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Trad Song Tuesdays Volume 0

by Piers Cawley

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1.
As I walked out one May morning One May morning betimes I met a maid from home had strayed Just as the sun did shine "What makes you rise my dear, my dear "Your journey to pursue? "Your pretty little feet they tread so neat "Strike off the morning dew." "I'm going to feed my father's flock "His young and tender lambs "That over hills and over dales "Lie searching for their dams" "Oh stay, oh stay you handsome maid "And rest a moment here "For their is none but you alone "That I do love so dear" How gloriously the sun do shine How pleasant is the air I'd rather rest on my true love's breast Than any other where For I am thine and thou art mine No man shall uncomfort thee We'll join our hands in wedded bands And married we shall be
2.
I must away now, I can no longer tarry This morning's tempest I have to cross I will be guided without a stumble Into the arms I love the best But when he's come to his true love's window He's knelt down gently all at a stone And through the window has whispered softly My darling dear do you like alone? She's raised her head from her down soft pillow And snowy were her milk-white breasts And through the window has whispered lowly Who's that disturbing me in my long night's rest? It's I your love now, but don't discover I bid you rise love and let me in For I am wet love, aye very weary Yes I am wet unto my skin She's raised her up with the greatest of pleasure Thrown open the window, she's let him in And it's there they've kissed and embraced each other Through that long night they lay as one And when that long night was passed and over And when the storm birds began to sing He's raised him up, they've kissed and parted He's mounted his steed and away did ride.
3.
The Silkie 02:28
And earthy nourice [nurse] sits and sings And aye she sings "ba lillie lie" Saying "Little ken I my bairn's father Far less the land that he lies in Then he's stepped in to her bed foot And a grummly guest I'm sure was he Saying "Here am I thy bairn's father "Although I am not comely" "I am a man upon the land "I am a silkie on the sea "And when I'm far and fair from land "My home it is in Sule Skerrie" "Alas, alas" the lady cried "Alas, alas indeed" quoth she "That the great silkie of Sule Skerrie "Should have come and laid a bairn with me." And he's take out a purse of gold And he has laid it on her knee Saying "Gie to me my little young son "And tak' thee up thy nourice' fee" "And it shall come to pass on a summer's day "When the sun shines hot on every stone "That I will fetch my little young son "And I'll teach him how to swim the foam." "And you shall marry a gunner bold "And a right good gunner I'm sure he'll be "And the very first shot that he shall shoot "Shall kill both my young son and me." "Oh woe is me!" the lady cried "What a weary doom is laid on me" And once she's sobbed and twice she's sighed And her tender heart it broke in three
4.
As I was a'walking one morning in May I met a pretty fair maid and unto her did say "For love I'm inclined, I'm telling you my mind "That my inclination lies in your cuckoo's nest!" "My darling" said she, "I'm innocent and your , "And I scarcely believe your false deluding tongue. "Yet I see it in your eyes, it fills me with surprise "That your inclination lies in my cuckoo's nest" Now some like a girl who is pretty in the face And some like girl that is slender in the waist Ah, but give me a girl will wriggle and will twist At the bottom of your belly lies the cuckoo's nest "My darling," said he, "I'm telling you no lie. "I'm just thinking of fondness and do not be surprised. "For I love you my dear, I'll marry you as well, "If you'll let me clap my hand upon your cuckoo's nest" "My darling," said she, "I cannot do such thing "For my mother often told me it was committing sin "For my maidenhead to lose, my sex to be abused "So have no more to do with my cuckoo's nest" Now some like a girl… "My darling," said he, "It's not committing sin "For common sense should tell you it is a pleasing thing "You're brought into this world to increase and do your best "And to help a man to heaven in your cuckoo's nest" "My darling," said she, "I cannot you deny "For your fairly won my heart with the roving of your eye "And I see it in your eyes, it fills you with surprise "So gently lift your hands into my cuckoo's nest." Now some like a girl… So this couple they got married and so they went to bed And now this pretty fair maid has lost her maidenhead In a small country cottage they increase and do their best And he often claps his hand upon her cuckoo's nest Some some like girl… (x2)
5.
No wonder that butter's a shilling a pound See them rich farmers' daughters as they ride up and down And when you ask for the reason, they say "Oh, alas! There's been a French war "So the cows have no grass!" And honesty's all out fashion These are the rigs of the time, time my boys These are the rigs of the time And then here's to our landlord, I must bring him in Charges tuppence a pint, yet he think it no sin And when he do bring it in the measure is short And the top of the pint is all covered in froth Chorus And then here's to the butcher, I must bring him in Charges fourpence a pound, yet he think it no sin To slap his thumb on the scale and make it go down He swears it's full weight when it lacks half a pound Chorus And here's to the baker, I must bring him in Charges ha'penny a loaf, yet he think it no sin And when he do bring it in it's no bigger than your fist And the top of the loaf is popped off with the yeast Chorus And here's to the tailor that skimps on our clothes And here's to the cobbler that pinches our toes And our bellies go empty, our backsides go bare No wonder we've reason to curse and to swear Chorus Now the very best thing that I can find Is to toss 'em all up in a high gale of wind And the wind it would blow, the balloon it would burst And the biggest old rascal come tumbling down first Chorus Yes, honesty's all out of fashion
6.
This ae night, this ae neet, Any neet and all Fire and fleet and candle leet And Christ receive thy soul When thou from hence away have passed Any neet and all To whinnie moor thou come'st at last And Christ receive they soul And if ever thou gavest hosen or shoon Any neet and all Then sit you down and put them on And Christ receive thy soul But if hosen or shoon thou ne'er gavest nane The whinnie will prick thee to thy bare bane When from whinnie moor away thou can pass To the Brig o' Dread thou comes't at last And if ever thou gavest silver or gold On the Brig o' Dread thou'lt find foothold But if silver or gold thou ne'er gavest nane Then thou shalt tumblest to hell's flame Now from the Brig o' Dread away though hast past To Purgatory fire though comes't at last And if ever thou gavest meat or drink The flame shall never make thee shrink But if meat nor drink thou ne'er gravest nane The fire shall burn thee to thy bare bane This ae neet, this ae neet Any neet and all Fire and fleet and candle leet And Christ receive thy soul

about

#TradSongTues is a regular Twitter event run by Fay Hield and her merry band of accomplices. Every Thursday, they suggest a theme, and every Tuesday, folk tweet about traditional and traditionalish songs that fit the theme. This EP is a selection of songs I've recorded for the project, which I've posted to YouTube and now I'm collecting them here so you can get them in handy downloadable form too.

These are the first six songs I could find my recording files for rather than being collected with any specific theme in mind. They're the original single take recordings that I made for videos, complete with the odd fluffed lyric and/or other errors. One day, I may revisit them and add a bit more polish, but I hope you like them as they stand too.

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released February 26, 2020

All tracks produced, arranged, recorded and performed by Piers Cawley.

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Piers Cawley Doncaster, UK

A singer for as long as he can remember, Piers (he/they) sings Old Songs with a clarity and conviction that makes them as fresh as paint.

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