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The Streams of Lovely Nancy / The Sweet Streams of Nancy / The Strands of Magilligan

[ Roud 688 ; Master title: The Streams of Lovely Nancy ; Henry H520 ; Ballad Index VWL098 ; VWML SBG/1/1/438 , CJS2/9/1092 , GG/1/3/108 ; Wiltshire 477 , 1063 ; DT LOVNANCY ; Mudcat 22877 ; trad.]

Sabine Baring-Gould, Henry Fleetwood Sheppard: Songs of the West Inglis Gundry: Canow Kernow Alan Helsdon: Vaughan Williams in Norfolk Gale Huntington, Lani Herrmann, John Moulden: Sam Henry’s Songs of the People Maud Karpeles: The Crystal Spring James Reeves: The Everlasting Circle Ralph Vaughan Williams, A.L. Lloyd: The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs

Harry Cox sang just the one verse of this song as the fragment On Yon Lofty Mountain in a recording made by Peter Kennedy in December 1953. It was included in 2000 on Cox’s CD anthology What Will Become of England?. The liner notes commented somewthat dubiously of its origin:

Harry was able to remember almost as many fragments of songs as complete ballads, and was always interested to try to find the rest of the words of what he called his “bits and pieces”. He particularly liked this one verse—with its appealing image of rich diamonds glittering across the sea to guide lowly sailors to their destination. So far, we have been unable to trace the song from which it might have been a verse and would be glad to have any suggestions as to its possible origin.

Turp Brown sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in a recording made by Bob Copper in Cheriton, near Arlesford, Hampshire, in November 1957. It was published in 1977 on the album accompanying Bob Copper’s book, Songs and Southern Breezes, and in 1998 on the Topic anthology My Ship Shall Sail the Ocean (The Voice of the People Volume 2).

Inglis Gundry printed The Streams of Lovely Nancy in his book of songs and dances from Cornwall, Canow Kernow (1966). The melody is from James Oliver of Launceston, by F.W. Bussell, May 1889; and the words are from a broadside version by Keys of Devonport, as quoted in Baring-Gould’s papers. Gundry commented further:

This arrangement, though written for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass, continually “divides in three parts”. This not only illustrates the words but gives an example of “folk-harmony”, as I have discovered it in the traditional arrangements of Cornish carols, where the parts often double each other here and there—perhaps a remnant of the old “three men’s songs” surviving in the days of mixed four part choirs.

The Keys broadside, which gives only four verses, was published about 1830. (Presumably the remaining two verses given by Baring-Gould in his notes came from another source, perhaps Catnach, which has very similar verses. The different version given in Songs of the West was taken down in 1934. For a full discussion on the meaning of this strange ballad, see Journal of English Folk Song Society No. 17, p. 312.)

Dave Williams sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy at Sidmouth International Folk Festival, Devon, n c. 1971. that was included in 2003 on his posthumous Forest Tracks anthology You’re On Nipper!. Paul Marsh noted:

Victor ‘Turp’ Brown of Cheriton sang this song. It was also the title of a folk anthology, devised by David Kettlewell. Based on the seasons it drew on talents of many of Hampshire’s folk singers and musicians.

Roy Harris sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 1972 on his Topic album The Bitter and the Sweet. A.L. Lloyd noted:

One of the loveliest jumbles in English folk song. Impossible (so far) to know what it’s all about. A large number of versions have turned up from all over the place, even as far afield as Newfoundland, most of them handsome, all of them garbled. The chances are it’s a lyrical sailors’ song, 18^th century, West Country in origin. It’s been irresistible to singers and none has been able to explain it. Folklorists have offered theories, about Cornish tin ‘streamers’ (who wash for ore) or about miracles on St Michael’s Mount, or associations with the Virgin’s ‘Castle of Love’ in the medieval religious poem called Cursor Mundi, without convincing us. A hymn to Mary the mother of God? More likely to Nancy, the sailor’s fickle sweetheart.

Cyril Tawney sang The Sweet Streams of Nancy in 1973 on his Argo album I Will Give My Love. The album sleeve states his version were from Cornwall, but the verses are those that were collected by H. Fleetwood Sheppard and Sabine Baring-Gould from Matthew Baker of Lewdown, Devon, in July 1889 [VWML SBG/1/1/438] .

Geoff Jerram sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 1974 on the Forest Tracks album Folk Songs From Hampshire of songs collected in 1905-09 by Dr. George B. Gardiner. John Edgar Mann noted:

This inexplicable and mystical song has turned up in several versions in various parts of the South and West. Scholars have tried hard to probe its true meaning. Gardiner collected a version at Axford In July, 1907, from ‘Granny’ Goodyear [VWML GG/1/13/776] , who figures in Bob Copper’s delightful book Songs and Southern Breezes. But the text and tune here are that collected in 1905 from William Brown at Cheriton [VWML GG/1/3/108] , whose son, ‘Turp’ was recorded for the BBC by Bob Copper (landlord of ‘Turp’s’ local, the H.H. Inn at Cheriton, for a time). My own first meeting with ‘Turp’, a woodcutter and thatcher, was in a wood not far from Cheriton; later he sang for me and some friends at the “Aitches” and, later still at a ceilldhe at Marlands Hall, Southampton. ‘Turp’, of whom Bob Copper paints a charming portrait in words in Songs and Southern Breezes, sang from the stage of the hall, firmly and beautifully for a man in his eighties, approximately the same song and words presented to us here by Geoff Jerram (in memory of a stiff-backed ex-soldier with a sparkling eye, a colourful buttonhole and a loving personality).

Bob Copper sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy 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.

Tony Rose sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 1976 on The Second Folk Review Record. The album notes comment:

The basis of this version is that collected by Hammond in 1905. A collated text from various sources is printed in The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

Nick Dow sang The Dreams of Lovely Nancy on his 1983 album A Poor Man’s Gift. He noted:

A Newfoundland version of a song better known as The Streams of Lovely Nancy. This song has caused folklorists the world over to rack their brains to produce what they believe to be a suitable explanation of the lyrics. I really don’t think that it matters and I sing the song here in the same way that I hope the old singers sang it, as a series of images, like slides at a magic lantern show.

Jo Freya sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 1992 on her Saydisc album Traditional Songs of England. The liner notes commented:

A beautiful tune carries these strange and incoherent words. None of the several versions collected make the meaning any clearer although Anne Gilchrist, which our version is mostly based on, had some theories. She suggests that the song may have originated in Cornwall and the ‘little-streamers’ are the young tin-miners who wash or ‘stream’ the ore. There is also the suggestion of a mystical origin as the setting is reminiscent of ‘The Castle of Love and Grace’ in the 14^th century poem Cursor Mundi. This would then give the song elements of a hymn to Mary.

Linda Adams sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 1994 on the extended CD reissue of the Fellside anthology A Selection from The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 1997 on their first duo album, Starry Gazy Pie. They noted:

This song exists in countless different forms, none of which particularly enlightens us as to its original meaning. Various explanations suggest that it’s related to Faithful Emma, that the first verse forms part of an early hymn, and that ‘Nancy’ is a reference to the river Nantsian. However this version, from a book of Cornish songs, has reduced it to a simple exchange between two typically-named lovers.

John Kirkpatrick sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 2004 on Brass Monkey’s fifth album Flame of Fire. This version starts similar to Linda Adams’ one but ends with two quite different verses. He noted:

The Streams of Lovely Nancy is a song that never loses its mystery and beauty despite turning up in numerous guises all across Southern England. Part of its appeal is that you’re never quite sure what’s going on exactly. This tune was sung by William Stokes, aged 64, of Chew Stoke in somerset to Cecil Sharp as he cycled past on 29 August 1906 [VWML CJS2/9/1092] . Also published in Book 2 of The Crystal Spring [Maud Karpeles’ selection of Sharp’s songs.]

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

William Brown of Cheriton was the source of the melody and much of the text of The Streams of Lovely Nancy, the remainder coming also from the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

Roy Clinging and Neil Brookes sang Lovely Nancy in 2005 on their WildGoose CD Another Round. Roy Clinging noted:

Cecil Sharp collected Lovely Nancy (Roud 688) from William Stokes at Chew Stoke, Somerset, in 1906 [VWML CJS2/9/1092] , though I have added a couple of extra verses gleaned from various broadside texts. I particularly like the references to Liverpool and Chester, which give the song something of a local feel.

Steve Tilston sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 2005 on his Ada CD Of Many Hands and a year later on his DVD Guitar Maestros.

Jackie Oates recorded The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 2006 for her eponymous first album, Jackie Oates.

Kate Rusby sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 2007 on her CD Awkward Annie.

This video shows Sevenoaks (Charlie Snooks, vocals; David Jordan, double bass; Mark Potts, Greek bouzouki) performing The Streams of Lovely Nancy at the Eden Project, Cornwall, in April 2007:

Damien O’Kane sang The Strands of Magilligan in 2010 on his Pure album Summer Hill. He also sang it in a bonus session on the DVD Cambridge Folk Festival 2011. He noted on his album:

Magilligan is in County Derry about 13 miles from my hometown of Coleraine. I spent much of my youth, along with my family, playing and walking on the strands of Magilligan. It’s a great place.

Jon Boden sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy as the 4 June 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day. He noted in his blog:

Surreal little number this one. We have a currently-dormant version of this with Bellowhead that may well make a comeback at some point. The melody here is a bit of a mash up of the Bellowhead tune and James & Nancy’s excellent version on Starry Gazy Pie.

Chris Sarjeant sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy in 2012 on his WildGoose CD Heirlooms. He noted:

Recorded by my parents as the title track of their final album. This is a beautifully poetic and, at times, abstract Dorset version.

Polly Paulusma sang The Streams of Lovely Nancy on her 2021 album of folk songs that influenced Angela Carter, Invisible Music.

Lyrics

Harry Cox sings On Yon Lofty Mountain

On yon lofty mountain a castle do stand,
It’s built up with ivy and diamonds so grand.
It’s built up with ivy and diamonds so bright,
It’s a pilot for the sailors on a dark stormy night.

Turp Brown sings The Streams of Lovely Nancy

The streams of lovely Nancy were divided in three parts,
Where young men and maidens go to meet their sweethearts.
Drinking of strong liquors caused my heart to sing.
It’s the knives of yonder valley made the rocks for to ring.

In yonders high mountain there’s an high castle stands,
Builded up with ivory all near the black sand,
Builded up with ivory and the diamonds so bright.
It’s a pilot for the sailor on a dark winter’s night.

“I will go, love, in some nunnery and there end my life.
Never will get married nor yet made the wife.
Constant and true-hearted from ever I’ll remain.
I never will get married till my sailor come again.”

Spoken: Thank you very much.

The Streams of Lovely Nancy in Canow Kernow

The streams of lovely Nancy divide in three parts,
Where young men and maidens do meet their sweethearts,
In drinking good liquor which makes me to sing
And the sound of the valleys makes my heart to ring.

On yonder high mountain a castle there does stand,
It is built with ivory near to the black sand.
It is built up with ivory and diamonds so bright,
it is a pilot for sailors in a dark stormy night.

As a sailor was walking, a-walking along,
Says a sailor to his true love, I will sing you a song.
It is a false-hearted woman which makes me to say—
Fare you well, lovely Nancy, for I must away.

On yonder high mountain the wild fowl fly,
There is one amongst them that flies very high.
My heart is the eagle’s wings when they are spread
So on high when I think on my angelic maid.

We sailed from London to fair Liverpool town,
Where the girls they are plenty, some white and some brown.
But of all the bonnie lasses that ever I did see,
At the sign of the Angel is the darling for me.

I’ll go down to the nunnery and there end my life,
And I’ll never be married nor yet be made a wife.
So constant and true hearted for ever I’ll remain
And I never will be married till my love comes again.

Cyril Tawney sings The Sweet Streams of Nancy

O the sweet streams of Nancy they divide in two parts,
Where the young men in dancing they do meet their sweethearts.
There in drinking strong liquor it makes my heart sing,
And the sound of the viol it does make my heart ring.

On yonder tall mountain a castle doth stand.
It is built of white ivory all above the black sand.
All of ivory builded and of diamonds bright,
All with gold it is gilded and it shines in the night.

On yonder high moorland the wildfowl do fly,
There is one fair among them that soars very high.
My heart is an eagle with wings wide outspread,
It soareth and flieth in pursuit of my maid.

Jo Freya sings The Streams of Lovely Nancy

O the streams of lovely Nancy are divided in three parts,
Where the young men and maidens they do meet their sweethearts.
It is drinking of good liquor caused my heart for to sing,
And the noise in yonder village made the rocks for to ring.

At the top of this mountain, there my love’s castle stands.
Its all overbuilt with ivory on yonder black sand,
Fine arches, fine porches, and diamonds so bright.
It’s a pilot for a sailor on a dark winter’s night.

On yonder high mountain, where the wild fowl do fly,
There is one there amongst them that flies very high.
If I had her in my arms, love, near the diamond’s black land,
How soon I would secure her by the sleight of my hand.

At the bottom of this mountain there runs a river clear.
A ship from the Indies did once anchor there,
With her red flags a-flying and the beating of her drum,
Sweet instruments of music and the firing of her gun.

So come all you little streamers that walk the meadows gay,
I’ll write unto my own true love, wherever she may be.
For her rosy lips entice me, with her tongue she tells me “No”,
And an angel might direct us right, and where shall we go?

Linda Adams sings The Streams of Lovely Nancy

Oh, the streams of lovely Nancy are divided in three parts
Where the young men and the maidens they do meet their sweethearts.
It is drinking of good liquor caused my heart for to sing
And the noise in yonder village made the rocks for to ring.

At the top of this mountain, there my love’s castle stands,
It’s all overbuilt with iv’ry on yonder black sand.
Fine arches, fine porches, and diamonds so bright,
It’s a pilot for a sailor on a dark winter’s night.

On yonder high mountain where the wild fowl do fly
There is one amongst them that flies very high.
If I had her in my arms, love, near the diamond’s black land
How soon I would secure her by the sleight of my hand.

So come all you little streamers that walk the meadows gay.
I’ll write to my own true love wherever she may be,
For her rosy lips entice me, with her tongue she tells me “No”,
And an angel might direct us, right, and where shall we go?

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan sing The Streams of Lovely Nancy

The streams of lovely Nancy divide in three parts,
Where the lads and the lasses do meet their sweethearts,
In drinking good liquor which makes me to sing
And the bells in the valley make my heart for to ring.

A sailor was walking, a-walking along,
Said he to his true love, I’ll sing you a song.
’Tis a false-hearted lady which makes me to say—
Fare you well, lovely Nancy, for I must away.

On yonder high mountain the wild fowl fly,
There is one dove amongt them that flies oh so high.
My heart’s on her wings as the flies far and near
So on high when I’m thinking on Jimmy my dear.

Sweet vows have I taken till end of my life
That I never’ll be married nor any man’s wife.
So fair and true hearted for e’er I’ll remain
And I’ll never love another till my love comes again.

(repeat first verse)

John Kirkpatrick sings The Streams of Lovely Nancy

Oh, the streams of lovely Nancy they divide in three parts
Where young men and maidens do meet their sweethearts.
It’s drinking of strong liquor makes the hearts for to sing
And the noise in yonder valley makes the rocks for to ring.

On yonder high mountain a castle does stand.
It’s builded of ivory near to yonder black strand,
It’s builded of ivory and diamonds so bright,
It’s a pilot for a sailor on a dark winter’s night.

On yonder high mountain where the wild fowl do fly
There is one amongst them that flies very high.
If I had my true love for a night on that strand,
How soon I would secure her by the slight of my hand.

At the foot of yonder mountain there runs a river clear.
A boat from the Indies did once anchor there,
With red flags a-flying and the beating of the drum,
Sweet instruments of music and the firing of her gun.

Our sailor and his true love were a-walking along
Said the sailor to his true love, “I will sing you a song
You’re a false-hearted woman for your tongue it tells me “No”
Fare the well, my lovely Nancy, far away from you I’ll go.”

“We sailed away from London to Liverpool town
And there we spied lasses, some fair and some brown.
But of all the fine lasses I ever did see,
Oh, the voice of my angel is the darling for me.”

“I will go, love, to some nunnery and there end my life,
I never will marry nor yet make a wife.
True-hearted and constant forever I’ll remain.
I never shall be married till my sailor comes again.”

Damien O’Kane sings The Strands of Magilligan

I’m a stranger in this country, from Amerikay I came,
There’s few in it knows me or can tell my name.
And here among strangers I will stay for a while
For the sake of my darling I’ll go many a mile.

The Strands of Magilligan divide in two parts
Where young men and maidens do meet their sweethearts.
They will take no denial, we must dance and sing,
And the sound of the fiddle O it makes my heart ring.

On the top of a cuff where her castle does stand,
It is well built with ivy down to the back strand.
It is well built with ivy and diamonds so bright,
It’s a pilot for sailors on a bright and stormy night.

On Magilligan top where the wild birds do fly
There is one amongst them that flies so high.
On eagles wing soaring I’ll speed as the wind,
The wild deep exploring my true love I’ll find,

The Strands of Magilligan divide in two parts
And rejoin as in dancing do lads their sweethearts.
So the strands bright and shining though parted in twain,
Reunited like two lovers where the Foyle meets the main.