[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> I have a question about that song much murdered in folk clubs, The Black
> Velvet Band (or Riband). There are several Irish versions set in Belfast, but
> Tommy Makem opens his like this:
>
> It was in the town of Tralee
> To the carpenter's trade I was bound
> Many an hour's sweet happiness
> I heard in that neat little town.
>
> Other singers sometimes mention an apprentice, but does anyone else mention a
> carpenter? And was the song in Sarah Makem's repertoire? I'd be glad to
> know.
>
> Incidentally, I would be glad of any information about the singing traditions
> of carpenters and joiners anywhere.
>
> Gerald Porter
Mention? Yes, many. Dick the Joyner/ In London liv'd a handsome young
man/ [Disguises self as woman, sleeps with maid then deserts her.] A
copy of the 1740's is in NLS MS 6299. One traditional tune and three
texts in 'The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection', I, #165. Chapbook copy
known and Holloway and Black reprinted broadside from Madden coll'n,
'Later English Broadside Ballads, II, #16. Similar story is "Sport
upon Sport," Pepys, III 208]
The House Carpenter, popular title of Laurence Price's 'A Warning
for Married Women', Child #243. [Early broadside in L. Price file on my
website]
The Gosport Tragedy: Or, The Perjur'd Ship-Carpenter/ In Gosport of
late there a damsel did dwell/ Tune: Peggy's gone over the Sea,
&c./ CR 655: Bow-Church-Yard/ CR 656: [no imprint]/ RB8 143 + 173
[RC3 510] [CB p. 101] [Traditional, Laws P36A, better known is
revised version P36B, "The Cruel Ship Carpenter," or "Polly, pretty
Polly, come go along with me"]
There are several non-traditional ballads on carpenters listed in
the broadside ballad index on my website (ASCII for easy keyword
search), and I suspect a search through Steve Roud's folksong and
broadside indexes would show up others. Also search the Digital
Tradition database on the web.
Do coopers count? Martin Parker revised a 16th century one about
a cooper, and Parker's ballad (The Cooper of Norfolk) was later revised
and found as a traditional song in Scotland in the 19th and 20th
century.
Bruce Olson
--
My website: www.erols.com/olsonw <A
href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw"> Click </a>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|