Get all 105 Ewan MacColl releases available on Bandcamp and save 40%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Chants De Marins Anglais Vol.2, The New Briton Gazette - Vol.2, The Long Harvest - Vol.12 (Second Crop), The Long Harvest - Vol.11 (Ballads resident and migrant), Joy of Living: A Tribute to Ewan MacColl, Naming Of Names, Parsley, Sage and Politics, Blood & Roses Volume 5, and 97 more.
1. |
Brown Adam (Child 98)
04:28
|
|||
|
O, wha would wish the wind tae blaw,
And the green leaves fa' therewith? fall
And wha would wish a lealer love
Than Brown Adam, the smith?
His hammer's o' the beaten gowd
His study's o' the steel,
His fingers white are my delight,
He blaws his bellows weel.
But they've banished him, Brown Adam,
Fae his faither and his mither,
They hae banished him, Brown Adam
Frae his sister and his brither.
They hae banished him, Brown Adam,
Fae the flooer o' a' his kin;
And he's biggit a bower on yon burn side
To haud his lady and him.
Then it fell oot upon a day
He rose up wi' the sun;
And he is tae the greenwood gane
To hunt for venison.
Wi' his bent bow ower his shouther
And his sword intil his haund;
He has gane tae the gay green wood
As fast as he could gang.
He's shot the hare upon the hill
And the bird upon the briar;
And sent them tae his ain true love
Bade her be o' good cheer.
O; he's shot up and he's shot doon
The bird upon the thorn,
And sent it tae his ain true love
Sayin' he'd be hame the morn.
And when he cam' tae his lady's bower,
He stood a while forbye;
And there he hard a fause knicht
A-tempting his lady.
This knicht's ta'en oot a gay gold ring,
Worth guineas mair than ten;
Says, Grant me love for love, lady,
And this shall be your ain.
I lo'e Brown Adam weel, she said
And I ken that he loves me,
And I wad nae gie Brown Adam's love
For a knicht as fause as thee.
This knicht's ta'en oot a purse o' gowd,
Was fu' richt tae the string;
Grant me love for love; lady,
And this shall be your ain.
I lo'e Brown Adam weel, she said,
And I ken that he loves me;
And I wouldnae be your licht leman
For a' that ye could gie.
Then he's ta'en oot his lang, lang sword
And held it tae her e'en;
Grant me love for love, lady,
Or through ye this will gang.
The lady grat and sighed fu' sair,
Brown Adam tarries lang!
Then up it starts Brown Adam,
Sayin', I'm here, lass at your hand.
He's made him leave his bow, his bow,
And he's made him leave his brand;
He's gart him leave a better pledge;
Four fingers of his right hand.
|
||||
2. |
Rinordine
03:23
|
|||
|
One morning as I rambled
Two miles below Palm Roy,
I met a farmer's daughter
All on the mountain high.
I said, My dear, my fair one,
Your beauty shine so clear.
All on this lonely mountain
I'm glad to see you here.
Your beauty has ensnared me,
I cannot pass you by,
But with my gun I'll guard you
All on the mountain high.
These words had scarce been spoken,
She fell in a maze;
Her eyes as bright as diamonds
All on me she did gaze.
Her rosy lips and cheeks
They lost their former hue,
And she fell in my arms
Silent as morning dew.
I had but kissed her once or twice,
She come to again.
And modestly she asked me,
Pray sir, what is your name?
Go look in yonder forest,
My castle you will find
'Tis wrote in ancient history
My name is Ryner Dyne.
But now, my dear, my fair one.
Don't let your parents know.
For they may prove my ruin
Also my overthrow.
If you come to yonder forest;
Perhaps you'll not me find.
Enquire at my castle,
Ask for Ryner Dyne.
She sought him to his forest
Perhaps she did him find.
But she's not in that castle
Nor is Ryner Dyne.
|
||||
3. |
||||
|
O, are ye my faither or are ye my mither
Or are ye my brither John?
Or are ye James Herries, my ain true love
To Scotland come again?
I'm no' your faither, I'm no' your mither,
I'm no' your brither John.
But I am James Herries, your ain true love
To Scotland come again.
O, see ye no' yon seiven ships?
The eighth brocht me to land,
I've merchandise and mariners
And wealth on every hand.
But I am married to a carpenter
Earns his braid upon dry land,
And I hae borne him a bonnie young son
And wi' you I winna gang.
O, ye maun leave your husband dear
And come awa' wi' me;
I'll tak' ye whaur the white lilies grow
On the banks o' Italy.
Then she has gane tae her bonnie young son
And kissed baith cheek and chin,
And syne tae her husband, sleepin' soond,
And done the same wi' him.
They had nae sealed a league, a league,
A league but barely three,
When she minded her man and her bonnie young son
And grat maist bitterly
O, haud your tongue, my sprightly flooer
Let a' your mournin' be,
I'll tak' ye whaur the blind fishes swim
At the bottom o' the sea.
And aye he grew and higher he grew
And sae tall he seemed to be
Till the tapmost mast a' that bonnie ship
Nae taller was than he.
He struck the tapmast wi' his haund
And kicked the mainmast doon,
And he broke that bonnie ship in twa
And a' the folk were drooned.
|
||||
4. |
||||
|
There were a fair and a beautiful bride
Children she had three;
She sent them away to a northing school
For to study gramaree.
They were away but about three months
Three months and a day;
When there came death all over that land
And stole her little babes away.
There be a king in heavens above,
Wearin' of a golden crown,
Please send home my sweet little babes
This night or in the morning soon.
It were about old Christmas-time,
And the nights was long and cool;
She dreamed she seen them sweet little babes
Come a-running to their mother's room.
She set a table with a clean white cloth,
Spread with bread and wine;
Come eat, come drink, my sweet little babes,
Come eat and drink of mine.
We can't eat your bread, mother,
We can't drink your wine;
For in the morning, the morning soon,
With our Saviour we must dine.
She made a bed in the backmost room,
Spread with a Holland sheet;
And over the top run a golden quilt
Come; my sweet little babes, and sleep,
Green grass grown at our heads; mother,
Green moss at our feet;
And every tear you weeped for us
Just wets our windin' sheet.
Wake; awake; said the eldest one,
Wake; It's almost day;
Yonder stands our Saviour dear;
And with him we must away.
Farewell mamma and pappa too,
Farewell Kitty and the Queen;
How can I stay in this dark world?
There's a brighter one for me.
|
||||
5. |
||||
|
At the Mill o' Tifty lived a man
In the neighbourhood o' Fyvie,
And he had a lovely dochter dear
Wha's name was Bonnie Annie
Lord Fyvie had a trumpeter
Wha's name was Andrew Lammie;
And he had the airt for to gain the hairt
O' Tifty's Bonnie Annie.
Lord Fyvie he rode by the door
Whaur lived Bonnie Annie;
And his trumpeter rod him before,
E'en that same Andrew Lammie.
Her mither cried her to the door,
Says, Come to me, my Annie!
Did ever ye see a prettier man
Than the trumpeter o' Fyvie?
Naethin' she said, but sighed sair
'Twas alas for Bonnie Annie,
For she dursna own her hairt was won
By the trumpeter o' Fyvie.
At nicht when a' gang to their beds,
A' sleep fu' soond but Annie;
Love so oppressed her tender breast,
Thinkin' on her Andrew Lammie.
O, love comes in at my bedside,
And love will lie beyond me.
Love so oppressed my tender breast
And love will waste my body.
The first time me and my love met,
It was in the woods of Fyvie;
And he ca'd me 'Mistress', but I said,
Na, I'm just Tiftie's Bonnie Annie.
O, Fyvie's woods rin far and wide;
And Fyvie's woods are bonnie;
It's aft I've gane there to meet my love
My bonnie Andrew Lammie.
Her faither he's got word o' it,
That the trumpeter o' Fyvie
Had had the airt for the gain the hairt
O' his dochter, Bonnie Annie.
Wae be to Mill o' Tiftie's pride
For it has ruined mony,
He'll no hae it said that she should wed
The trumpeter o' Fyvie.
Her faither he's a letter wrote
And sent it to Lord Fyvie,
For to say his dochter was bewitched
By the trumpeter o' Fyvie.
Noo, I maun gang to Embro toon;
And for a while maun leave thee;
She sighed fu' sair, but said nae mair,
But, I wish that I was wig' ye.
Then he has gene to the high tap hoose
To the high tap house o' Fyvie,
And he's blawn his trumpet sae loud and shrill,
It was heard at Mill o' Tifty,
Her faither he aye locks the door,
Stores up the key fu' canny;
And when he heard the trumpet's blast,
Says, Your coo is lowin', Annie.
O faither dear, I pray forbear,
And reproach nae mair your Annie;
For I wouldnae gie that ae coo's low
For a' the lands o' Fyvie.
At that same time the Lord cam' by,
Says, Whit ails thee, Annie?
O, it's a' for love that I maun dee
For the love o' Andrew Lammie.
O, Mill O' Tifty, gie consent
And let your dochter marry;
No, it maun be ane o'higher degree
Than the trumpeter o' Fyvie.
Gin she were o' as high a kin
As she is wondrous bonnie,
It's I would tak' her to mysel'
And mak' her my ain lady.
O, Fyvie's lands rin lang and wide,
And Fyvie's woods are bonnie;
But I wouldnae gie my ain true love
For a' the lands o' Fyvie.
Her faither struck her wondrous sair,
And also did her mither,
Her sisters likewise took their score;
But wae be tae her brither.
Her brither struck her wondrous sair,
Wi' cruel blows and mony,
And he brak' her back ower the temple stane
For likin' Andrew Lammie,
O father and mither, why sae cruel?
Why sae cruel to your Annie?
My hairt was broken first by love,
My brither broke my body.
O mither, mither, mak' my bed,
And turn my face to Fyvie,
For it's here I'll lie and it's here I'll die,
For my dear Andrew Lammie.
|
||||
6. |
||||
|
There stands three trumpeters on yon hill,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
And they blew their trumpets sae loud and shrill
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Gin I'd his trumpet in my kist
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
And was in the lad'a airms that I like best,
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Gin ye would be wed wi me;
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
There's ae thing ye maun dae for me.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Ye maun mak' me a linen sark,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
Without a stitch o' needlewark.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Ye maun wash it in yon draw-well,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
Where water never sprang nor fell.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Ye maun dry't on yon hawthorn,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
That never saw blossom since Adam was born,
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
And gin I mak' a sark for thee,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
There's ae thing ye maun dae for me.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
My faither has an acre o' land,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
Ye maun ploo it wi' your ae hand.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Ye maun sow it wantin' corn,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
And roll it wi' a sheep's shank-bone.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Ye maun shear it wi' a scythe o' leather,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
And bind it wi' a peacock's feather.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
Ye maun stook it in the sea
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
And bring the wheatsheaf dry to me.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
And gin ye dae noo a' this wark,
Blaw, blaw, blaw winds blaw.
Come to me and you'll get your sark.
And the wind it blows my plaid awa'.
|
||||
7. |
||||
|
'Twas early one morning in the month of May
O the wind and rain;
Two sisters went a-fishing on a hot summer's day,
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
Two sweet Sisters side by side
O the wind and rain;
Both of them wanna be Johnny's bride
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
Johnny give the young one a gold ring
O the wind and rain;
Didn't give the other one anything
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
Two sweet sisters walking by the stream
O the wind and rain;
One come behind, pushed the other one in.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
Pushed her in the river to drown,
O the wind and rain;
And watched her as she floated down.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
She floated on down to the miller's pond,
O the wind and rain;
Father, father, there swims a swan.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
The miller ran for his drifting hook,
O the wind and rain;
And brought that poor girl from the brook.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
He laid her on the bank so dry,
O the wind and rain;
A fiddler man came walking by.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
He saw that poor girl lying there;
O the wind and rain;
He took thirty strands of her long yellow hair.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
He made a fiddle bow of her long yellow hair,
O the wind and rain;
He made fiddle pegs of her little finger bones.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
He made a fiddle of her little breast-bone,
O the wind and rain;
With a sound that could melt a heart of stone.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
And the only tune that fiddle would play,
O the wind and rain;
The only tune that fiddle would play, was
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
Was yonder's my sister sittin' on a rock,
O the wind and rain;
Tyin' my Johnny a true-love's knot.
Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.
|
||||
8. |
||||
|
The lady stands at her bower door
As straucht's a willow-wand
The blacksmith stood a little forbye
Wi' his hammer in his haund.
O, weel hae ye dressed, ye lady fair
In a' your robes o' reid.
Before the morn at this same time
I'll gain your maidenheid.
Awa', awe' ye coal-black smith
And wad ye dae me wrong?
To think to gain my maidenheid
That I hae kep' sae lang.
Then she has hauden up her haund
And swore by the Trinity,
Though ye gie me thoosand poonds,
Your leman I'd never be.
And he has hauden up his haund tae
And he swore by the Mass,
I'll tak' ye tae my bed, lady,
For the half o' that and less.
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
Then she became a turtle-dow
To fly up in the air,
And he became anither dow
And they flew pair and pair.
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
She's turned hersel' intae an eel
Tae swim intae yon burn,
And he became a speckled trout
To gie the eel her turn,
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
Then she became a duck, a duck
To paddle in the burn,
And he became a rose-kaimed drake
To tread her at ilka turn.
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
She's turned hersel' intae a hare
Tae run upon yon hill,
And he became a guid greyhoond
And coursed her at his will,
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
Then she became a bonnie grey mare
And stood in yonder slack,
And he became the gilt saddle
That lay across her back.
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
Then she became a hot girdle
And he became a cake;
And a' the ways she turned hersel'
The blacksmith was her make.
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
She's turned hersel' intae a ship
To sail out ower the flood,
But he's drove a nail intae her tail
And syne that ship she stood.
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith your Leman shall be
For all your muckle pride
Then she became a silken plaid
And stretched oat on the bed,
And he became a green blanket
And gained her maidenheid.
Bide, lady, bide,
And aye he bade her bide,
The rusty smith her leman was
For a' her muckle pride.
|
||||
9. |
||||
|
There was a sister and her brither,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Wha maist entirely loved each other.
God, gif we had never been sib.
Sister, we'll gang tae the broom
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
O sister, I would lay thee doon,
God, gif we had never been sib.
Brither, alas, would ye dae sae?
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
I sooner would my deith gang tae.
God, gif we had never been sib.
A' the folk they talk through ither
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
That the lass is wi' bairn to her brither.
God, gif we had never been sib.
O, brither ye hae done me ill,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And we will baith burn on yon hill.
God, gif we had never been sib.
Ye'll gang tae my faither's stable,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And tak' twa horses stout and able.
God, gif we had never been sib.
She's up on the white horse, he's on the black,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Wi' his yew-tree bow slung fast tae his back.
God, gif we had never been sib.
They hadnae rode a mile but ane
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
E'er her pains they did come on.
God, gif we had never been sib.
I would gie a' my faither's land
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
For a good midwife at my command,
God, gif we had never been sib.
Ye'll gang tae yon high high hill,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And tak' your how and arrows wi' ye,
God, gif we had never been sib.
When ye hear my loud, loud cry.
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Then bend your bow and let me die.
God, gif we had never been sib.
He's gane tae yon hill sae high,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
He bent his bow and let her die,
God, gif we had never been sib.
When he cam' tae her beside;
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
The babe was born, the lady deid.
God, gif we had never been sib.
Then he has ta'en his young, young son,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And borne him tae a milk-woman.
God, gif we had never been sib.
He's gien himsel' a wound fu' sair,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Well never gang to the broom nae mair.
God, gif we had never been sib.
O mither, I hae tint my knife;
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
I lo'ed it better than my life,
God, gif we had never been sib.
But I hae tint a better thing,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
The bonnie sheath my knife was in.
God, gif we had never been sib.
Is there no' a cutler intae Fife
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
That could mak' to thee a better knife?
God, gif we had never been sib.
There's no' a cutler in a' the land,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
That could mak' sic a knife tae my command.
God, gif we had never been sib.
|
||||
10. |
||||
|
O who will shoe my pretty little foot,
Who will glove my hand?
Who will kiss my rosy lips
When you're in a foreign land?
Your papa can shoe your pretty little foot,
Your mama can glove your hand,
I will kiss your rosy lips
When I come back again.
O, if I had a sailing boat
And men to sail with me -
I'd sail tonight to my own love
Since he will not sail to me.
Her father made her a sailing boat.
And sent her to the strand;
She set her baby on her lap
And turned her back to land.
She hadn't been a-sailing about three months
It was not more than four,
When she brought her sailing boat
Right to her lover's door.
She's took her baby in her arms
And to his door she's gone,
She called, she cried, she called again
But answer got she none.
The night was dark and the wind was cold,
Her lover was asleep,
And the baby in poor Annie's arms
Began to cry and weep.
O, open the door, my own true love,
Open the door, I pray,
Your young child that's in my arms
Will be dead before it's day.
Go away, you wild woman,
For here you cannot stay,
Go drown you in the salt, salt sea,
Or hang on the gallows tree.
Don't you remember, my true love,
When we sat at the wine?
We changed the rings from our fingers,
And the brightest one was mine.
Don't you remember, my true love,
The vow you made to me?
We vowed an oath and it bound us both
For the years that are to be.
Go away, you wild woman,
For here you can't come in,
Go drown you in the salt, salt sea
Or hang on the gallows pin.
The cock did crow, the sun did rise
And through the window peep;
Up he rose, her own true love,
And sorely did he weep.
O, mother, I dreamed of my true love,
She lives across the sea;
I dreamed she stood at our front door
A-weepin' sore for me.
There were a lady here last night
With a baby in her arms,
I would not let her in to you
For fear she'd do you harm.
He ran, he ran to the salt sea-shore
And looked out on the foam,
There he saw fair Annie's boat
Go tossin' toward her home.
He called, he cried, he waved his hand,
He bid her sore to stay,
The more he called and the more he cried,
The louder roared the sea.
The wind did blow and the sea did roar,
It tossed her boat on shore,
It brought his true love to his feet
But he saw his son no more.
The first he kissed her rev'ly cheek,
The next he kissed her chin -
Then he kissed her rosy lips,
There was no life within.
Don't you remember, my true love,
When we sat at the wine?
We changed the rings from our fingers
And the brightest one was mine.
Don't you remember, my true love.
The vow you made to me?
We vowed an oath, and it bound us both
For the years that are to be.
A curse I put on thee, mother,
A curse I put on thee!
That you would not let my Annie in
When she come so far to me.
|
||||
Ewan MacColl London, UK
This site is maintained by the MacColl family, aiming to make Ewan's catalogue available to download.
Ewan MacColl is
known to most as a songwriter and singer, but he was also of significant influence in the worlds of theatre and radio broadcasting. His art reached huge numbers through the folk clubs, greater numbers through his recordings and untold millions through the radio.
... more
Ewan MacColl recommends:
First Time Ever: Songs From A Memoir (Double CD)
by Peggy Seeger
Peggy Seeger's catalogue is now available on Bandcamp. Check out her old and new recordings.
go to albumIf you like Blood & Roses Volume 5, you may also like:
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
Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection 2
by Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection
A kaleidoscopic collection of folk, jazz, and pop from this Nashville musician topped with gentle, soothing vocal melodies.
go to album
The British folk artist returns with his latest album which is both intimate and sparse.
go to album
The Two Worlds
by Brigid Mae Power
The latest LP from Brigid Mae Power is gorgeous and ghostly, setting Power’s voice against soft brushes of guitar, piano, & shuffling drums.
go to album
Wintres Woma
by James Elkington
One of Chicago’s most versatile musicians breathes new life into beloved British folk traditions.
go to album
