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The Lowlands Of Holland (Child 92)

from Blood & Roses Volume 4 by Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger

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Child 92, "Bonny Bee Rom", is a rather discursive and unsatisfactory narrative of lovers meeting, exchanging tokens. parting and dying. It would seem that "Lowlands of Holland" in its standard form - comprising the first section of "Bonny Bee Rom" - emerged around 1740. It may have been used - consciously or unconsciously, In the folk manner - as a basis for a Galloway widow's lament upon the death of her husband on a voyage to Holland. Whatever its origin, its short burst of lyric despair is far more effective than the longer parent ballad. I learned this version from the singing of Mrs. Carrie Grove, a Maine ballad singer. I have changed it considerably over the years so that it is now far more ornamented.

lyrics

On the night that I was married, that night we went to bed,
Up stepped the bold sea-captain and stood at our bed-head,
Rise, you wedded man, and go with me
To the low, low lands of Holland to fight your enemy.

I throwed my arms around him, imploring him to stay,
Up spoke the bold sea-captain, Rise and come away!
Rise, you wedded man, and go with me,
To the low, low lands of Holland to fight your enemy.

O daughter, dearest daughter, what makes you so lament?
There's many a young man In our town might give your heart content;
There's many a young man in our town, nary a one for me.
For I only had but one true-love and he is drowned at sea.

No shoes, no stockings I'll put on, no comb go through my hair,
No firelight, no candle bright come in my chamber more,
And never will I married be until the day I die,
For the angry waves and cruel wars parted my love and I.

credits

from Blood & Roses Volume 4, released April 12, 1986
Peggy Seeger - vocals

Produced by Calum MacColl
Engineered by Nigel Cazaly

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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

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