' version was published early in 20th century, titled "The Next Market Day" and qualified thus - ‘Fragment of Tyrone Ballad, adapted’. Patently Hughes fiddled, Bruce thought Bowdlerised but we'll pass that over. However, while Comber is a toponym in Ireland, there can be no possible reasons for locating the song there but that Comber was the centre of a flax growing area and that the comber of the Comber's/Carman's whistle is homophonic with Comber. Hence, I'd stick at least partly with what he (Bruce) said - which is always a good idea!

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 11 Nov 21 - 05:37 PM

Billy and Nelly has 10 sts and Slippings of Yarn has 9. The main difference is different last 3 sts.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 11 Nov 21 - 05:30 PM

Bruce's comment above is a little misleading. Although the 17th century Carman's/Comber's Whistle are very much the same plot they have no text in common with the 18th century song here. I have 2 fairly different garland texts from mid to late 18th century, one printed in Worcester titled 'Billy and Nelly' in the Bodleian but not online (probably the older of the 2); and the other possibly printed in Scotland titled 'The Slippings of Yarn' available on the NLS website LC2890 (13). If it originated in Ireland (certainly set in Dublin) then it is possibly early 18th century. Its style is no earlier.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Dec 16 - 10:29 AM

Yup, offbeat folk songs. Blicky.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Dec 16 - 10:28 AM

I have this as

A maid went to DUBLIN her markets to learn
To sell for her mammy three hanks of fine yarn
She met a young man on the king's own highway
Which caused this fair damsel to dally and stray

Come sit down beside me, I mean you no harm
Come sit down beside me, this new tune to learn
Here are three guineas your mammy to pay
So leave off your learnin' till the next market day [I hear "yearnin" but learning makes more sense]

She sat down beside him, the grass was so green
The day was the fairest that ever was seen
"The look in your eye beats a morning in May
I could side by your side till the next market day."

But as she went homeward the words he had said
And the tune he had sung her still rung in her head
"I'll search for that lad, be it night or by day
Till he learns me the tune of the next market day."

Can't recall whose record it was on, maybe Offbeat Folk Songs? Maybe Shep Ginandes? Male, American, at any rate.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Mo the caller
Date: 28 Dec 16 - 09:59 AM

Can anyone give me the abc or a midi for the last line? I'm trying to sing it, but I don't think I've got it right and my record player is not connected though I do have the McPeake LP (somewhere)

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 08:42 AM

Another version is in the Donagh McDonagh collection:

THE COMBER BALLAD

Come all ye good people and listen to me
I'll sing you a song of a strange history,
But I hardly need say that the song I have made
Is a bit of discourse 'tween a man and a maid.

Now this maid went to Comber, her markets to learn,
To sell for her mammy three hanks of fine yarn,
When she met with a young man upon the highway,
Which caused this young damsel to dally and stray.

"Oh, sit down beside me, I'll do you no harm,
Sit down beside me, this new tune to learn,
And I'll give you three guineas your mother to pay
And I'll teach you a tune called "The Next Market Day".

'Oh', says she 'I have tunes and enough for to do,
And my mother has warned me 'gainst strangers like you,
My Mother has warned me, and her I must heed,
And besides I've my markets to make with all speed.'

'Oh your markets can wait, and the day it is young,
And the tune I will teach you is easily sung!
'Tis you are the coaxer, one moment I'll stay,
I'm longing to learn it "The Next Market Day"'.

So they sat down together, the grass it was, green,
And the day was the fairest that ever was seen,
"The look in your eyes would lead angels astray,
I could sit by your side till the next Market day!"

Now this young maid went home and her cheeks they were red,
And the tune that he played her still rang in her head,
When her mother asked questions, this is all she would say:
"There was never a tune like 'The Next Market Day'".

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Sarah McQuaid
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 07:21 AM

Oooh! I like those last three verses -- I used to sing this song years and years ago with just the first three (learned from the recording of it by the Germany-based Irish band Oisin), but now that I have those additional three verses I might just have to have another go at it! Thank you so VERY much, Joe!

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Gutcher
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 06:42 AM

"THE NEXT MARKET DAY"
Some 60yrs. back I learned this version of the song from a man from
the glens of Antrim:--

1.A maid going to Cummber her market to larn
to sell for her mammie three hanks o fine yarn
she met with a young man along the highway
which caused this young maid to dally and stray

2.Sit ye beside I mean ye no harm
sit ye beside me this new tune tae larn
here are three guineas your mammie to pay
so lay bye your yarn till the next market day

3.They sat down together the grass it was green
and the day was the fairest that ever was seen
the look in your eye beats a morning in May
I could sit bye your side till the next market day

4.Kind sir this new tune that ye'd larn me to play
might draw some attention beside this highway
in yonder meadow there's plenty of hay
which may not be there on the next market day

4.They rowed in the mow till his bow was weel strung
then he played a fine tune on her rub a dum dum
and the tune that he larned her was easy to play
she resolved to play on the next market day

5.This maid she gaed hame and the words that he said
and the tune that he larned her still rang in her head
she said i'll go seek him bye land or bye sae-------------(sea)
for it's a very long time till the next market day.

Joe.

P.S. Market days were held every week.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 04:24 AM

I's a placename in Northern Ireland. Wiki gives the origin as an Irish word for "confluence" - though a quick dictionary check of modern Irish fails to confirm this.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Crowhugger
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 02:27 AM

What does "comber" mean?

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 02:22 AM

My old recording by the McPeakes also said "Oh, the look in your eyes would lead angels astray." Love that line, wish I could get this version in MP3.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Annraoi
Date: 02 Mar 99 - 08:07 PM

I used to sing "Sure, the look in your eye would lead Angels astray.." More poetic, and in my case, very true. :-) Annraoi

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)^^
From: Philippa
Date: 28 Feb 99 - 06:35 AM

I remembered the middle verse:

They sat down together, the grass it was green
and the day was the fairest that ever you've seen
"Oh, the look in your eye beats a morning in May,
I could sit by your side till the next market day."

I think I've also heard, "The look in your eye would lead young girls astray." ^^

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Cliff McGann
Date: 27 Feb 99 - 08:47 PM

The version I have by The Lonely Stranded Band is brillaint but doesn't have the words. Before taking the time to transcribe them I figured I would check and see if anyone had them. If you are a fan of traditional Irish Music The Lonely Stranded band are great. Their CD is available on Clo Iar-Chonnachta Label. I love the CD.

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: ORua
Date: 27 Feb 99 - 05:49 PM

James Simmons has a reworked version of this song on his Cassette 'The Rostrevor Sessions'available as the say in the best ... etc.

Subject: ADD: A Maid Going To Comber (Next Market Day) ^^
From: Philippa
Date: 27 Feb 99 - 04:44 PM

Here's what I know of the song:

A Maid Going to Comber
Her markets to learn [pronounced 'tae larn']
And to sell for her mammy three hanks of fine yarn.
She met with this young man along the highway
Who caused this young damsel to dally and stray.

chorus -
Come sit ye down by me, I'll do ye no harm,
Sit ye down by me, this new tune to learn,
and here is three guineas your mamy to pay,
Come leave by your yarn till the next market day.

This maid she went home, but the words that he said,
And the song that he sang, it still ran in her head.
She said, "I'll go find him by land or by sea,['say']
Till he learns me the tune called 'The Next Market Day"
^^

Subject: RE: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Bruce O.
Date: 27 Feb 99 - 03:21 PM

I don't know that the McPeake's lyrics have been published. H. Hughes gave a fragment under your 2nd title. The 17th century version (reworked from the 16th century "Carman's Whistle") is on my website as "The Comber's Whistle" in Scarce Songs 1. It's a variant version of the tale of the farmer's daugter seduced on her way to market. See "Malkin was a Country Maid" on my website in the same file for song versions. A little off this theme is a similar one, "Nelly coming home from the wake".

www.erols.com/olsonw

Subject: A Maid Went To Comber (Next Market Day)
From: Cliff McGann
Date: 27 Feb 99 - 02:21 PM

Looking for the Lyrics to this Great Irish song. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Cliff.