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

[borusa.livejournal.com]

If you're a young gentleman, and you decide to have an affair with a married woman, do the deed and leave. Do not fall asleep in her arms.

If you're the sort of woman who likes to hang string out of the window, invest in a lamp so that you can check the identity of whoever has pulled on it.

It's not a noble death to kill yourself to warn your criminal boyfriend of the nearby presence of the law.

Do check whether your opponent is a relative before launching in to a vicious if swashbuckling swordfight. Before launching in to a vicious swordfight, check whether your opponent is a relative.

Steer clear of blacksmiths. None of them are up to any good.

Just sleep with the witch, you idiot.

[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

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

I recognised Matty Groves, Gamble Gold, any number of blacksmiths, and the witch one.

[taimatsu]

Killing yourself for your criminal boyfriend is 'The Highwayman' where she 'shatters her breast in the moonlight' with the soldier's shotgun.

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

I recognised the story, I just didn't realise there was a singable version :)

[taimatsu]

Indeed there is but I can't remember who by. Robert would know, him being the Man with the Music. :)

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

Loreena McKennitt has done one. It's *gorgeous*.

I must play it to you this afternoon. :-)

[borusa.livejournal.com]

The one I have is by Phil Ochs.

[inbetween-girl.livejournal.com]

It's not a noble death to kill yourself to warn your criminal boyfriend of the nearby presence of the law.

*Applause*

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

It's not a noble death to kill yourself to warn your criminal boyfriend of the nearby presence of the law.

See, I'm inclined to disagree with that.

However, I would say:

If you are a criminal and your girlfriend has heroically killed herself in order to warn you of the nearby presence of the law, please treat this sacrifice with the respect and appreciation that it deserves. She did it because she wants you to live. Therefore, perhaps go and find a lawful occupation. Set up a charitable fund in her name with your ill-gotten games. At any rate do please refrain from going mad and allowing yourself to be shot down like a dog immediately afterwards.

[mirabehn.livejournal.com]

ill-gotten games

Or gains, indeed.

[inbetween-girl.livejournal.com]

Actually, shoot that bloke in the stables with the scruffy hair. He fancies your girlfriend, and he'll probably grass on you.

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

It's not a noble death to kill yourself to warn your criminal boyfriend of the nearby presence of the law.

Well, if you've got a pub full of drunk soldiers who've stolen all the beer without paying, and stolen several kisses as well, and it's likely that you're going to be gang-raped and then possibly hanged as an accomplice to a notorious highwayman who said soldiers are lying in ambush for, I'd say shooting yourself to get it over with whilst simulatneously warning your love that Bad Things Are Afoot isn't the worst option.