With drawings by the author;
Foreword by John Arlott;
Music transcription, editing and artwork by David Kettlewell.

Songs

These are songs collected by Bob Copper and included in “Part II: Collected folk songs” of this volume.

The songs are referenced by page numbers.

194. Rich Merchant and his Daughter (Roud 548; Laws M19)
196. Caroline the Rich Merchant’s Daughter (Roud 553; Laws N17; G/D 1:176)
200. The Banks of Sweet Dandee (Roud 148; Laws M25; G/D 2:224)
202. The Bonny Bunch of Roses, O (Roud 664; Laws J5; G/D 1:155)
204. Stormy Ol’ Weather (Roud 472)
206. The Bold Princess Royal (Roud 528; Laws K29; G/D 1:47)
208. Off to Epsom Races (Roud 383)
210. To Hear the Nightingales Sing (Roud 140; Laws P14; TYG 34)
212. Poison in a Glass of Wine (Roud 218; Laws P30; G/D 2:210)
214. The Nutting Maid (Roud 509; G/D 7:1475)
216. John Barleycorn (Roud 2141)
218. Love (Roud 18829; Henry H218ab)
220. Her Servant Man (Roud 539; Laws M15; G/D 5:1003; Henry H668)
222. Johnny Sands (Roud 184; Laws Q3; G/D 2:319)
224. The Little Cobbler (Roud 174)
228. Poor Lonely Widow (Roud 1197)
230. As Broad As I Was Walking (Roud 23793)
232. Blow the Winds, I Oh (Roud 1778; G/D 6:1102)
234. The Female Smuggler (Roud 1200)
236. The Cook’s Choice (Roud 510; G/D 4:914)
238. Rolling in the Dew (Roud 298; G/D 4:812)
240. Down By the Green Bushes (Roud 1040; Laws P2; Henry H143)
242. The Banks of the Mossen (Roud 1646)
242. Jim the Carter Lad (Roud 1080; G/D 3:457; Henry H171)
246. George Collins (Roud 147; Child 85)
248. The Bold Dragoon (Roud 321; Laws M27)
250. In Sheffield Park (Roud 860)
252. Young Johnny (Roud 1437; Laws O9; G/D 5:966)
254. The Butcher Boy (Roud 17; Laws L4; G/D 2:186; Henry H185)
256. Rose in June (Roud 1202)
258. False Lanky (Roud 6; Child 93; G/D 2:187; Henry H735)
260. The Squire’s Lost Lady (Roud 511; Laws K40)
262. The Silver Pin (Roud 573)
264. Spencer the Rover (Roud 1115; TYG 3)
266. Dogs and Ferrets (Roud 363)
268. The Molecatcher (Roud 1052)
270. The Trooper (Roud 311; G/D 7:1463)
272. God Bless the Master of This House (Roud 1066)
274. The Dummer Sheener’s Gang (Roud 874)
276. Lord Bateman (Roud 40; Child 53L; G/D 5:1023; Henry H470)
278. Barbary Allen (Roud 54; Child 84; G/D 6:1193; Henry H236)
280. Three Maidens (Roud 290)
282. Prickle-Holly Bush (Roud 144; Child 95; G/D 2:248)
284. Four Jolly Fellows (Roud 139; G/D 3:561)
286. Six Jolly Miners (Roud 877; TYG 61)
288. Little Fisherman (Roud 149)
290. So Abroad As I Was Walking (Roud 413; G/D 6:1157; Henry H479)
292. Winchester Gaol (Roud 120)
294. The Streams of Lovely Nancy (Roud 688; Henry H520)
296. If I Were Back ’Ome in ’Ampshire (Roud 16931)

This album complements Bob Copper’s book Songs and Southern Breezes (William Heinemann Ltd, London, 1973). His subject is, in his words, “the living essence of old English country life”. To the words and photographs which so tellingly evoke that life in the book, Topic here adds the still more vivid testimonies of the singers themselves, in their songs of the Southern countryside. [blurb on the album sleeve]

Originally recorded for the BBC by Bob Copper between September 1954 and November 1957;
Produced for Topic Records by Tony Engle;
Notes by Bob Copper;
Sleeve design by Tony Engle, based upon the jacket illustration of Bob Copper’s book.

Musicians

Noah Gillette [1], Hastings, Sussex;
George Attrill [2], Gladys Stone [11], Leslie Johnson [12], Fittleworth, Sussex;
Jim Swain [3], Angmering, Sussex;
George Fosbury [4], Enos White [13], Axford, Hampshire;
Ben Butcher [5, 14], Popham, Hampshire;
Lottie Chapman [6], Frank Bond [7-8], North Waltham, Hampshire;
Fred Hewett [9-10], Mapledurwell, Hampshire;
Victor ‘Turp’ Brown [15-17], Cheriton, Hampshire

Tracks

Side 1

1. [NG] The Bonny Bunch of Roses (Roud 664; Laws J5; G/D 1:155) (4.42)
2. [GA] Epsom Races (Roud 383) (2.39)
3. [JS] The Banks of the Mossem (Roud 1646) (2.45)
4. [GF] False Lanky (Roud 6; Child 93; G/D 2:187; Henry H735) (3.42)
5. [BB] Cruel Lincoln (Roud 6; Child 93; G/D 2:187; Henry H735) (2.59)
6. [LC] The Silver Pin (Roud 573) (2.15)
7. [FB] The Chiner’s Song (Roud 874) (2.14)
8. [FB] God Bless the Master (Roud 1066) (1.17)

Side 2

9. [FH] The Prickle-Holly Bush (Roud 144; Child 95; G/D 2:248) (3.33)
10. [FH] Three Maidens A-Milking Did Go (Roud 290) (1.36)
11. [GS] Her Servant Man (Roud 539; Laws M15; G/D 5:1003; Henry H668) (4.06)
12. [LJ] Rolling in the Dew (Roud 298; G/D 4:812) (2.44)
13. [EW] George Collins (Roud 147; Child 85) (2.36)
14. [BB] In Sheffield Park (Roud 860) (1.43)
15. [TB] The Streams of Lovely Nancy (Roud 688; Henry H520) (1.37)
16. [TB] So Abroad As I Was Walking (Roud 413; G/D 6:1157; Henry H479) (1.42)
17. [TB] Six Jolly Miners (Roud 877; TYG 61) (1.47)

Ten of the songs—tracks 3, 5, 8-10, 13 and 15-16—were included in 1998 on Topic’s The Voice of the People series. In 2012, two more tracks—1 and 6—were included on the new volume 21 of this series, You Never Heard So Sweet.