1. |
Pretty Fair Maid
03:05
|
|||
|
"Well who are you, my pretty fair maid
And who are you, me honey?
Well who are you, my pretty fair maid
And who are you, me honey?"
She answered me most modestly,
"I am me mother's darling."
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
"If you come to the house in the middle of the night,
When the moon is shining clearly,
If you come to the house in the middle of the night,
When the moon is shining clearly,
I'll open the door and I'll let you in,
The devil's the one should hear us."
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
So he came to the house in the middle of the night,
When the moon was shining clearly.
So he came to the house in the middle of the night,
When the moon was shining clearly.
And she opened the door and she let him in,
The devil's the one did hear them.
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
And she took his horse by the bridle and the bit
And she led him to the stable
And she took his horse by the bridle and the bit
And she led him to the stable
Saying, "There's plenty of oats for a soldier's horse
To eat it if he's able."
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
And she took him by the lily-white hand
And she led him to the table
And she took him by the lily-white hand
And she led him to the table
Saying, "There's plenty of wine for a soldier boy
To drink if he is able."
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
Then he got up and he made the bed
And he made it nice and easy.
Then he got up and he made the bed
And he made it nice and easy
And he picked her up and he laid her down,
Saying, "Lassie, are you able? "
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
And there they lay till the break of day
And devil's the one did hear them
And there they lay till the break of day
And devil's the one did hear them.
Then he got up and he put on his clothes
Saying, "Lassie, I must leave you."
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
"And when will you return again
And when will we be married?
And when will you return again
When will we be married?
When broken shells make wedding bells
Then will we be married."
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
|
||||
2. |
If I were a Blackbird
02:56
|
|||
|
I am a young maiden, my story is sad,
For once I was carefree and in love with a lad.
He courted me sweetly by night and by day,
But now my dear sailor has sailed far away.
Oh if I were a blackbird I'd whistle and sing,
I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in.
And in the top rigging, I'd there build my nest,
And I'd flutter my wings o’er his broad golden chest.
He promised to take me to Donnybrook Fair,
To buy me fine ribbons to tie up my hair.
He promised to marry and to stay by my side,
But then in the morning he sailed with the tide.
Oh if I were a blackbird I'd whistle and sing,
I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in.
And in the top rigging, I'd there build my nest,
And I'd flutter my wings o’er his broad golden chest.
He sailed o’er the ocean his fortune to seek,
I missed his caresses and his kiss on my cheek.
He returned and I told him my love was still warm,
But he turned away lightly and great was his scorn.
Oh if I were a blackbird I'd whistle and sing,
I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in.
And in the top rigging, I'd there build my nest,
And I'd flutter my wings o’er his broad golden chest.
I sing of my sorrow, my grief and my pain,
Since he’s gone and left me till I know not when.
But let him deprive me, let him go where he will,
While there’s breath in my body he’s my sailor lad still.
Oh if I were a blackbird I'd whistle and sing,
I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in.
And in the top rigging, I'd there build my nest,
And I'd flutter my wings o’er his broad golden chest.
|
||||
3. |
Lovely on the Water
03:04
|
|||
|
As I walked out one morning
In the Spring time of the year,
I overheard a sailor boy
Likewise a lady fair.
They sang a song together,
Made the valleys for to ring;
While the birds on the spray in the meadow gay
Proclaimed the lovely Spring.
Said Willy unto Nancy,
“Oh, we soon must sail away,
For it's lovely on the water
To hear the music play.
For our Queen she do want seamen,
So I will not stay on shore.
I will brave the wars for my country
Where the blundering cannons roar.”
Poor Nancy fell and fainted
But soon he brought her to,
For it's there they kissed and they embraced
And took a fond adieu.
“Come change your ring with me, my love,
For we may meet once more;
For there's One above that will guard you, love,
Where the blundering cannons roar.”
“Four pounds, it is our bounty,
And that must do for thee,
For to help the aged parents
While I am on the sea.”
For Tower Hill is crowded
With mothers weeping sore,
For their sons are gone to face the foe
Where the blundering cannons roar.
|
||||
4. |
Flash Company
02:51
|
|||
|
First I loved William and then I loved John,
But now I love Thomas he's a clever young man.
With his white cotton stockings and his high ankled shoes,
He wears a velvet jacket, like a flash lad he goes.
Fiddling and dancing was all his delight,
But keeping flash company has ruined him quite.
Has ruined him quite and a great many more,
If it hadn't have been flash company he'd never have been so poor.
Take this yellow handkerchief in remembrance of me
And wear it around your neck when in flash company.
Dry up your briny tears and don't look so sad,
There's plenty more flash girls all around to be had.
Rocks shall run to water and the sea shall run dry,
If I should prove false to the one that loves I.
The sweetest strawberries shall grow in the sea,
If I should prove false to the one that loves me.
First I loved William and then I loved John,
But now I love Thomas he's a clever young man.
With his white cotton stockings and his high ankled shoes,
He wears a velvet jacket, like a flash lad he goes.
Take this yellow handkerchief in remembrance of me
And wear it around your neck when in flash company.
Dry up your briny tears and don't look so sad,
There's plenty more flash girls all around to be had.
|
||||
5. |
||||
|
Here, Oh Johnny, won't you come home soon?
Winter is coming and I'm all alone.
A candle is burning in the window, love,
And the wild geese they are flying home.
A young man's love is something to behold.
First it burns but then it soon turns cold.
He'll whisper in the moonlight and your hand he'll hold,
Then he'll vanish with the morning dew.
And it's here, Oh Johnny, won't you come home soon?
Winter is coming and I'm all alone.
A candle is burning in the window, love,
And the wild geese they are flying home.
He will court you by a meadow in the summertime.
When first you love, it is the sweetest time.
He'll promise a golden ring and then one day
He will vanish with the morning dew.
And it's here, Oh Johnny, won't you come home soon?
Winter is coming and I'm all alone.
A candle is burning in the window, love,
And the wild geese they are flying home.
You'll be waiting for his footsteps in the lonely room.
Listen by the window. He'll be coming soon.
Your heart it will be breaking by the early dawn.
For he's vanished with the morning dew.
And it's here, Oh Johnny, won't you come home soon?
Winter is coming and I'm all alone.
A candle is burning in the window, love,
And the wild geese they are flying home.
So come all you maidens who are in your prime,
The young man's love is like the rarest wine.
When first you taste it is the golden time,
Sweeter than the morning dew.
And it's here, Oh Johnny, won't you come home soon?
Winter is coming and I'm all alone.
A candle is burning in the window, love,
And the wild geese they are flying home.
|
||||
6. |
Polly on the Shore
03:03
|
|||
|
Come all you wild young men
And a warning take by me,
Never to lead your single life astray
And into no bad company.
As I myself have done,
It being in the merry month of May,
When I was pressed by a sea-captain
On board a man-o-war I was sent away.
Oh we sailed on the ocean so wide
And our bonny, bonny flag we let fly.
Let every man stand true to his guns
For the Lord knows who must die.
And our captain was wounded full sore
And so were the rest of his men.
The main mast rigging was scattered on the deck
So that we were obliged to give in.
And the decks were all spattered with blood
And so loudly the cannons did roar;
And thousands of times have I wished myself at home
And all along with my Polly on the shore.
She's a tall and a slender girl,
She's a dark and a-roving eye,
But here am I lie a-bleeding on the deck
And for her sweet sake I shall die.
So farewell to me parents and me friends,
Fare thee well, my dear Polly too.
I never should have crossed this salt sea so wide
If I had have been ruled by you.
|
||||
7. |
Blackleg Miner
02:42
|
|||
|
It's in the evening after dark,
That the blackleg miner goes to work,
In his moleskin pants and dirty shirt,
There goes the blackleg miner.
Well he takes his picks and down he goes
To hew the coal that lies below,
There's not a woman in this town row
Who'd look at the blackleg miner.
Oh, Delaval is a terrible place,
They rub wet clay in the blackleg's face,
Around the pits they run a foot race,
To catch the blackleg miner.
And don't go near the Seghill mine,
Across the top they've stretched a line,
To catch the throat and break the spine
Of the dirty blackleg miner.
Well they takehis picks and his duds as well,
And they hurl them down the pit of hell.
So off you go, and fare thee well,
You dirty blackleg miner.
So join the union while you may.
Don't wait until your dying day,
For that may not be far away,
You dirty blackleg miner.
It's in the evening after dark,
That the blackleg miner goes to work,
In his moleskin pants and dirty shirt,
There goes the blackleg miner.
Well he takes his picks and down he goes
To hew the coal that lies below,
There's not a woman in this town row
Who'd look at the blackleg miner.
So join the union while you may.
Don't wait until your dying day,
For that may not be far away,
You dirty blackleg miner.
|
||||
Roary Skaista UK
Roary Skaista is a queer folk musician based in Oxford, performing traditional folk songs as well as their own material on
the themes of love, nature and diversity.
Support Roary on Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/roaryskaista
Find Roary elsewhere on the internet: linktr.ee/roaryskaista
... more
If you like The Best of Fools, you may also like:
The Toronto-based sextet make moody, cinematic sounding music that blends psych-folk and post-rock.
go to album
Mind, Man, Medicine
by The Secret Sisters
The Alabama duo's fifth album exults in dusty Americana, showcasing rich vocal harmonies alongside blissful folk instrumentation.
go to album
More contemplative folk from the Minnesota singer-songwriter, sustained by raw full-band arrangements and philosophical lyrics.
go to album
Irish singer-songwriter Oisin Leech's acoustic folk music is characterized by its muted beauty and intimate, solitary quality.
go to album
Various Artists - Gaza Calling
by Nuovo Canzoniere Partigiano
featured on Bandcamp Radio Mar 15, 2024
go to album
Space Bath
by Sami Freeman, feat. James Jackson, Beaunoise, Mia Pixley
A gorgeous journey through a kaleidoscopic array of sonic approaches melted together that feels old and new at the same time.
go to album
Ship To Shore
by Richard Thompson
The legendary Richard Thompson's new solo album exemplifies his many musical paths, from pop and cabaret to jazz to traditional folk.
go to album
