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Bill Norrie

from Isolation Sessions #2 by Piers Cawley

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about

Sat in the Cumberland Arms at the top of Byker Bank in Newcastle in the singing session that the Witches of Elswick used to run, I heard Fay Hield sing Bill Norrie and it blew me away. I had to learn it. Listen to it once and you'll understand why.

You think it's just going to be a jolly(ish) song about a little light adultery and then it zigs and zags like a lightning bolt and hits you right between the eyes. It also has what must be the worst ever attempt at an apology from the husband.

I believe Fay had it from Damien Barber, who had it from Martin Carthy, who no doubt pulled it from a dusty old manuscript in the bowels of Cecil Sharp House and turned it into the magnificent beast we have today. It's just what he does.

lyrics

Young Bill Norrie's a fine lad and he lives like the wind,
Eyes shine like the silver or gold in morning sun.

“Oh friend John, and dear John, and do you see what I see?
Yonder stand the first woman that ever loved me.”

”And here's a glove, a glove John, it's lined with the silver grey,
Give it to her and tell her to come to her young Billy.”

“And here is a ring, a ring John, it's all gold but the stone,
Give it to her and tell her to ask for leave of none.”

“Oh friend Billy, dear Billy, you know my love for thee,
I'll not go to nobody to steal their wife away.”

“Oh Friend John, dear John, swim not against the tide,
Be with me in the stream John for I will be obeyed.”

John ran down to the high house and he rang low at the door,
Who was there but this woman to let young Johnny in.

“Here is a glove, a glove lady, lined with silver grey,
Bids you come into greenwood to meet your young Billy.”

“And here is a ring, a ring lady, all gold but the stone,
Bids you come into greenwood and ask for leave of none.”

But her husband stood in the shadow and an angry man was he,
“I never thought the man lived my love loved more than me.”

So he's gone down to her room and he dressed in her array
Like some woman he's rode out to meet with young Billy.”

Young Billy sat in the greenwood and he whistled and he sang,
By there comes the woman that I have loved so long.”

And Billy's run down and down there to meet her where she came,
But oh the sight that he saw his heart grew still as stone.

Yes Billy's run down and down there to help her from the horse,
“Oh and oh,” he cries out, “A woman was never so gross.”

And the husband he had a long knife, it hung down his knee,
He's taken Billy's head right off of his fair body

And he's ridden home and home there and down into the hall,
He's thrown the head to her, crying, “Lady catch the ball.”

And she's picked up the head there, she's kissed it cheek and chin,
“Better I love this dead boy than all my kith and kin.”

Yes she's taken up the head there, she's clasped it to her womb,
“Once I was full of this boy as the plum is of the stone.

For when I was in my dad's house with my virginity,
A young man come to my room and we got young Billy.

And I've bore him in my room in secrecy and shame,
I loved him in the greenwood out in wind and rain.

And I will kiss his clay cold lips and I will kiss his chin,
I will vow and stay true and I'll never kiss man again
I'll make vow and I'll stay true I will never kiss man again.”

And up then spoke the husband and a sad sad man was he,
“If I had known he was your son he would not be killed by me,
If I had known he was your son he would never've been killed by me.”

credits

from Isolation Sessions #2, released September 4, 2020
Trad. arr. Cawley (but Carthy got there first)

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

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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