The Wagoner's Lad

from Trad Song Tuesdays I by Piers Cawley

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about

It wasn't actually Trad Song Tuesday when I recorded this. I chose one of the themes rejected during a "vote for next week's theme" poll and went with 'Lovers' and because it was a rejected theme, it's a song about a rejected lover.

I started to learn this from Sheila Kay Adams at the Swananoa Gathering in 2012 and was a half-learned thing until I finally sat down to get the words properly in for this recording.

lyrics

Oh the heart is the fortune of all womankind
She's always controlled, she's always confined
Confined by her parents until she's a wife
Then bound to her husband the rest of her life

Oh I am poor girl my fortune is sad
I've long time been courted by the wagoner's lad
He courted me truly by night and by day
But now he is loaded and driving away

Your parents don't like me because I am poor
They say I'm not worthy to enter your door
I work for my living, my money's my own
And them that don't like me can leave me alone

Your horses are hungry go feed them some hay
Come sit here beside me as long as you may
My horses ain't hungry they won't eat your hay
Oh fair thee well darling I'm for driving away

Your saddle needs greasing, your whip's for to mend
come sit down beside me as long as you can
My wagon is greasy, my whip's in my hand
So fair thee well darling I can no longer stand

Oh I can love little, or I can love long
I can love an old sweetheart til a new one comes 'long
I can hug and can kiss 'em and prove to 'em kind
I can turn my back on them and also my mind

I'll go to yon mountain, yon mountain so high
Where the wild birds can see me and hear my sad cry
Where the wild birds can see me and hear my sad mourn
For I am a poor girl and my lovyer is gone

credits

from Trad Song Tuesdays I, released July 7, 2020

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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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Piers Cawley recommends:

Ballads Vol. I
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Six ballads, beautifully sung unaccompanied in a lovely plain style. I can almost see the likes of Lizzie Higgins and Belle Stewart standing at Iona's back as she sings and nodding their approval. Piers Cawley
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Songs From The Attic (Plus Extras)
by Jon Wilks

Jon's 'Grizzly Folk' blog was a wonderful source of thoughtful writing about folk songs, with most articles accompanied by a video of Jon's interpretation of the song. Now in a driver friendly format. Piers Cawley
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