Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)

Subject: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: GUEST,Bryn
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 07:16 AM

According to the info on Seth Lakeman's CD, 'The White Hare' song he sings is traditional. I've been all over the internet and this site, but found nothnig like it. Does anyone know where it comes from? As his version is radio play length, are there any more verses out there?

Cheers,
bryn.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: greg stephens
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 07:23 AM

Give us the first couple of lines of the song to go on, I haven't heard the Lakeman CD. There are a number of traditional songs about hares of various hues.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 07:27 AM

I think it's supposed to be this one:

A Cornish superstition says a young girl who dies after being abandoned by her lover will turn into a white hare in order to pursue her faithless love, taken from:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2465426

In the vid some drippy out-of-work model fades in and out of vision generally getting in the way.

I prefer these lyrics: White Rabbit

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WHITE HARE (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST,Bryn
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 07:30 AM

'I heard her in the valley
I heard her in the dead of night
The warning of a white hare
Her eyes burning bright
Be careful not to catch her
Or give her right of way
For she will look upon you
And steal your soul away.

For the white hare is calling
She's dancing in the night
She'll be out till the morning,
Her eyes bruning bright
The white hare is calling you.

Out across the heather,
A shadow came on to me,
Her hair was hanging over
Her face I could not see.
She ran behind the rocks,
I heard the hounds cry,
The image of a woman
Her head she held up high.

So if you go hunting
Calling out your prey,
If you meet a fair maid,
Her hair ashen grey
Be careful you don't catch her
Or give her right of way,
For she will look upon you
And steal your soul away.

That's everything. any ideas?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 07:36 AM

I've heard the tale (apocryphal or possibly not) that a Sethette took back her recording (apparently there are several versions about) to the shop because some verses were missing. The assistant tested several in the batch and concluded that it was not just that one but the whole batch that was 'faulty'. Turns out that it had been cut down to come in at under 3' to make it 'radio friendly'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: greg stephens
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 07:37 AM

If that song is traditional, I will eat a copy of a Seth lakeman recording of your choice. The Bonny Black Hare, now that's a traditional song. But about a quite different kind of animal.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: GerryMc
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 08:09 AM

Turns out that it had been cut down to come in at under 3' to make it 'radio friendly'

And that's a problem because?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 08:22 AM

It was the Sethette who had the problem. The shorter the better as far as I'm concerned.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: GUEST,Bryn
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 10:46 AM

I do sing the bonny black hare! and a rather nice one called 'The Hare's lament'. I'm having a bit of a hare phase, and this rather leapt out at me. If there's a longer version out there, that would be interesting.

Bryn.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 22 Oct 06 - 01:49 PM

Was the first of your links supposed to take us to Lakeman's vid, countess? It seems to take us to a discussion of hares generally.

The other one worketh not!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 22 Oct 06 - 02:42 PM

Erm, no. It was supposed to lead to the discussion about hares to show where the Lakeperson had nicked the silly idea in the first place. And the second was to the lyrics of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, which seems to have swallowed too many of the 'getting smaller' pills.

The vid, believe it or not, is on the Torygraph site, Seth + bimbo, but be warned, it is truly awful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seth Lakeman/White Hare original
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 22 Oct 06 - 02:56 PM

Ah. After several arguments with the cookies policy of the Daily Fascist, and a couple with Windoze media player, I listened to all of 15 seconds before kiling it. It wasn't the bint that was so awful, but the song. As you say, if that's a trad song then I am the brother of the father of the unfortunate Hartlepool castaway. The tune with its nondescript meanderings is wholly typical of current singer songwhiner.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Oct 06 - 04:19 PM

For Seth Lakeman's web site, click here. You might find some information there. However, the site is full of maddeningly slow-loading graphics. I didn't have the patience to explore it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 06 - 12:10 PM

http://www.britannia.com/history/legend/collection/legcol06.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST,scottie
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 04:32 AM

there is a simular story vaigly translated from the gaelic and gealic and manx of a type of wise women who was cursed by the local people and transformed at night to a rabbit /hare and cursed the locals to having there souls taken if they hunted her , this was a story I was told when I was 7 in barra, scotland, but know it is also told in breton, france and genral in celtic legends in the old kingdoms.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 04:19 AM

White Hare is on Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick's But Two Came By, and also on the 1967 Martin Carthy LP The Bonny Black Hare. Very similar words are sung by The Watersons with Shirley Collins and the Albion Country Band on No Roses, Mooncrest CRESTCD 011.

The White Hare of Howden is on The Watersons LP and also on the Early Days CD.

The Bonny Black Hare is on Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick's Byker Hill, and also on the 1967 Martin Carthy LP The Bonny Black Hare.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 09:35 AM

Hare today --- Gone tomorrow!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 02:54 PM

Surely those are not alleged to be traditional sources for what Lakeman sings?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST,John of Elsie`s Band
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 12:53 PM

"The Bonny Black Hare" is also to be heard on the Four Square Circle cd sung by Ken Barton It was recorded at BBC studios circa 1970.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 01:47 PM

Garry's black and white bunnies are all very fine but have nothing whatsoever to do with the one (actually the several) that the Lakeperson has carelessly released into the wild. I really hope they don't go around doing what rabbits do . . .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: lady penelope
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 04:18 PM

Just for general information, the current version of Freedom Fields is a complete remix of the original album, that came out late last year.

I bought the original when it came out, thoroughly loved it and was totally confused to see it being adverstised this year with an August release date. When I finally heard various tracks off the new version I was aghast. What sold the original version to me was the simplicity and ingenuity in the arrangements and the fact that there were no non acoustic intruments used.

The new version is all backing tracks and electric bass. Quite lost everything that sold it to me in the first place, what a shame.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Fidjit
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 05:04 PM

Somebody having a bad hare day??

You can also hear "The Bonny Black Hare" on my

website

Chas

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish...having eaten all the cookie
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 05:46 PM

Hi Guys!!

Did someone mention Seth Lakeman? ;0)

All you have to do is go a hunting in The Albion Chronicles...you'll always find what you need in there:


The White Hare page in The Albion Chronicles:
http://folk-this.tripod.com/thewhitehare.html

Seth's Myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/sethlakeman


Lizzie :0)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST,Lizzie Cornish...me again...sorry! :0)
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 05:59 PM

All the way from Looe:

http://www.britannia.com/history/legend/collection/legcol06.html


Lizzie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 07:56 PM

Skip to the Looe my darlin'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Schantieman
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 05:56 PM

Apparently a lorry carrying various animals overturned on the M1 today. Cages burst open and, amongst other things, several dozen hares escaped into the countryside. Police are combing the area.





(In the interests of conservation, this joke has been recycled from I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again again.


S

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 07:04 AM

Or the bald man who painted rabbits on his head.

Why?

From a distance they looked like hares.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 08:50 AM

Has anyone found a traditional source for either: -

A) The words of the Lakeman "White Hare"; or
B) The tune of it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Pete_Standing
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:20 AM

Apparently, he adapted the tune from his memory of a local singer that he heard as a lad. Local doesn't mean, of course, a source singer, but could have been the local C&W wannabe.

Da da de da de da da plonk plonk plonk plonk
da da de da de da plink plink plink plink

Nope, that ain't trad, trad would have more das and des and no plinks or plonks.

So, local singer, local legend, yep that's trad innit? One could lose out on royalties that way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Scrump
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:20 AM

The White Hare is so old that both the words and the tune have been lost in the mists of time. That's why Seth had to make up his own tune and write some new lyrics. Apart from that, it's the same song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:30 AM

I have a theory that Mike Waterson once went on his hols to Dartmoor, had too much local brew and burst into The White Hare (Of Howden) in front of the young Seth. Meanwhile, fellow Devon pop duo Show Of Hands had got hold of another Watersons number Country Life and rewrote it so extensively that only the title remained. Mr Lakeman thought: 'Hey, I could do that . . . '

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WHITE HARE (trad., from Kidson)
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:38 AM

Scrump, the traditional White Hare is not lost. We have one version of it here. Seth Lakeman's song is a completely different song.

----
I'll copy paste lyrics here as folkinfo (and the Annexe and others) are down at the moment.

Near Howden town, near Howden town, as I have heard them tell,
There once was a white hare who used there to dwell;
She's been hunted by the greyhounds and beagles so fair,
But ne'er a one amongst them could come near the white hare.
With my fol de dol, etc.

When they came to the place where this white hare used to lie
They uncoupled the beagles and began for to try;
They uncoupled the beagles and beat the brush around
But never a white hare in that field was to be found.

It's Jemmy the huntsman and Tom the whipper-in
Go look in yonder fernside and see if she be in;
With that she took a jump, boys, and fast away she ran,
"It's yonder she is going, don't you see her, gentlemen?"

The footmen they did run and the huntsmen they did ride,
Such halloing and shouting there was on every side;
Such halloing and shouting I ne'er before did know,
As though she had been running all the time through.

The huntsmen and the footmen they all drew nigh,
Thinking that the white hare was going for to die;
She slipt out of the bush and thought to run away,
But cruel were the beagles that caused her to stay.

'Twas twenty good beagles that caused her to die,
There was not a one amongst them above a foot high;
The number of dogs there's not to be found,
Nor ever better hunting upon the English ground.

Source: Kidson F, 1891, Traditional Tunes, A Collection of Ballad Airs, Oxford, Taphouse and Son

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Scrump
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:41 AM

Sorry - my comment above was not meant to be taken seriously - I should have added a :-)

Apologies if I have misled anyone (I've always wondered how you misle someone - now I know) :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Pete_Standing
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:41 AM

Yorkshire:

In Howden Town in Howden Town as I have heard them tell

Devonian:

I heard her in the valley, plonk, plonk, plonk, plonk

Well, there are two words that seem to translate directly.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:44 AM

OK Scrump, sorry. Trouble is sometimes people do mean it when they say things like that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: White Hare (Seth Lakeman)
From: Scrump
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:47 AM

Meanwhile, fellow Devon pop duo Show Of Hands had got hold of another Watersons number Country Life and rewrote it so extensively that only the title remained

No, I think what really happened was that Steve Knightley of SOH saw a copy of Country Life magazine in a dentist's waiting room (well, have you ever seen one anywhere else? I haven't!) and was inspired by the expensive and opulent country homes displayed within its pages, to write the song that would enable him, one day, to live in such high style.

:-)