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19 Nov 03 - 10:15 PM (#1057413) Subject: Lyr Add: SHEPHERD LAD (from The Battlefield Band) From: Thomas the Rhymer I have been taken by this song, recorded by the Battlefield Band. Is there anyone out there in Mudcat land that can tell me where it comes from? ttr SHEPHERD LAD Once there was a shepherd lad kept sheep upon the hill An he's laid his pipe and crook aside and there he's slept his fill. He woke up on a riverbank on a fine May mornin, And there he spied a lady swimming in the clothes that she was born in. So he raised his head from his green bed and he approached the maid. "Put on yer claithes, my dear," he says, "and do not be afraid. It's fitter for a lady fair to sew a silken seam Than to rise on a fine May morning and swim against the stream." "Well, if you'll not touch my mantle and you'll leave my claithes alane, Then I'll give you all the money, sir, that you can carry hame." "I'll not touch your mantle and I'll leave yer claithes alane, But I'll tak you out of the clear water, my dear, to be my ane." So he's taen her oot o the clear water and he's rowed her in his arms. "Put on yer claithes, my dear," he says, "and hide your bounteous charms." He put her on a milk white steed and himself upon another, And it's all along the way they rode like sister and like brother. They rode intae her faither's gate and she's tirled at the pin, And ready stood a porter there to let the fair maid in. When the gates were opened, it's so nimbly she stepped in. She said, "Kind sir, you are a fool without and I'm a maid within. "So fare thee weel, my modest boy. I thank you for your care, But if you had done as you desired, I'd never have left you there. I will sew no silken seam on a fine May morning. You can bide your time till your time runs out, so take this as fair warning." |
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19 Nov 03 - 11:37 PM (#1057468) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: Malcolm Douglas Do they acknowledge no source in sleeve notes? That would be rather bad form nowadays. This is Child 112 (Roud 11), The Baffled Knight, Blow Away the Morning Dew, and many other titles, found quite widely in both England and Scotland, and occasionally in the USA and Canada. Without any background information I'd guess that this particular text is a re-written collation based on There Was a Silly Shepherd Swain (Johnson, Scots Musical Museum 1796 V 490-1 no.477) and the sets of The Shepherd Laddie and Jock Sheep in the Greig-Duncan collection (and maybe Herd and Bell, I suppose); but that's only a guess. They could have got it from little green men from Mars. Is there really no information on the record? |
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20 Nov 03 - 02:22 AM (#1057558) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: Thomas the Rhymer Thanks, Malcolm... I'll look em up! Nothing was mentioned about a source on the CD I have... "Happy Daze"... other than: "This is the only song we know about skinny dipping in Scotland, a chilly and ill advised pursuit in the best of weather! It features a twist on the common ballad tale of a nasty young man who takes advdntage of a girl. In fact, the shepherd lad is far too modest for this lassie... fitted thetraditional words to a tune of John's. |
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08 Dec 03 - 08:26 PM (#1068115) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: Thomas the Rhymer Refresh... Anyone else? I play it regularly, and I'm hoping for the best... ttr |
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20 Sep 04 - 05:15 PM (#1276717) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: DonD I suddenly found myself singing this ballad, after countless years of neglect. I learned it first I think from a recording by Richard Dyer-Bennett, almost but not quite a contemporary of Child. I was puzzled back then, as I am now, by the last verse -- the famous chiding that he who will not when he may, shall not when he would. What I don't understand is the previos line: There's a flower in our garden that's called the marigold. Is there some significance metaphorically, herbally, or in the language of the flowers that connects marigolds to the notion of boldness, or on the contrary, to excessive reluctance? Or is it merely to create a rhyme? Which would presume that 'would' was pronounced as 'wold' back (as they say now) in the day. Any thoughts? Any florists out there? |
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16 Mar 07 - 11:58 AM (#1998681) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: GUEST,Phillip Malcolm Ddouglas Hi would someone please post the chords and words to this awesome song? Thanks in advance! PMD |
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16 Mar 07 - 09:02 PM (#1999193) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: robinia A Scottish lass is much more down to earth. Instead of "if you would not when you might," she goes in for barnyard taunts, along the lines of: Ye're like a cock my faither had, it crowed an' waved its camb. An' ne'er a hen trod in the yard -- an' I think ye're just the same Wonderfully, well, cocky. As sung by Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise, it's my favorite version. |
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20 Sep 07 - 05:21 PM (#2153747) Subject: Lyr Add: Blow Away the Morning Dew (for schools) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Lyr. Add: BLOW AWAY THE MORNING DEW (for schools) Arr. S. Baring Gould and Cecil J. Sharp Upon the sweetest summer time In the middle of the morn, A pretty damsel I espied, The fairest ever born. Chorus: And sing blow away the morning dew, The dew, and the dew. Blow away the morning dew, How sweet the winds do blow. She gathered to her lovely flowers And spent her time in sport; As if in pretty Cupid's bowers She daily did resort. The yellow cowslip by the brim, The daffodil as well, The timid primrose, pale and trim, The pretty snowdrop bell. And ever, ever as she did Those pleasant flowers pull, She rais'd herself and fetch'd a sigh And wished her apron full. Then did her offer to pluck Of every flower that grew, No herb nor flower then I missed But only bitter rue. Both she and I did bow in pain To gather quite a store, Until the modest maiden said, "Kind sir, I'll have no more," Yet still did I with willing heart Essay some more to pull. "No thank you, sir," she said, "we part, Because my apron's full." She's gone with all those flowers sweet, Of white, of red, of blue, And unto me about my feet Is only left the rue. From S. Baring Gould and Cecil J. Sharp, nd (1930s?), "English Folk-Songs for Schools," J. Curwen & Sons, London. No. 16, pp. 34-35, with score. Is this an invented version by Gould and Sharp? Somehow I doubt that it was a collected song. Quite an insipid departure from Child 112. |
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20 Sep 07 - 05:30 PM (#2153752) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: Mary Humphreys Q, I suspect this version was heavily bowdlerised for children to sing without the teacher getting embarrassed. It was probably the only way that Sharp could get his collected songs into print. The tunes were usually left intact, it was the words that suffered. Mary |
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25 Nov 07 - 03:40 PM (#2201937) Subject: Lyr Add: THE BAFFLED KNIGHT Child #112D From: Jim Dixon The text of THE SHEPHERD LAD follows pretty closely to Child's # 112, THE BAFFLED KNIGHT version D: D a. Herd's Ancient and Modern Scots, p. 328, 1769. b. Dixon, Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of the Peasantry of England, p. 123, Percy Society, vol. xvii; Bell, p. 80. 1 THERE was a shepherd's son Kept sheep upon a hill; He laid his pipe and crook aside, And there he slept his fill. Sing, Fal deral, etc. 2 He looked east, he looked west, Then gave an under-look, And there he spyed a lady fair, Swimming in a brook. 3 He raisd his head frae his green bed, And then approachd the maid; 'Put on your claiths, my dear,' he says, 'And be ye not afraid. 4 ''Tis fitter for a lady fair To sew her silken seam Than to get up in a May morning And strive against the stream.' 5 'If you'll not touch my mantle, And let my claiths alane, Then I'll give you as much money As you can carry hame.' 6 'O I'll not touch your mantle, And I'll let your claiths alane; But I'll tak you out of the clear water, My dear, to be my ain.' 7 And when she out of the water came, He took her in his arms: 'Put on your claiths, my dear,' he says, 'And hide those lovely charms.' 8 He mounted her on a milk-white steed, Himself upon anither, And all along the way they rode, Like sister and like brither. 9 When she came to her father's yate She tirled at the pin, And ready stood the porter there, To let this fair maid in. 10 And when the gate was opened, So nimbly's she whipt in; 'Pough! you're a fool without,' she says, 'And I'm a maid within. 11 'Then fare ye well, my modest boy, I thank you for your care; But had you done what you should do, I neer had left you there.' 12 'Oh I'll cast aff my hose and shoon, And let my feet gae bare, And gin I meet a bonny lass, Hang me if her I spare.' 13 'In that do as you please,' she says, 'But you shall never more Have the same opportunity;' With that she shut the door. 14 There is a gude auld proverb, I've often heard it told, He that would not when he might, He should not when he would. |
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30 Dec 08 - 01:57 PM (#2527609) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: GUEST,Peter the remixer I have here a very good version of the Sheperd Lad I came accross recently whilst on my travels. Gmaj7 F#7 Bm7 Once there was a shepherd lad kept sheep upon the hill Gmaj7 F#7 A13b9 An he's laid his pipe and crook aside and there he's slept his fill. Gmaj7 F#7 Bm7 He woke up on a riverbank on a fine May mornin, Gmaj7 F#7 A13b9 And there he spied a lady gay, swimming in a brook Bm7 D Em F#7 Blow the winds I oh, Blow the winds I oh Bm7 Em C13 Bm Clear away the morning dew and blow the winds I oh It makes the playing so much easier if you tune your guitar down to D G D# C F |
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08 Apr 11 - 04:19 PM (#3131514) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: GUEST,ScottishYearner I adore this song. Still have it on a cassette tape from recording "The Thistle & Shamrock" 10 years ago. Thanks for sharing all this. |
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08 Apr 11 - 06:26 PM (#3131582) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: JeffB In August 1908 Cecil Sharp got this version of "Steal away the Morning Dew" from a Mrs Price of Compton Martin, a village on the northern slopes of the Mendips :- 1 There was a farmer's son kept sheep all on the hill, he walk-ed out one May morning to see what he could kill. chorus Oh roll me in the morning dew, the dew and the dew, steal away the morning dew, how sweet the winds do blow. 2 He look-ed high, he look-ed low, he cast an underlook, and there he saw a pretty maid all in the watery brook. 3 "You leave alone my mantle dress, you leave alone my gown, and if you will take hold my hand I will be your own." 4 He mounted on a milk-white steed and she upon another, and there they rode along the road like sister and like brother. 5. And there they rode along the road til they came to some fields of hay, "Isn't this a pretty place for boys and girls to play?" 6. "You stop til you come to my father's house, then you shall have a crown, there I will engage with you a thirty thousand pound." 7. And when she came to her father's house so lively she did run - none was ready as the waiting-maid to let this lady in. 8. She mounted off her milk-white steed and then she did step in, she said,"You are a rogue without and I'm a maid within." 9. "My mother got a flower inn her garden call-ed Marigold, if you will not when you may you shall not when you wold." 10. "My father got a cock in his barton call-ed double-game. He oftimes crew but never tread a hen - I think you're just the same." It is said the girls would wash themselves in the dew of 1st May, as it was supposed to be especially good for the skin. I'm not 100% sure if Mrs Price sang "will" or "wold" in v. 9. A friend tells me that "Marigold" meant a person of uncertain sexuality. The "double game" cock is a bit obscure, but I wonder whether Mrs Price actually sang "double comb", i.e. a particularly impressive bird with a double comb on his head (see Robinia's post of 16 March 07 above). This one has no libido however, so the insult seems to mean that the young man just hasn't got what it takes. |
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08 Apr 11 - 06:29 PM (#3131583) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: JeffB PS V.6 "... AND thirty thousand pound." |
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29 Nov 18 - 08:25 AM (#3963878) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: GUEST,Ian Several years late to the discussion but I may be able to shed some light on the marigold verse. There are 2 possibilities that strike me. First, marigold is a symbol for diligent pursuit of love and the maid seems unimpressed with the lad's efforts and modesty- not willing to seize his moment so to say. This would follow well with the comments about the cock that, while impressive, has never pinned a hen. Second, marigold is used in gardens, particularly organic gardens as it naturally repels many pests. It could be a taunt, intimating that due to his timidity she thinks him a pest and will repel any further advances. |
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14 Apr 22 - 07:09 PM (#4139110) Subject: RE: Origins: Shepherd Lad From: GUEST,Andy Leader What is the origin of this song? |