1. |
Katie Cruel
04:08
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When I first came to town
They called me the roving jewel
Now they changed their tune
Call me the Katie Cruel
Through the woods I run
Through the bogs and mire
Straight way down the road
And to my heart's desire
If I was where I would be
Then I'd be where I am not
This here where I must be
Where I would be, I cannot
When I first came to town
They bought me drinks of plenty
Now they've changed their tune
And hand me the bottles empty
When I first came to town
They called me the roving jewel
Now they changed their tune
Call me the Katie Cruel
If I was where I would be
Then I'd be where I am not
This here where I must be
Where I would be, I cannot
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2. |
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When I was in service in Rosemary Lane
I won the goodwill of my master Amberdine
Till a sailor came by one night to lay
And that was the beginning of my misery
I asked for a candle to light me to bed
And likewise a silk handkerchief to tie up my hair
To tie up my hair the way sailors will do
And third my pretty Polly won't you come too
Now this may seem young and foolish I thought it no harm
To climb into bed to keep myself warm
And what was done there I shall never disclose
But I wish that short night had been seven long years
So early next morning I gently arose
And into her apron three guineas did throw
Saying this I will give and more I will do
If you'll be my Polly wherever I go
Now if it's a boy he will fight for the king
And if it's a girl she will wear a gold ring
Wear a gold ring and a dress all aflame
And remember your service in Rosemary Lane
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3. |
Matty Groves
06:34
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A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the year
Lord Donald's wife came into the church, the gospel word to hear
And when the meeting it was done, she turned her eyes about
And there she saw little Matty Groves, walking in the crowd
"Come home with me, little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight
Come home with me, little Matty Groves, and sleep with me till light"
"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home and sleep with you tonight
For the rings on your fingers I can tell you are my master's wife"
"What if I am Lord Donald's wife, Lord Donald's not at home
He is out in the far cornfields bringing the yearlings home"
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was said
He swore Lord Donald he would know before the sun would set
And in his hurry to carry the news, he bent his breast and ran
And when he came to the broad millstream, he took off his shoes and swam
Little Matty Groves, he lay down and took a little sleep
When he awoke, Lord Donald was standing at his feet
Saying "How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets
How do you like my lady who lies in your arms asleep?"
"Oh, well I like your feather bed and well I like your sheets
But better I like your lady gay who lies in my arms asleep"
"Well, get up, get up, " Lord Donald cried, "get up as quick as you can
It'll never be said in fair England that I slew a naked man"
"Oh, I can't get up, I won't get up, I can't get up for my life
For you have two long beaten swords and I not a pocket knife"
"Well it's true I have two beaten swords and they cost me deep in the purse
But you will have the better of them and I will have the worse
And you will strike the very first blow and strike it like a man
I will strike the very next blow and I'll kill you if I can"
So Matty struck the very first blow and he hurt Lord Donald sore
Lord Donald struck the very next blow and Matty struck no more
And then Lord Donald he took his wife and sat her on his knee
Saying "Who do you like the best of us, Matty Groves or me?"
And then up spoke his own dear wife, never dared to speak so free
"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips than you or your finery"
Lord Donald he jumped up and loudly he did bawl
He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her against the wall
"A grave, a grave, " Lord Donald cried, "to put these lovers in
But bury my lady at the top for she was of noble kin"
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4. |
The Three Ravens
03:48
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There were three ravens sat on a tree,
Down a down hey down hey down.
They were as black as black might be,
With a down.
Then one of them said to his mate:
"Where shall we our breakfast take?"
With a down derry derry derry down down.
Down in yonder greenfield,
Down a down hey down hey down.
There lies a knight slain under his shield;
With a down.
His hounds they lie down at his feet,
So well they their master keep.
With a down derry derry derry down down.
His hawks they fly so eagerly,
Down a down hey down hey down.
There is no fowl dare him come nigh
With a down.
But down there comes a fallow doe,
As great with young as she might go.
With a down derry derry derry down down.
She lifted up his wounded head,
Down a down hey down hey down.
And kissed the wounds that were so red.
With a down.
She got him up upon her back
And carried him to an earthen lake.
With a down derry derry derry down down.
She buried him before the prime,
Down a down hey down hey down.
She was dead herself ere evensong time.
With a down.
God send every gentleman
Such hawks, such hounds and such a leman.
With a down derry derry derry down down.
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5. |
Wayfaring Stranger
03:27
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I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world below
There's no sickness, no toil, no danger
In that bright land to which I go
I'm going there to see my father
And all my loved ones, who've gone on
I'm just going over Jordan
I'm just going over home
I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is hard and steep
But beauteous fields arise before me
Where God's redeemed their vigils keep
I'm going there to see my mother
She said she'd meet me when I come
I'm going over Jordan
I'm just going over home
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6. |
Silver Dagger
04:22
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Don't sing love songs, you'll wake my mother
She's sleeping here, right by my side
And in her right hand a silver dagger
She says that I can't be your bride
"All men are false", says my mother
"They'll tell you wicked, lovin' lies
The very next evening they'll court another
Leave you alone to pine and sigh"
My daddy is a handsome devil
He's got a chain five miles long
And on every link a heart does dangle
Of another maid he's loved and wronged
Go, court another tender maiden
And hope that she will be your wife
For I've been warned and I've decided
To sleep alone all of my life
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7. |
Kempy Kay
04:47
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Kempy Kay's to the wooing gone
Far, far across the sea
And he has met with an old old man
His father-in-law to be.
“Good day, good day,” cries Kempy Kay.
“Good day good day,” cries he.
“I've come your daughter's love to win
Do you think she could love me?”
The father came unto the door
And he's peeped through the key-hole
And there he saw his daughter Jean
Was sitting amongst the coal.
Every nail upon her hand
Was like an iron rake.
The space between her nose and mouth
With dirt was thickly caked.
“Rise up, rise up, you filthy slut
And wash your foul face clean.
For your wooer will be here this night,
And your body's to be seen.”
Then up she rose, put on her clothes
And washed her foul face clean.
She cursed the hands and banned the feet
That brought no water in.
So they scraped her and they scrubbed her
Like the face of a rusty pan
Till Kempy Kay himself came in,
A clever and tall young man.
His teeth they were like tethering sticks
His nose was five foot long.
Between his shoulders was nine yards broad
And between his eyes a span.
Every hair upon his head
Was like a heather cow,
And every louse that looked out
Was like a crooked ewe.
He gave to her a gay cravat;
“Twas of an old horse-shit.
He gave to her a gay gold ring;
'Twas of an old tree root.
She thanked him once she thanked him twice
She thanked him over again.
“I've never had a ring in all my life,
But this night I have got one.”
He's taken her in his two arms
And kissed her, cheek and chin
“I've never been kissed in all my life,
But this night got many in.”
These lovers' bed it was well made
And at their hearts' desire;
These lovers' bed it was well made
Beside the kitchen fire.
The covering was a clouted cloak.
It served these lovers well.
And at their head a knocking stone
And at their feet a mell.
And each of the eyes in her true love's head
Was like a rotten plum.
And the drops that fell from her two eyes
Would make a mill wheel turn.
The skin upon this lady's breast
Was like a saffron sack
And aye his hands were tearing at
The scabs upon her back.
The scabs she had upon her arse
He tore off with his hand.
The clumps of dirt that hung from them
Would have mucked an acre of land.
And how they kissed and how they hugged
And how they kissed their fill
And the slaver that hung between their mouths
Would have tethered a ten-year-old bull.
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8. |
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Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird
She warbles as she flies
She brings us glad tidings
And tells us no lies
She sucks on pretty flowers
To make her voice clear
But she never sings a cuckoo
′Til the spring of the year
Come all you young women
Take warning by me
Never place your kind affections
On the love of a man
For the roots, they will wither
And branches decay
He'll turn his back upon you
And walk square away
A meeting, it′s a pleasure
And parting is a grief
While an inconstant lover
Is worse than a thief
A thief he'll butter up you
And take what you have
While an inconstant lover
Will lead you to your grave
Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird
She warbles as she flies
She brings us glad tidings
And tells us no lies
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9. |
Tam Lin
07:14
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Oh I forbid you maidens all
That wear gold in your hair
To come or go by Carterhall
For young Tam Lin is there.
Tam Lin went awalking one bright morning
Across the hills so green
And he cared nothing for where he'd go
Nor nothing for where he'd been
And he's passed over the little foot bridge
And down to Carterhall
Witrh steps so wide he passes by
You'd think he owned it all
So swiftly did the waters flow
As he came down beside
And you must go and greet him there
For now's no time to hide
Oh I forbid you maidens all
Who wear gold in your hair
To come or go by Carterhall
For young Tam Lin is there
As he stood so still by the church yard wall
He spied his lady fair
And they surely knew that they must live
And love without a care
Oh pleasant is the fairy land
But an eerie tale to tell
But at the end of seven years
We pay a tithe to hell
I am so young and fair of face
I'm feared it will be myself
She had not pulled a double rose
A rose but only two
When up then started young Tam Lin
Says "think what you mean to do"
Oh Why you pull the rose, Janet
Among the groves so green?
You must not kill the bonny babe
That we got us between
Up spoke the queen of the fairy land
And an angry woman was she
She's taken away the bonniest knight
In all my company
And adieu Tam Lin, but had I known
The secrets in your mind
I would have picked out your two fine eyes
And left you beggar blind
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10. |
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Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,
Smiles await you when you rise.
Sleep, pretty baby, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby.
Cares you know not, therefore sleep,
While over you a watch I'll keep.
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby.
Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,
Smiles await you when you rise.
Sleep, pretty baby, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby.
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Xisco Rojo Madrid, Spain
Xisco Rojo is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who creates a music halfway between chamber folk, primitivism, sound art and experimentation.
hola@xiscorojo.com
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