Lyr Req: The False Fly

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The False Fly
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 07:03 PM

But the idea that surprise and plot twists are significant in ballads is a bit suspect. Surely the assumption is rather that the listeners know the plot, and are joining in the process of re-imagining it as they hear it unfold again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The False Fly
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 09 Jul 07 - 08:08 PM

Len Graham's tune is the same as Jane Siberry's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mT8rPfiGVQ ) (minus the percussion track).

--Charlie Baum

Subject: Lyr Add: THE FALSE FALSE FLY
From: Barry Finn
Date: 10 Jul 07 - 01:32 AM

One of my daughter's favorites. Barry Gleason does an excellent rendition of this on his CD "Path across the Ocean". Of this version he says it was collected by Angela Bourke in 1775/76 & her source was Brid an Gamha, Carna, Co. Galway.

THE FALSE, FALSE FLY

"Oh, where are you going?"
Said the false, false knight
To the lovely little child on the road.
"I am going to my school"
Said the lovely little child
Who was only but seven years old.

"What have you in your bag?"
Said the false, false knight
To the lovely little child on the road.
"I have my bread and books"
Said the lovely little child
Who was only but seven years old.

"Will you come along with me?"
Said the false, false knight
To the lovely little child on the road.
"No, I won't go with you"
Said the lovely little child
Who was only but seven years old.

"I will give you a ball"
"Yeah, but you'd be lord of all"

"What is rounder nor a ring"
"The earth is rounder nor a ring"

"What is higher than that tree?"
"Heaven's higher than that tree"

"What is deeper than the sea?"
"Hell is deeper than the sea"

Then he went all on fire
'Twas the devil in disguise.

Barry

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The False Fly
From: MartinRyan
Date: 15 Jul 07 - 03:45 PM

Make that 1975/76 for the collection....

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The False Fly
From: GUEST,Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 16 Mar 18 - 08:54 AM

The Barry version from Maine in JAFS 24 referred to above (I think with wrong year) is a single fragmentary verse. The full entry for th e song is:

---

NEW BALLAD TEXTS
BY PHILLIPS BARRY. A.M.
The following texts of six old ballads are from my collection, made during the years 1903-11.


 I.THE FALSE KNIGHT UPON THE ROAD (Child, 3)

 I. "What have you in your bottle, my dear little lad?"
 Quo the fol fol Fly on the road,
 "I have some milk for myself for to drink!"
 Said the child, who was seven years old.

In this text the words "fol fol Fly" are very likely corrupted from "foul, foul Fiend;" that is, the Devil. Fragmentary as it is, the text is interesting as attesting the survival, in America, of a ballad supposed to be long extinct, and, furthermore, as retaining a form of the theme more primitive than that of Motherwell's version.

---

The journal is available at archive.org: JAFS 24 p344

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The False Fly
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 16 Mar 18 - 10:13 AM

Thanks Mick. Re Barry's comment - no need to corrupt Fly to Fiend - it already had that meaning!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The False Fly
From: GUEST,Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 16 Mar 18 - 12:05 PM

Martin

I was thinking about your comments above when I read Barry's note. He should have invested in the OED!

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The False Fly
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 16 Mar 18 - 12:53 PM

Mick

I now have an app version of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on my iPad - invaluable!

Regards