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Golden Strings to Tether the Sun

by The Rowan Amber Mill

/
1.
It's in the evening after dark, When the blackleg miner creeps to work, With his moleskin pants and dirty shirt, There goes the blackleg miner! Well he grabs his duds and down he goes To hew the coal that lies below, There's not a woman in this town-row Will look at the blackleg miner. Delaval is a terrible place. They rub wet clay in the blackleg's face, And around the heaps they run a foot race, To catch the blackleg miner! Join the union while you may. Don’t wait until your dying day, For that may not be far away, You dirty blackleg miner! Don’t go near the Seghill mine. Across the way they stretch a line, To catch the throat and break the spine Of the dirty blackleg miner. They grab his duds and his picks as well, they hoy them down to the pit of hell. Down you go, and fare ye well, You dirty blackleg miner! So join the union while you may. Dont wait till your dying day, For that may not be far away, You dirty blackleg miner!
2.
I earn my apprentice in Rosemary Lane Where I have the goodwill of my master and dame A sailor came by when we wanted to lay And that was the cause of my misery The sailor was drowsy and he hung down his head And he asked for a candle to light him to bed I lead him there too as another might do Said he my pretty maid to my bed come unto A foolish young maiden well I thought it no harm To lie on my bed to keep his back warm And what was done there I shall never declair But I wish that short night had been seven long years Break So early next morning the sailor arose And into my apron three guineas he throwed Saying this I will give and more I will do If you'll be my darling wherever I go Now if it's a boy he’ll fight for the king And if it's a girl she’ll wear a gold ring She will wear a gold ring and a dress all aflame And remember my service in Rosemary Lane When I was in service in Rosemary Lane I earn the goodwill of my master and dame A sailor came by with me wanted to lay And that was the cause of my misery
3.
Bedlam Boys 04:59
For to see mad Tom of Bedlam Ten thousand miles I'd travel Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes For to save her shoes from gravel Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys Bedlam boys are bonnie, For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink nor money I went down to Satan's kitchen For to get me food one morning And there I got souls piping hot All on the spit a-turning Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys Bedlam boys are bonnie, For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink nor money There I picked up a cauldron Where I boiled ten thousand harlots Tho full of flame I drank the same To the health all such farlots Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys Bedlam boys are bonnie, For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink nor money This spirit's white as lightning Would on me travels guide me The moon would quake and the stars would shake When ever they espied me Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys Bedlam boys are bonnie, For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink nor money No gypsy slut nor dark sea Shall win my matom from me I’ll weep all night with stars I’ll fight The fray shall well become me Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys Bedlam boys are bonnie, For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink nor money So drink to Tom of Bedlam Go fill the season barrels I’ll drink it all well brewed with bull Maudlin drunk ‘Ill quarrel Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys Bedlam boys are bonnie, For they all go bare and they live by the air And they want no drink nor money
4.
But Black is the colour of my true love's hair. His face is like some rosy fair, The prettiest face and the neatest hands, I love the ground whereon he stands. I love my love and well he knows, I love the ground whereon he goes, If you no more on earth I see, I can't serve you as you have me. The winter's passed and the leaves are green, The time is passed that we have seen, But still I hope the time will come When you and I shall be as one. I go to the Clyde for to mourn and weep, But satisfied I never could sleep. I'll write to you a few short lines, I'll suffer death ten thousand times. So fare you well, my own true love The time has passed, but I wish you well. But still I hope the time will come When you and I will be as one. I love my love and well he knows, I love the ground whereon he goes. The prettiest face, the neatest hands, I love the ground whereon he stands.
5.
Three Ravens 04:31
There were three ravens sat on a tree, Down, a down, heigh down, heigh down They were as black as black might be, With a down The one of them said to his mate, “Where shall we our breakfast eat?” With a down, derry derry derry down down ”Oh down in yonder green field There lies a knight slain under his shield. His hounds they lie down at his feet, So well they do their master keep.” His hawks they fly so eagerly, There is no fowl dare nigh him come. Oh down there comes a fallow doe As great with young as she may go. She lifted up his wounded head And kissed the wounds that were so red. She got him up upon her back, Carried him to earthen lake. She buried him before the prime And was dead herself ere evesong time. God send to every gentleman Such hawks, such hounds and such woman.
6.
There was three men came out of the west, Their fortunes for to try, And these three men made a solemn vow, John Barleycorn should die. They ploughed, they sowed, they harrowed him in, Throwed clods upon his head, And these three men made a solenm vow, John Barleycorn was dead. Then they let him lie for a very long time Till the rain from heaven did fall, Then little Sir John sprung up his head, And soon amazed them all. They let him stand till midsummer Till he looked both pale and wan, And little Sir John he growed a long beard And so became a man. They hired men with the scythes so sharp To cut him off at the knee, They rolled him and tied him by the waist, And served him most barbarously. They hired men with the sharp pitchforks Who pricked him to the heart, And the loader he served him worse than that, For he bound him to the cart. They wheeled him round and round the field Till they came unto a barn, And there they made a solemn mow Of poor John Baricycorn. They hired men with the crab-tree sticks To cut him skin from bone, And the miller he served him worse than that, For he ground him between two stones. Here's little Sir John in a nut-brown bowl, And brandy in a glass; And little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl Proved the stronger man at last. And the huntsman he can't hunt the fox, Nor so loudly blow his horn, And the tinker he can't mend kettles or pots Without a little of Barleycorn.
7.
Through bushes and through briars I lately took my way All for to hear the small birds sing And the lambs to skip and play All for to hear the small birds sing And the lambs to skip and play I overhead my own true love His voice did sound clear Long time have I been waiting for The coming of my dear Long time have I been waiting for The coming of my dear Sometimes I am uneasy And troubled in my mind Sometimes I think I'll go to my love And tell to him my mind Sometimes I think I'll go to my love And tell to him my mind But if I should go to my love My love he will say “nay” If I show to him my boldness He'll ne'er love me again If I show to him my boldness He'll never love me again Through bushes and through briars I lately took my way All for to hear the small birds sing And the lambs to skip and play All for to hear the small birds sing And the lambs to skip and to play
8.
Sovay 02:55
Sovay Sovay all on a day She dressed herself in man's array With a sword and pistol all by her side To meet her true love, to meet her true love, she ride As she was riding over the plain She met her true love and bid him stand Your gold and silver kind sir she said Or else this moment or else this moment your life will hang And when she dropped off his door She said kind sir there is one thing more A golden ring which I know you have Deliver it deliver it your sweet life to save Oh that golden ring a token is my life I’ll lose the ring I’ll say Being tender-hearted just like the dove She rode away she rode away from her true love Next morning in the garden green Just like true lovers they were seen He espied his watch hanging by her clothes It made him blush It made him blush like any rose Oh what makes you blush at so silly a thing I thought to have had your golden ring It was like I brought you all on a plate Here’s your watch Here’s your watch and your gold again For I did intend and it was to know If that you were my true love or no for If you had given me that ring she said I'd have pulled the trigger I'd pulled the trigger and shot you dead''
9.
A blacksmith courted me Nine months and better He fairly won my heart Wrote me a letter. With his hammer in his hand He looked so clever And if I was with my love I would live forever. But where is my love gone With his cheeks like roses And his good black Billycock on Decked with primroses. Im afraid the scorching sun Will burn and shine his beauty And if I was with my love I’d do my duty. Strange news is come to town Strange news is carried Strange news flies up and down That my love is married. I wish them both much joy Though they can't see me And may God reward him well For the slighting of me. Don't you remember when You lay beside me And you said you'd marry me And not deny me. If I said I'd marry you It was only for to try you So bring your witness love… And I’ll not deny you. Inst verse Oh witness have I none save God Almighty. And may He reward you well for the slighting of me. Her lips grew pale and wan, it made her poor heart tremble, For to think she had loved one and he'd proved deceitful. A blacksmith courted me Nine months and better He fairly won my heart Wrote me a letter. With his hammer in his hand He looked quite clever And if I was with my love I would live forever.
10.
11.
A buck or doe believe it so A pheasant or a hare Were set on earth for everyone Quite equally to share So poacher bold, as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park They say that forty gallant poachers They were in distress They'd often been attacked when Their number it was less So poacher bold, as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park Among the gorse, to settle scores Those forty gathered stones To make a fight for poor men's rights And break the keepers bones So poacher bold, as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park The keepers went with flails against The poachers and their cause So no man there again would dare Defy the rich man's laws So poacher bold, as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park Down on the ground with mortal wound Head keeper Roberts lay He never will rise up until The final judgement day Of all that band who made a stand To set a net or snare The four men brought before the court Were tried for murder there So poacher bold, as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park The Judge he said "For Robert's death Transported you must be To serve a term of forty years In convict slavery" So poacher bold, as I unfold Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park A buck or doe believe it so A pheasant or a hare Were set on earth for everyone Quite equally to share So poacher bold, your tale is told Keep up your gallant heart And think about those poachers bold That night in Rufford Park
12.
Oh Sally my dear it’s you he’d be kissing Oh Sally my dear it’s you he’d be kissing She smiled and replied he don’t know what he’s a’ missing She smiled and replied he don’t know what he’s a’ missing If all the young men were as hares on the mountain If all the young men were as hares on the mountain How many young girls would take guns and go a’ hunting How many young girls would take guns and go a’ hunting If all the young men were as rushes a’growing If all the young men were as rushes a’growing Those pretty maidens with their scythes would go reaping Those pretty maidens with their scythes would go a’reaping Oh Sally my dear Oh Sally my dear If all the young men ran like deer on the mountain If all the young men ran like deer on the mountain How many young maids would rush to go a hunting How many young maids would rush to go a hunting If all the young men sang like blackbirds and thrushes If all the young men sang like blackbirds and thrushes How many young maids would rush to go a courting How many young maids would rush to go a courting Oh Sally my dear (repeat)
13.
Its of an old country farmer, living in the west Country And He had the prettiest little wife you ever did see The young men came a courting when he wasn’t nigh And oft times they’d take a tumble in the barley and the rye The old man in the morning he found himself alone We he looked out the window and saw his wife midst the corn A young man lay beside her the old man he did cry Saying wife wife oh how could you cause the spoiling of the rye Inst verse Oh husband my poor husband this like I n’er done afore But if you’ve got just one friend I’ve a dozen more I will not desert you if them you would employ We’ll have plenty of love and money for the barley and the rye The barley and the rye (Repeat)

about

An album of some of our very favourite traditional songs, that we have recorded during the lockdown April to June 2020.
Stephen is joined in these recordings by Kim Guy, who last sang with The Rowan Amber Mill 10 years ago. More of Kim's work can be heard over at soundcloud.com/kimguy

Reviews:
"Fully realised yet never overblown, the results are appropriately wintery.... 4 stars." Shingdig! Magazine.

"The arrangements, as you’d expect from the Mill, are lavish, laced in traditional instrumentation, and yet performed with such gorgeous simplicity that one almost wants to shake a fist at the folk rock creations of yore. This is how this music should be heard, and long may the Mill continue to turn it out." Goldmine Magazine.

"If you enjoy traditional folk songs that combine a homage to the original and a contemporary interpretation, then this album is for you. Some might dub it 'folk rock' but actually this is mellower than that and very is beautifully delivered, with occasional orchestral backing. This is music to be played live, and should be music to the ears of both folk aficionados and the wider listening public." FATEA Magazine.

"The listener will surely find many familiar songs among the titles on this album, but the arrangements that they are dressed up in could result in a big surprise. These songs are also wisely chosen references to older times when life was in some ways less complicated. A very much appreciated way to escape, even if only for an hour, our uncertain and frenzied modern world." Bright Young Folk.

credits

released September 26, 2020

Tracks 2,3,5,7,8, 9 & 10 Trad arr Kim Guy.
Tracks 1,4, 6,11,12 & 13 Trad arr Stephen Stannard.
Vocal arrangements by Kim.
Woodwind & String arrangements by Stephen.
Kim: All Vocals. Guitars on 2,3,5,7,8,9 & 10. Recorders on 7,10 & 13.
Stephen: Drums, Bass, Piano, Winds & Strings. Guitars on 1,6,11, 12 & 13. Recorders on 2,3,6,8,9 & 13.
All tracks Mixed and Produced by Stephen.
Original photography by Kim.
Additional photography, photo manipulations and packaging design by Stephen.

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The Rowan Amber Mill Devon, UK

Since 2007 The Rowan Amber Mill have been purveyors of Woodland Folkadelica/alt-Folk. Releases include: "folk devils & moral panics", "midsummers" and "Heartwood". The Book of the Lost (with Emily Jones). Silent Night Songs (with Angeline Morrison).The folk horror collection Harvest the Ears. The synth album Follows Shortly (as Making Tea For Robots). They are half of Rowan:Morrison. ... more

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