The Songs

The songs are referenced by page numbers.

4. Come All You Garners Gay (Roud 3; G/D 6:1180)
6. Turpin Hero (Roud 621; Laws L10)
8. John Barleycorn (Roud 164)
10. Bedford Fair (Roud 137)
12. The Rambling Sailor (Roud 518; G/D 7:1477)
    all five by William Bartle, Bedfordshire
14. Seeds of Love (Roud 3; G/D 6:1180)
15. The Hawthorne Bush (Roud 1072)
16. The Jolly Herring (Roud 128; TYG 31)
18. The Queen of the May (Roud 594)
20. Turkey Rhubarb (Roud 1073)
    all five by Harry Scott, Bedfordshire
21. The Ramsey Ram (Roud 126; G/D 3:645; TYG 59)
    Alf Wildman, Bedfordshire
22. The Soldier and the Sailor (Roud 350; G/D 3:685)
24. As I Came Home So Late Last Night (Roud 114; Child 274; G/D 7:1460; Henry H21ab)
    both by Harry Scott, Bedfordshire
26. On the Banks of the Clyde (Roud 1784)
    Alf Wildman, Bedfordshire
28. The Maid’s Lament (Roud 1074)
30. When Shall We Get Married, John? (Roud 313)
32. May Song: North Bedfordshire (Roud 305)
33. May Song: Bedfordshire (Roud 305)
    all four by Mrs Johnstone, Bedfordshire
34. William Taylor (Roud 851)
    Charles Shelton, Bedfordshire
35. Northill May Song (Night Song) (Roud 305)
    Chris Marsom and others, Bedfordshire
36. The Poisoned Cup (Roud 218; Laws P30)
    Chris Marsom, Bedfordshire
37. The Poor Old Couple (Roud 491)
    Mrs Edith Church, Bedfordshire
38. The Lily-White Hand (Roud 564; Laws P18)
    Chris Marsom, Bedfordshire
40. The Wexford Murder (Roud 263; Laws P35)
    Walter ‘Paddy’ Church, Bedfordshire
42. Green Bushes (Roud 1040; Laws P2; Henry H143)
44. My Son John (Roud 678; Henry H131)
45. When I Was Young (Roud 1075; G/D 6:1173; Henry H790)
46. The Leather Breeches (Roud 923)
48. The Sound of the Drum (The Month of May) (Roud 1076)
    all five by David Parrott, Bedfordshire
49. Sweet Swansea (Swansea Jail) (Roud 1612)
50. The Outlandish Knight (The Dappledy Grey) (Roud 21; Child 4)
52. The Blackbird (Roud 387; Henry H79)
53. Down the Green Groves (Roud 1478)
54. On Christmas Day (Roud 1078)
56. Cold Blows the Wind (The Unquiet Grave) (Roud 51; Child 78)
57. Under the Leaves (Seven Virgins) (Roud 127)
    all seven by May Bradley, Shropshire
58. Pace Egg Song—1 (Roud 614; TYG 53)
60. Pace Egg Song—2 (Roud 614; TYG 53)
61. There Is a Tavern in the Town (Roud 18834; G/D 6:1171)
62. The Cruise of the Calibar (Roud 1079; Henry H502)
    all four by Mrs Emma Vickers, Lancashire
64. Pace Egg Song—Chipping (Roud 614; TYG 53)
    William Bleasdale, Lancashire
66. I Had a Little Cock (Roud 544; G/D 8:1666)
    Nick Broad, Cornwall
68. Jimmy the Carter’s Lad (Roud 1080; G/D 3:457; Henry H171)
    ‘Taffy’ Millard, Cornwall
70. The Noble Foxhunting (Roud 584; TYG 76)
    Wilf Martin, Cornwall
72. Ox Plough Song (Roud 686)
    Frank Rowe, Cornwall
74. The Rambling Soldier (Roud 21266)
    Nick Broad, Cornwall
75. Old Daddy Fox (Roud 131; G/D 3:499; Henry H38)
    Mrs Julian, Cornwall
76. Henry My Son (Roud 10; Child 12)
    Mrs Holden, Worcestershire
78. The Golden Vanity (Roud 122; Child 286)
80. The Little Row of Pins (Roud 573)
    both by Miss A. Bidder, Cambridgeshire

These recordings were made by the folk song collector Fred Hamer before his death in 1969. They were made on portable equipment, and therefore cannot be judged by the same standard of sound quality as studio recordings. All the songs on this record are published in the book Garners Gay (E.F.D.S. Publications Ltd.) The notes on the songs are taken from the same book. [source: album sleeve notes]

Musicians

Mrs Johnstone, Alf Widman, Mrs Emma Vickers, May Bradley, Frank Rowe: vocals

Tracks

Side 1

1. Mrs Johnstone: The Maid’s Lament (Roud 1074)
2. — : May Song: North Bedfordshire (Roud 305)
3. — : May Song: Bedfordshire (Roud 305)
4. Alf Wildman: On the Banks of the Clyde (Roud 1784)
5. — : The Ramsey Ram (Roud 126; G/D 3:645; TYG 59)
6. Mrs Emma Vickers: The Cruise of the Calibar (Roud 1979)
7. — : Pace Egg Song—1 (Roud 614; TYG 53)
8. — : Pace Egg Song—2 (Roud 614; TYG 53)

Side 2

9. May Bradley: The Outlandish Knight (Roud 21; Child 4) (5.21)
10. — : Sweet Swansea (Roud 1612) (2.25)
11. — : The Blackbird (Roud 387; Henry H79) (2.00)
12. — : On Christmas Day (Roud 1078) (1.33)
13. — : Cold Blows the Wind (Roud 51; Child 78) (2.51)
14. Frank Rowe: Ox Plough Song (Roud 686)