> Folk Music > Songs > Richard of Taunton Dean / Bold Richard / Last New Year’s Eve

Richard of Taunton Dean / Bold Richard / Last New Year’s Eve

[ Roud 382 ; Master title: Richard of Taunton Dean ; Ballad Index RcIOTD ; Mudcat 78453 ; trad.]

Lucy E. Broadwood, J.A. Fuller Maitland: English County Songs William Henry Long: A Dictionary of the Isle of Wight Dialect Bob and Jacqueline Patten: A Somerset Scrapbook

Mrs ‘Aunt Fanny’ Rumble of Tilshead, Wiltshire, sang Richard of Taunton Dean in 1951 to Peter Kennedy. This recording was included in 1955 on the Columbia anthology The Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music–Volume III: England.

Tony Wales sang Richard of Taunton Dean in 1957 on his Folkways album Sussex Folk Songs and Ballads. Kenneth S. Goldstein noted:

This melodically gay, hut textually sad story of an unsuccessful courtship by a young farmer lad has been a favourite of English country singers for several centuries. More romantically minded singers have created a version in which young Richard’s compliments do so delight all concerned that he wins Mistress Jean before nightfall. Nineteenth century broadside versions of this ballad do not appear to have effected the ballad as sung in tradition, for numerous texts, some differing quite radically, have been collected up to the present day. This version was learned by Mr. Wales as a young boy.

Geoff Lakeman and Barry Skinner sang Richard of Taunton Dene in 1978 on Skinner’s Fellside album Bushes & Briars.

George Fradley sang Last New Year’s Eve on his 1980s Veteran Tapes cassette of songs from Derbyshire, One of the Best. This recording was also included in 2001 on the Veteran anthology of traditional folk music from rural England, Down in the Fields. Mike Yates noted:

Writing in 1857, Robert Bell had this to say of the song Last New Year’s Eve, or Richard of Taunton Deane, to use Bell’s title: “This song is very popular with country people in every part of England, but more particularly with the inhabitants of the counties of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.” Indeed, George Fradley’s use at times of a strong “country’ accent suggests that this West Country legacy may not have totally disappeared. There could, however, be another reason. Cecil Sharp, who collected five versions of the song, said that one singer and a neighbour “sang and danced together while singing with great spirit”, and I wonder if this suggests that at one time the song had been performed on the stage as a jig (a song that was acted out by two or or more performers).

George Withers from Somerset sang Richard of Taunton Deane on his Veteran Tapes cassette released in ca. 1987-89, The Fly Be on the Turmut. This track was also included in 2004 on the Veteran anthology of folk songs sung in the West Country, Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and All. John Howson noted:

Cecil Sharp collected this song from Mrs Eliza Hutchings and published it in Folk Songs From Somerset. The BBC recorded the song in the 1950s from George Bunston of Hambridge and it became somewhat of local anthem in that area. Bob and Jacqueline Patten recorded several versions in the 1970s from Charlie Showers and Harry Adams as well as George Withers. In their book A Somerset Scrapbook (1987) they include a copy of a broadside for Richard of Taunton Dean which states that it was printed and sold by T. Batchelor, opposite the Refuge for the Destitute, Hackney Road (London). Along side this is are written version entitled Dumble Dum Deary. In fact the song was widespread and was published by several broadside printers around the country where various other three-syllable place names were used.

Debra Cowan sang Bold Richard —as collected by Helen Hartness Flanders on 25 October 1945 from Edith Ballinger Price of Newport, Rhode Island—in 2005 on her album of songs from the Flanders Collection, Dad’s Dinner Pail. She noted:

Bold Richard is an English ballad also known as Richard of Taunton Dean. When I heard Miss Price sing for the first time, I was amazed by the power of her voice in the songs she sang. In the recordings, she accompanies herself on piano and I was reminded of my grade school years when my teachers would play the piano with us singing to the accompaniment.

Lyrics

Tony Wales sings Richard of Taunton Dean

Last New Year’s Day, as I’ve heard say,
Young Richard mounted his dapple grey.
And trotted along to Taunton Dean,
To court the parson’s daughter Jean.

Chorus (after each verse):
Dumble-dum-deary, dumple-dum-deary,
Dumple-dum, dumple-dum, dumple-dum-day.

Miss Jean she came without delay.
To hear what Richard had got for to say;
“I suppose you know me, Mistress Jean,
I’m honest Richard of Taunton Dean.

“I’m an honest fellow, although I be poor,
And I never were in love before;
My mother she bid me come here to woo,
For I can fancy none but you.”

“Suppose that I were to be your bride,
Pray how would you for me provide?
For I can neither sew nor spin,
Pray what will your day’s work bring in.”

“Why I can plough and I can sow,
And sometimes I to market go,
With Gaffer Johnson’s straw or hay,
And earns my ninepence every day.”

“Ninepence a day ’twill never do,
For I must have silks and satins,too;
Nine pence a day won’t buy us meat.”
“Adzooks,” says Dick, “I’ve a sack of wheat.

“Besides I have a house hard by,
’Tis all my own when mammy do die;
If thee and I were married now,
I’d feed thee as fat as my father’s old sow.”

But strange to say, Miss Jean was shy,
And did the diffident youth deny;
Young Richard took huff, and no more would say,
But he mounted old Dobbin and galloped away.

George Fradley sings Last New Year’s Eve

Last New Year’s Eve as of it seen
Dick mounted on a dapple grey,
And off he went to Castle Green
To court the parson’s daughter Jean.
Sing

Chorus (after each verse):
Wack for lay, wack for lay
Wack for titty fah lariay

At last they rode up to the hall
And then for Mistress Jean did call.
The trusty servant let him in
That they their courtship might begin.

“My father sent me here to woo
And I can fancy none but you.
If you consent to marry me now
I feed you as fat as me fathers old sow.”

“If I consent to be your bride
Then what for me can you provide?
For I can neither cord nor spin,
Pray what in a week can you bring in?”

“Oh I can plough and I can sow
And I can reap and I can mow.
To market sell me fathers hay
I can handle sixpence every day.”

“Six pence a day will never do
For I must have silks and satins too
Beside a coach to take the air.”
“Grrr… That’s the woman that’s make me swear.”

George Withers sings Richard of Taunton Deane

Last New Year’s Eve, so I’ve heard say,
Young Richard he mounted his dobbin grey,
And he trotted along to Taunton Deane,
For to court the parson’s daughter, Jean.

Chorus (after each verse):
With a dumble dum dory, dumble down day.

Now young Richard he had on his Sunday clothes,
With his buck skin breeches and silken hose.
And a brand new cap upon his head
As were bedecked with ribbons red.

Now young Dick rode along without any fear,
’Til he came to the home of his own sweet dear,
Then he up and shouted “Hey hello,
Be the folks at home?” Said he say, “No!”

Well the servants quickly let Dick in,
So as he his courtship might begin.
Young Dick he strode into the hall,
And loudly for Miss Jean did bawl.

Now Miss Jean come down without delay,
For to hear what young Dick had a got for to say,
“Well I suppose you do know, Miss Jean,
That I be Richard of Taunton Deane.

“I’m an honest man although I be poor,
And I never weren’t in love before.
But my father sent me out to woo,
And I can fancy none but you.”

“Well if I consent to be your bride,
Pray how for me will you provide?”
“Oh I’ll give you all I have I’m sure,
And what can a man do for ye more?

“For I can plough and I can sow,
And I can reap and I can mow.
And I goes to market with father’s hay,
And I earns me nine pence every day.”

“Why nine pence a day will never do,
For I must have silks and satins too.
’Twould never do for you and I.”
“Oh come!” said Dick, “Us can but try.

“Look I got gurt pig pen up in the sty,
Is to come to me when granny did die.
And if you consent to marry me now,
Why father will give us the old fat sow.”

Now Dick’s compliments were so polite,
He’d won Miss Jean before it were night.
And when he got no more for to say,
Oh he give her a kiss and he rode away.

Last chorus:
With a dumble dum dory, dumble dum dory,
Dumble dum dory, dumble down day.

Debra Cowan sings Bold Richard

One Sunday morning as I’ve heard say,
Young Richard he mounted his dobbin grey.
And over the fields he rode a lee,
A courtin’ the parson’s daughter Jean.

Chorus (after each verse):
With your rumbledum dumble dum doddikan day

Young Richard he put on his Sunday clothes,
His buckskin trousers and silken hose.
And a brand new hat upon his head
Was all bedecked with ribbons red.

Young Richard he rode without any fear
’Til he came to the hall in his own good cheer.
And he upped and shouted, “Hullo! Hullo!
Be the folks at home? Say yes or no!”

The servants quickly let Dick in
So that his courting might begin.
But when he got him inside the hall
He loudly for Miss Jean did bawl.

Miss Jean come down without delay,
“What you young Richard have got for to say?”
Says he, “I suppose you know, Miss Jean,
That I am Young Richard of Taunton Dean.

“I’m an honest man yet I be poor,
And I’ve never been in love before.
But my father he sent me out for to woo
And I could fancy none but you.”

“Oh if I consent to be your bride,
Pray how for me will you provide?”
“I’ll give you all I have I’m sure,
And what could a poor fellow do for you more.

“For I’ve a pig poked up in a sty,
As Granny did give me when she did die.
And if you consent to marry me now,
My father will give us a fine fat sow.

“For I can reap and I can sow,
And I can plough and I can mow.
And I go to market with father’s hay,
And earn my ninepence every day.”

“Oh nine pence a day would never do,
For I must have silks and satins, too.
’Twould never do for you and I.”
“Ah come,” says Richard, “I can but try.”

Dick’s compliments did so delight,
They made the family laugh outright.
And when he got no more of they
He gave her a kiss and he rode away.