Anglo-Celtic traditional music
American music
Canadian music
English music
Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough and William of Cloudeslee
(lyrics). A long ballad of 170 verses about the second most famous band of English outlaws.
All of green willow
(additional note). The lesser known willow song, but probably the only one with a real folk tradition behind it.
All a green willow
. Clearly a variant of the above, but different enough to be a separate tune.
All in a garden green
(1) (lyrics). Contrary to a common claim, the given ballad lyrics actually do fit the melody quite well.
All in a garden green
(2). Another tune of the same name.
Blow the candle out
(lyrics). Version from Suffolk.
The carman’s whistle
(lyrics). With the earliest known variant of the words.
Children in the wood
(lyrics). A version of it has survived in the theatrical tradition as a setting of I loathe that I did love
, sung by a gravedigger in W. Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Come o’er the bourne, Bessy
(lyrics).
Drowsy sleeper
(lyrics). The tune is also known as Silver dagger
or Katy dear
.
The false bride
(lyrics). Version from Somerset. See also the Irish version.
Fortune, my foe
(lyrics). Melody of Irish origin, also known as The hanging tune
.
The George Alow
(lyrics). The lyrics given here, from J. Fletcher and W. Shakespeare’s Two Noble Kinsmen, fit the tune better than the broadside versions.
Go from my window
(lyrics). There is also a Norfolk version (lyrics) dating from c.1780.
Good morrow, valentine
.
Greensleeves
(lyrics). A duple time version based on two lute arrangements. Musical descendants include:
The Gypsies’ round
(lyrics). Set to the words from the play The Spanish Gypsy by T. Middleton and others.
The honour of a London prentice
(lyrics). To the tune of All you that love good fellows
, also known as Nancy
or Sir Edward Noel’s delight
.
I am a young and harmless maid
(lyrics).
The Jew’s dance
. A bergamask whose connection with Jews is unclear.
King Solomon
(lyrics). An English version of the French almain Guerre, guerre gai
, with words from the ballad The pangs of love and lovers’ fits
by W. Elderton.
Light o’ love
(lyrics). With words from a poem by L. Gybson.
Lord Lovel
(lyrics).
The merry milkmaids
(lyrics). With words from the ballad The milkmaid’s life
by M. Parker. The author clearly had a fetish for milkmaids.
And will he not come again?
(lyrics). A minor-key version of the first part of the above tune has survived in theatrical tradition as the setting of this Ophelia’s song in W. Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
The miller, weaver and little tailor
(lyrics).
Oh! oh! oh! for a husband
(lyrics).
O mistress mine
(alternate arrangement). This tune is usually, but wrongly, associated with W. Shakespeare’s song from Twelfth Night.
The pretty ploughboy
(lyrics). Version from North Yorkshire. There are also other versions collected in the other parts of England (and a Scottish version too):
Row well, ye mariners
. This tune may have originated in A Masque of 8 Mariners, performed for Mary Tudor and Philip Habsburg in 1554.
Sellenger’s round
. A dance tune of presumed French or Irish origin.
Sick, sick
. A little-known tune from the Osborn lute book. Not to be confused with two other tunes of the same name.
The silver pin
(lyrics). Version from Hampshire.
The soldier’s dance
. Also known as The soldier’s life
for the first line of its lost original text, Who list to lead a soldier’s life
. Musical descendants include:
The trapanned maiden
(lyrics).
Turkeyloney
. An English variant of the Italian tune Gentil madonna
. The name has nothing to do with Turkey or turkeys: it is derived from tordiglione, a type of Italian galliard.
The vicar of Bray
(lyrics, additional note). To the tune of Country garden
, also known from the equally famous morris dance version. There is also a 3/4 time version adapted as a country dance.
Walsingham
(lyrics). With words by W. Raleigh. The title, of course, refers to the shrine of the Holy Lady of Walsingham. Musical descendants include:
Watton Town’s end
(lyrics).
Western wind
(lyrics). An early tune preserved in a mass by J. Taverner.
Whoop! do me no harm, good man
.
A wooing song of a yeoman of Kent’s son
(lyrics). A song on the theme of I cannot come every day to woo
. The lyrics are in in Kentish dialect.
The woods so wild
(lyrics).
Irish music
Scottish music
The Barnyards o’ Delgaty
(lyrics). A bothy song.
Bessy Bell and Mary Gray
(lyrics). Bessy and Mary were, of course, just flatmates. The tune is probably a descendant of Whoop! do me no harm, good man
.
Bonny Barbara Allan
(lyrics). The earliest known version of the tune.
Barbara Allen
(lyrics). The most famous version. Note that although the ballad was originally entitled Barbara Allen’s cruelty
, she does not actually do anything cruel here.
Broom of the Cowdenknows
(lyrics). A also known as Bonny May
.
John, come kiss me now
(lyrics).
Lizie Wan
(lyrics). Also known as Fair Lizie
. Another violent ballad, this time with an incest theme. Be warned.
My mistress is pretty
. Yet another variant of La mantovana
.
Peggie Bell
. Also known as Ca’ me, ca’ thee
.
The ploughboy
(lyrics, additional note). See also the English versions.
Quoth John to Joan
(lyrics). Melody probably derived from R. Nicholson’s song, with words by T. d’Urfey, likewise belonging to the I cannot come every day to woo
family.
Tak’ your auld cloak about ye
(lyrics, additional note).
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