This song can be found on 19th century broadsides by Bloomer & Evans of London. The song was collected by Henry Hammond in May 1906 from John Pomery of Bridport, West Dorset.

My favourite English Folk Revivalist, A.L.Lloyd  had a theory about this song. “Some erotic folk songs, thought crude by genteel collectors, embody ancient ritualistic notions of love. Just as, at seed-time in primitive communities, peasants would be expected to copulate in the furrows to give good example to the plants, so too songs were raised conveying the magical idea that all natural phenomena are interdependent, and that the closest unity exists between the germination of grain and the amorous encounters of men and women. As in this genial song to be heard in Dorset pubs earlier in the present century, sometimes called The Chiefest Grain.”

For a lifelong Marxist, Lloyd’s theories can veer into the Margaret Murray-esque mixed with a healthy dose of George Frazer-esque pagan place. I love it when he does this!

I rarely sing this song out, because context is key for me. If I am singing the song as part of a pagan event I’m good. In a gig or singaround environment I feel the song can be an imposition on the audience. I would prefer this to be a song performed in a context of liberation & harmony with the earth, rather than as throwaway dirt.

This song is part of my current release, “Constant Companion”, which you can hear more of if you click on this link.

Growing up in Wimborne, Dorset, meant that I was subjected to a high dosage of morris dancing. I really like morris tunes. This is an arrangement of Constant Billy which was collected from William Kimber by Cecil Sharp in 1899! Cecil Sharp started collecting dance tunes a few years before he collected folk songs & was highly regarded by William Kimber, an Oxfordshire morris dancer & anglo-concertina player.

The recordings of Kimber playing & talking are a window into another time. Folk music can really take you to meet your heritage.

This recording is from my current album which you can hear if you follow this link.

Now we are in the merry month of May it seems appropriate that the song for the week is Death & The Lady.

This song is about an encounter with Death & a young woman on a May morning. The books call it ‘a prime example of the Danse Macabre tradition.’ In the middle ages, the Dance of Death & the dialogue between Death & his victim used to be enacted as astage morality. This ballad dates can be traced to a 17th century broadside ‘A Dialogue Between Death & The Lady’ which was widely distributed in England. It may have been a 16th century dialogue ballad, originally both sung & acted. It was collected widely in England, found once in Belfast & varients were found by Cecil Sharp on his Appalacian adventures.

I really like this song. It carries a chill with it.

This performance comes from my album, Constant Companion, which you can hear if you follow this link.

 

I really enjoy working with traditional British repertoire. My current album, Constant Companion, is largely traditional songs.

I first heard Bruton Town on a Pentangle compilation about 30 years ago & loved the arrangement & the stark lyric. It’s a brutal tale of class, murder & grief. Ideal subject matter for an English folk song. I am particularly struck by the grief stricken sister dreaming the location of her dead lover.

Funnily enough it’s a very popular ballad not collected by Child. Bruton Town is in Somerset & they are proud of their association with the song. The song certainly turns up in early 20th century Somerset song collections. The story may be significantly older, from 14th century European tales which migrated over to England.

I originally came up with the arrangement on a banjo & then transferred the tuning over to guitar. CGCGCD is a fun tuning which suits modal playing.

I’m proud of my singing & playing on this song which was all one live take. The reviewer in fRoots commented that my guitar on this song was “distractingly percussive.” I disagree. But then again I would wouldn’t I.

If you want to listen to more, follow this link.

 

I really enjoy working with traditional British repertoire. My current album, Constant Companion, is largely traditional songs.

I first heard Lovely Joan in the bar at Cecil Sharp house sung by Alison Frosdick

Some of my repertoire comes from hearing songs at singarounds & events, some from albums or YouTube & some from song collector’s books. I looked in my ‘Penguin Book Of English Folk Songs’ & there it was. It’s performed by many folk so I thought I would have a go too.

Many traditional folk songs have an overt male gaze to them & as value systems have changed (for the better) so repertoires have changed too. Songs which would have been performed widely even 20 years ago need careful treatment. Not so much this one as it has a resourceful & decisive heroine who wins against an arrogant & predatory protagonist.

All the songs on this album were performed live and are single takes. It’s fun to fly by the seat of your pants sometimes!

If you want to hear more of the album this link will take you there…