> Folk Music > Songs > When First Into This Country

When First Into This Country

[ Roud 15600 ; DT WHENFRST ; Mudcat 47321 ; trad.]

The Ian Campbell Folk Group recorded A Stranger I Came during the sessions for their 1967 Transatlantic album New Impressions. This recording out-take was finally included in 2003 on their Castle anthology The Times They Are A-Changin’.

The Lee Valley String Band When First Into This Country in a 1990 live recording n the Spailpin Fanach pub in Cork that was included in 1991 on the soundtrack album of the BBC TV series Bringing It All Back Home. The album’s booklet noted:

Irish Music travelled to the United States and influenced the development of Oldtimey, Blue Grass and Country Music. This music has come back to Ireland and The Lee Valley String Band who hail from the city of Cork in the southern part of Ireland, play Oldtimey and Appalachian music. The unique sound of voice, autoharp, fiddle, mandolin, bass and flatpick guitar are redolent of Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys and The New Lost City Ramblers. The song was recorded in the Spailpin Fanach pub in Cork City on Monday 12 February 1990.

Lyrics

The Ian Campbell Folk Group sing A Stranger I Came

When first unto this country a stranger I came,
I courted a fair maid and Nancy was her name.

I courted her for love, her love I didn’t obtain,
Do you think I’ve any reason or right to complain?

I rode to see my Nancy, the pride of my life,
I courted dearest Nancy, my own heart’s delight.

I rode to see my Nancy, I rode both day and night,
Till I stole a fine grey horse, both plumb looking and white.

The sheriff’s men, they’d followed and had overtaken me,
They carted me away to the penitentiary.

They opened up the door and then they shoved me in,
They shaved off my hairs and they cleared off my chin.

They beat me and they banged me, they fed me on dry beans,
Till I wished to my own soul, I’d never been a thief.

With my hands in my pockets, my cap put on so bold,
With my coat of many colors, like Joseph of old.

The Lee Valley String Band sing When First Into This Country

When first into this country a stranger I came,
I courted a fair maid and Nancy was her name.

I courted her for love, her love I didn’t obtain,
Do you think that I’ve had any reason to complain?

I rode to see my Nancy, I rode both day and night,
I courted dearest Nancy, my own heart’s true delight.

I rode to see my Nancy, I rode both night and day,
I stole a fine stallion from Colonel Charles Grey.

The sheriff’s men, they’d followed and overtaken me,
They carted me away to the penitentiary.

They opened up the door and then they pushed me in,
They shaved off my hair and they cleared off my chin.

They beat me and they banged me and fed me on dry beans,
Till I wished unto my own soul, I’d never been a thief.

With my hands all in my pockets and my cap put on so bold,
And my coat of many colors, like Jacob of old.

When first into this country a stranger I came,
I courted a fair maid and Nancy was her name.