A Folk Song A Day

Ian Giles takes the credit as Jon’s source for this and he says, “I used to sing this at Warwick Castle with Ian as part of the Highwayman’s Supper. Singing folk songs to mobile phone salesmen whilst they consume large quantities of C18th Stella is as good an apprenticeship as I can think of for being a professional folk singer.” This is an interesting song in terms of history and provenance, in that the Copper Family claim to have collected it and you can link to the page on the family’s website here, where it says, “Collected by Bob Copper from George Attrill in Stopham, Sussex in about 1954.” I also found a very long article about the various John Barleycorn songs, which traces the anthropomorphism of barley back to the C16^th and possibly before. It then, however, adds that this is a late addition to that family of songs and names the writer as an Irishman called J B Geogoghan of Sheffield. A quick cross reference with Mudcat brings up a Joseph Bryan Geoghegan and that song is listed in his known repertoire, with some interesting history added about his rather wayward life. It even gives a date of 1860 and an alternate title of John Barleycorn Is A Hero Bold. The longer John Barleycorn article you’ll find here. It takes some wading through (and I’ll confess to skimming it with a view to going back later to read more thoroughly), but you’ll note that this song is more a music hall number from the C19^th and didn’t make it into the Edwardians’ folk collections. There’s a further note that it is rare in the tradition. If anyone knows of other performances/recordings or can flesh this out further, please dive in. Regardless, it’s a fine drinking song, charge my tankard (not with dread Stella mind) and I’ll doubtless be joining in. You may want to cover your ears!

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Jon simply says, “Also from the first Waterson:Carthy album, if you don’t have it, buy it!” There was me thinking this was a bit hymnal and then I read the Waterson:Carthy sleeve notes that confirmed it. You can do the same courtesy of Reinhard’s Mainly Norfolk, where he also offers the following gem, “A website (no longer online) for an earlier version called The Christian’s Good Night commented: Words: Sarah Doudney, Psalms Of Life (published by Houlston), 1871. Music: Ira David Sankey. Doudney wrote the lyrics on the occasion of a friend’s death. Sankey saw them while in Bristol, England, and wrote music for them shortly thereafter. The song was sung at the funeral of preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon.”  And there, Me-Lud I rest my case. As for Jon’s suggestion, you know I’m going to agree with him.

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Jon names his source for this as Mike Harding saying, “Fay’s started performing this which is much more appropriate, but I still enjoy singing it. Keep meaning to look at the original ‘apple tree’ lyrics in case they’re worth learning.” It’s of course based on the chorus of the popular song originally published in 1905, In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree. It seems that this wry social commentary was just one of several adaptations and this has something of the music hall or end-of-the pier about it, although it was written in America by Harry Williams and Egbert Van Alstyne and you can read more here on Wiki. Quite when it made this transition I can’t say, but it smacks of that early Edwardian industrial grime. Perhaps Mike might tell us where he got it from.

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Another Bellamy derived song of which Jon says, “This feels like it might be a true story – not enough happens to justify its existence if it isn’t.” I can sort of see what Jon means, but there are at least two deaths and a would-be prodigal son turning up too late. Then there’s Robin’s lingering grief and the clear implication that he too will die broken hearted… It’s the negative flip to that other famous rambler, Spencer, whose return is met by chattering children and all in all, a grim tale. A version of this of course appears on Spiers & Boden’s Vagabonds CD and I believe Christy Moore has also recorded it having learned it from Mike Harding. According to this Mainly Norfolk entry Bellamy was sent the words and gave it his own tune, whether this is the same one used across all versions I can’t say. As usual any further insights are welcome.

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Following on from Yarmouth Town, we’re once again in Bellowhead, Bellamy and Bullen territory and Jon Says,   “Bellamy got this from Peter Bullen, along with Yarmouth Town. It seems very C20th in syntax so it’s possibly written by Bullen or someone in his family?” Jon is referring to the sleeve notes from Bellamy’s original release. You might want to have a quick look at this Mudact thread, which includes a post or two from Jon. I’d have to agree that it has a C20^th feel to the lyrical details, but whoever wrote it, it’s still a fine song and worthy of its place here.

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