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> Tony Rose > Songs > Banks of the Sweet Primroses

The Banks of Sweet Primroses / The Sweet Primeroses

[ Roud 586 ; Master title: The Banks of Sweet Primroses ; G/D 8:1841 ; Ballad Index ShH51 ; VWML LEB/2/66/5 ; Bodleian Roud 586 ; GlosTrad Roud 586 ; Wiltshire 723 ; trad.]

Phil Tanner sang The Banks of the Sweet Primroses in a recording made in November 1936 that was released by Columbia Records in 1937 on a 78rpm album. This was also included in 1955 and 1998 on the Alan Lomax Collection album World Library of Folk and Primitive Music: England. He was again recorded singing this song on 20 May 1949 at Penmaen for the BBC. Both versions were also included in 1968 on his eponymous EFDSS album, Phil Tanner, and in 2003 on his Veteran anthology CD The Gower Nightingale. John Howson noted:

This bitter-sweet song of lost love was held in great affection by country singers. As a consequence it was widely noted from oral tradition, the first time perhaps by W.A. Barrett in 1891. Two other early collectors, Henry and Robert Hammond, believed the primroses (that is, versions of the song) to be “so numerous we did not stop to gather any”. The first published text seems to have been issued by the ballad printer James Catnach of London’s Seven Dials, though it is not listed in his 1832 catalogue. Other printers, in Birmingham, Manchester and elsewhere, kept the song on the streets until the 1880s. Phil Tanner’s fine version is sung with characteristic melodic variations. Almost all of the collected versions come with the same fine (and obviously popular) melody. This may also help explain why the song became so widespread.

Jim, John, Bob and Ron Copper sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses in a recording made by Séamus Ennis at Peacehaven in Sussex on 3 April 1952 for the BBC Sound Archives Library. This recording was included in 1975 on the famous anthology Electric Muse: The Story of Folk into Rock. Bob and Ron Copper sang it again in 1955 for a recording made by Peter Kennedy which was included in 1996 on the Topic anthology Hidden English: A Celebration of English Traditional Music. And Bob Copper recorded it for a third time in 1995 for their CD Coppersongs 2: The Living Tradition of the Copper Family.

Bob Copper also sang The Banks of Sweet Primaroses. at a concert with Bob Lewis at Nellie’s Folk Club, The Rose and Crown Hotel, Tonbridge, Kent, on 17 October 1999. This concert was released in 2017 on their Musical Traditions CD The Two Bobs’ Worth.

This video shows the Young Coppers singing The Banks of Sweet Primroses. It was uploaded to YouTube in August 2011 but gives no information about the venue and recording date:

Louis Killen sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses in 1965 on his Topic album Ballads & Broadsides; this track was included in 1996 on the CD reissue of the Topic theme album of traditional songs of love and lust, The Bird in the Bush.

Fred Jordan sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses in a recording made by Mike Yates on his 1966 Topic album Songs of a Shropshire Farm Worker and on his 2003 Veteran anthology A Shropshire Lad.

Shirley Collins sang The Sweet Primeroses as the title track of her 1967 album The Sweet Primeroses; she was accompanied by her sister Dolly Collins on her flute-organ. This track was also included in the Topic sampler Folk Songs: A Collection of Ballads & Broadsides and on her anthologies Fountain of Snow, Within Sound, and The Classic Collection. A live version recorded in 1979 at the Folk Festival Sidmouth was released on her album Snapshots. Shirley Collins noted on her original album:

A last song from the Copper Family, whose songs sound to me like national anthems - or like anthems should sound. All the Southern countryside is here, with a grave, stylised account of a formal meeting on a particular midsummer’s morning, the heartbreak of parting tempted with a stoical optimism. Dolly’s arrangement has some of the Copper’s spirit, and some of “the pretty little small birds” too.

Shirley Collins is the only one who calls this song The Sweet Primeroses. On all other recordings the title is The Banks of Sweet Primroses or The Banks of the Sweet Primroses, without the “e” in the middle.

Martin Carthy sang Banks of Sweet Primroses on his and Dave Swarbrick’s 1968 album But Two Came By. He also sang Banks of Sweet Primroses with Blue Murder on their 2002 CD No One Stands Alone. Martin Carthy noted on the first album:

The Banks of Sweet Primroses has been described as one of the most perfect of English folk songs. It has been collected all over southern England, nearly always in forms closely approximating, or at least related to, this version. In its idyllic setting of fresh air, flowers and green grass, it is the happiest and most optimistic song I have yet to come across.

Fairport Convention sang Banks of the Sweet Primroses in 1970 live at the LA Troubadour. This was released on their album House Full. They recorded it again in the studio for their 1971 album Angel Delight and in 2002 for their anniversary CD XXXV.

Maggie Boyle sang Banks of the Sweet Primroses on Steve Tilston’s and her 1992 album Of Moor and Mesa. Their liner notes commented:

As with so many traditional songs, the earliest origin of Primroses is unknown. It was circulated on broadsides in the 19^th century. The “folk process” of adapting words and tune to suit individual taste has, in this case, done very little to alter the song over the years.

Graham Moore sang Banks of Primroses on his 1995 album Tom Paine’s Bones.

Finest Kind sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses on their 1996 album Lost in a Song. They noted:

A southern English gem from The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs and the incomparable Copper Family of Rottingdean, Sussex.

Graham Metcalfe sang Sweet Primroses in 1996 on his WildGoose album Songs From Yorkshire and Other Civilisations. He noted:

First heard from Fred Jordan on a visit to York folk club in 1970. Some songs give you an extra buzz when singing them. This is my buzz!

Brian Peters and Eliza Carthy sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses in 1997 on his album Sharper Than the Thorn.

Tony Rose recorded Banks of the Sweet Primroses in 1999 for his CD Bare Bones.

Martin Simpson recorded Banks of Sweet Primroses in 2001 on his Topic album The Bramble Briar. He noted:

Mo Ogg would sing Banks of the Sweet Primroses, one of the great anthemic English love songs. There are fine versions recorded by Phil Tanner and The Copper Family and also Pop Maynard. I have always loved the verse: –

Come all you young maids who go a-courting
And pray pay attention to what I say,
For there’s many a dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out to be a sunshiney day.

And June Tabor sangd Banks of the Sweet Primroses in 2005 on her CD At the Wood’s Heart. She noted:

I think I must have learned this classic of the Southern English repertoire from the singing of the Copper family. In his notes to the version in the Gardiner mss., Frank Purslow, in The Constant Lovers (1972), suggests that it may be an incomplete broken token ballad, with the final verse being a spurious addition by an early 19^th century broadside printer. For me, the charm of this song is in its very mystery and incompleteness, with the last verse a glorious affirmation of love and hope.

The English traditional tune Monks Gate which follows the song is best known in its setting of John Bunyan’s To Be a Pilgrim.

Community choirs from the Test Valley sang The Banks of the Sweet Primroses in 2001 on their WildGoose album Beneath Our Changing Sky. The liner notes commented:

The Banks of the Sweet Primroses is a more recent song, probably less than 200 years old. It was very widely known and Dr. Gardiner collected a version, similar to this one, in Twyford, near Winchester. The song became popular through publication in the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

The Askew Sisters sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses in 2007 on their WildGoose CD All in a Garden Green. They noted:

This lovely song is almost as popular today as it was 100 years ago, when collectors came across it so often that some stopped noting it down! We like the idea that the guy in the song has hit on the same girl twice without realising, and that she’s not prepared to stand for it! This version comes from the singing of Mrs Vaisey, a Hampshire woman who was living in Oxfordshire when Lucy Broadwood collected it in 1892 [VWML LEB/2/66/5] . We’ve put a couple of verses back that she seems to have forgotten, but they can be found in other collected versions.

Jane and Amanda Threlfall sang Banks of Sweet Primroses on their 2008 CD Sweet Nightingale. They noted:

From the magical singing of Phil Tanner, 1862-1950. Although said to have known around 80 songs, when Doug Fraser published the then known list of Tanner’s repertoire in Phoenix magazine in 1966, this was amongst a distilled 22 the singer either recorded or others remembered him having sung.

Cecil Sharp had declared it one of the most common English folksongs, with versions appearing from almost everywhere. For common, read popular. For popular, read good.

Martyn Wyndham-Read sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses in 2010 on his album Back to You.

Jon Boden sang Banks of Sweet Primroses as the 22 June 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day. He commented in the blog:

This I learnt for a tribute concert to Fred Jordan at Cecil Sharp House shortly after his death. I missed out on hearing him sing sadly, but love his voice.

Dave Townsend and Gill Redmond sang Banks of the Sweet Primroses in 2012 on their WildGoose CD New Road to Alston. They noted:

Phil Tanner ‘The Gower Nightingale’ sang this vital rhythmic version of the song more familiar in the Copper Family’s Sussex rendition. Favourite line—“and don’t be so deceitful!”

Andy Turner sang Banks of the Sweet Primroses as the 26 August 2012 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week. He commented in his blog:

To start the second year of the blog, here’s the quintessential rural English folk song.

It’s only in the last few years that I’ve actually added this to my repertoire. I found myself humming the tune to myself on an increasingly frequent basis and, since I seemed to have picked up most of the words by osmosis, decided I really ought to learn it. The words I sing are more or less as sung by the Copper Family. My tune is similar to their version too; although, as pointed out in the notes to the song in The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs (a truly excellent publication—every home should have one), this is one of relatively few English folk songs which always seem to have been sung to pretty much the same tune..

Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker recorded The Banks of the Sweet Primroses for the fRoots April 2015 digital download album fRoots 53. This track was also included in 2019 on Topic’s 80^th year anthology, Vision & Revision. They sang it live at the BBC 2 Folk Awards 2015:

Anna Baldwin sang The Banks of Sweet Primroses on Amsher’s 2018 album of Hampshire songs collected by Lucy Broadwood in Oxfordshire, Patience Vaisey at Adwell 1892. Bob Askew noted:

A lovely song that was hugely popular in England. A man encounters a young woman, but is refused. Closer examination reveals the text to be complex and ambiguous.

Kirsty Merryn sang The Banks of the Sweet Primroses in 2020 on her album Our Bright Night.

Lyrics

Phil Tanner sings The Banks of the Sweet Primroses

Oh as I walked out one mid-summer’s morning,
For to view the fields and the flowers so gay,
𝄆 ’Twas there on the banks of the sweet primroses,
That I beheld a most pleasant maid. 𝄇

I said, “Fair maid what make you wonder?
What is the cause of all your grief?
𝄆 I will make you as happy as any lady,
If you will grant me one small relief.” 𝄇

“Stand off young man and don’t be so deceitful,
For it is you that is the cause of all my pain.
𝄆 It is you that have caused my poor heart to wander,
And to find me comfort it’s all in vain. 𝄇

“I will go down to some lonely valley,
Where no man on earth there shall me find,
𝄆 Where the pretty little small birds do change their voices
And every moment blows blustrous wind.” 𝄇

So come all fair maidens from me take warning,
and pay attention to what I say:
𝄆 There’s many a dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out a bright and sunshiny day. 𝄇

The Copper Family sing Banks of the Sweet Primroses

As I walked out one midsummer morning
For to view the fields and to take the air,
Down by the banks of the sweet prim-e-roses
There I beheld a most lovely fair.

Three long steps I stepp-ed up to her,
Not knowing her as she passed me by,
I stepp-ed up to her thinking for to view her,
She appeared to me like some virtuous bride.

I said, “Fair maid, where are you going,
And what’s the occasion for all your grief?
I will make you as happy as any lady
If you will grant me once more a leave.”

She said, “Stand off, you are deceitful,
You are deceitful and a false young man,
It is you that’s caused my poor heart for to wander,
And to give me comfort lies all in vain.

“I’ll go down in some lonesome valley
Where no man on earth shall e’er me find,
Where the pretty little small birds do change their voices,
And every moment blows blusterous winds.”

Come all young men that go a-courting,
Pray pay attention to what I say.
There is many a dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out to be a sun-shiny day.

Shirley Collins sings The Sweet Primeroses

As I rode out one midsummer’s morning
For to view the fields and to take the air.
Down by the banks of the sweet primeroses,
There I beheld a most lovely fair

With three long steps I stepped up to her
Not knowing her as she passed me by.
I stepped up to her thinking for to view her
She appeared to me like a virtuous bride.

I said, “Fair maid, where are you going?
Oh, what’s the occasion for all your grief?
I will make you as happy as any lady
If you will grant me one small relief.”

She said, “Stand off, you are deceitful,
You are deceitful and a false young man.
It is you that’s caused my poor heart for to wander
And to give me comfort is all in vain.”

“I will go down in some lonesome valley
Where no man on earth shall e’er me find,
Where the pretty little songbirds do change their voices
And every moment blows blusterous winds.”

Come all you young men that go a-courting,
Pray you give attention to what I say?
There is many’s the dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out to be a most sunshiny day.

Martin Carthy sings Banks of Sweet Primroses

As I walked out one fine summer’s morning
For to view the fields and to take the air,
Down by the banks of the sweet prim-a-roses
There I beheld a most wondrous fair.

Oh, three long steps I stepped up to her,
Not knowing her as she passed me by.
I stepped up to her thinking for to view her,
She appeared to me like some virtuous bride.

I says, “Fair maid, where are you going?
And what’s the occasion of all your grief?
I will make you as happy as any lady
If you will grant me one small relief.”

“Stand off, stand off, you are the false deceiver,
You are the false deceitful man I know ’tis plain.
For it is you that has caused my poor heart to wander
And in your comfort lies no refrain.”

“So I’ll go down to some lonesome valley
Where no man on earth there shall me find,
Where the pretty little small birds do change their voices
And every moment blows blusterous wind.

So come all young men who go a-sailing,
Pray pay attention to what I say.
For there’s many a dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out to be a sunshiny day.

Tony Rose sings Banks of the Sweet Primroses

Now as I walked out on a midsummer’s morning
For to view the fields and to take the air.
Down by the banks of the sweet primroses,
There I beheld a most lovely fair.

Three short steps I took up to her,
Not knowing her as she passed me by.
I stepped up to her thinking to view her,
She appeared to me like some virtuous bride.

Oh I said, “Fair maid, where can you be going?
And what’s the occasion of all your grief?
I’ll make you as happy as any lady
If you will grant to me one small relief.”

“Stand off, stand off, you’re a false deceiver,
You are a false deceitful man, ’tis very plain.
’Tis you that has caused my poor heart to wander
And to give comfort is all in vain.”

“So I’ll go down to some lonesome valley
Where no man on earth there shall me find,
Where the pretty little small birds do change their voices
And every moment blows a blusterous wind.

So come all young men that goes a-courting,
Pray pay attention to what I say:
For there is many’s a dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out to be a bright sunshiny day.

Blue Murder sing The Banks of Sweet Primroses

As I walked out one midsummer’s morning
For to view the fields and the flowers so gay,
’Twas there on the banks of the sweet primroses
That I beheld a most pleasant maid.

Three long steps I stepped up to her,
Not knowing her as she passed me by.
I stepped up to her thinking for to view her,
She appeared to me like some virtuous bride.

I said, “Fair maid, what makes you wander?
What is the cause of all your grief?
I will make you as happy as any lady
If you will grant me one small relief.”

“Stand off, young man, and don’t be so deceitful,
For ’tis you that has caused all my pain.
It is you that has caused my poor heart to wander
And to fine me comfort it’s all in vain.”

“I will go down to some lonely valley
Where no man on earth there shall me find,
𝄆 Where the pretty little small birds do change their voices
And every moment blows blusterous wind. 𝄇

June Tabor sings Banks of the Sweet Primroses

As I walked out on a midsummer’s morning
To view the field and to take the air.
Down by the banks of the sweet prim-a-roses,
’Twas there I beheld a most lovely fair.

I said, “Fair maid, and why do you wander?
And what’s the occasion of all your grief?
I’ll make you as happy as any lady
If you will grant me one small relief.”

“Stand off, stand off, for you are deceitful,
You are the false deceiving young man, ’tis plain.
’Tis you that has caused my poor heart to wander
And to give me comfort lies all in vain.”

“Oh, I’ll go down to some lonesome valley
Where no man on earth there shall me find,
Where the pretty little small birds do change their voices
And every moment blows blusterous wind.”

So come all young men with a mind for courting,
Won’t you pay attention to what I say?
For there’s many a dark and a cloudy morning
Turns out to be a bright sunshiny day.