Folk Song Follies

[taimatsu]

Over the last few years I have occasionally had a conversation with various musical buddies which invokes the idea of the List Of Things Not To Do If You Find Yourself Stuck In A Folk Song. I have just tried to Google to see if such a thing is extant on the web, and either it's not of my Google-fu sucks.

SO, here's your chance, boys and girls: clearly this list must be compiled and put on my lovely shiny tidy new website (which you can see from the 'Lucy's Home Page' link on my journal).

I'll start you off:

Sensible Advice Should You Find Yourself Stuck In A Folk Song

- Make detailed enquiries into the family background of anyone who wants to sleep with or marry you.
- Take a life-jacket on any sea-voyage.
- Avoid cross-dressing.
- If you can't avoid cross-dressing, avoid flirting with anyone at all while in the garb of the opposite sex.


Any more?

Comments

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

Damn. There's an entire two of those I didn't recognise.

And I'm amazed you managed to resist, 'Use the bridge, you idiot! The bridge!'

[borusa.livejournal.com]

Which ones didn't you get? Three of them are Steeleye songs, Steeleye songs of them there are three.

[taimatsu]

I don't know the one with the string. Oh, hang on, yes I do, but I don't know it to sing. The swordfight with the relative?

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

The swordfight with the relative is Gamble Gold, Gamble Gold it chances to be.

[borusa.livejournal.com]

The string one is http://www.mysongbook.de/msb/songs/d/domeama.html or numerous variations, including "Yarmouth Town" - http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/10/yarmouth.htm

Yarmouth Town is more singable in all the versions I've heard, but the narrative's not as good.

[taimatsu]

What's the recording of 'Yarmouth Town' that you've got? I ought to learn it. Although it's not suitable for busking.

[borusa.livejournal.com]

It's by Nic Jones on the album Unearthed