> June Tabor > Songs > The Banks of the Sweet Dundee
> Louis Killen > Songs > The Banks of the Sweet Dundee

The Banks of Sweet Dundee

[ Roud 148 ; Master title: The Banks of Sweet Dundee ; Laws M25 ; G/D 2:224 ; Ballad Index LM25 ; Bodleian Roud 148 ; GlosTrad Roud 148 ; Wiltshire 418 ; trad.]

Joe Thomas sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee to Peter Kennedy at Helston, Cornwall, on 22 November 1956. This recording was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology Good People Take Warning (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 23).

Tony Wales sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee in 1957 on his Folkways album Sussex Folk Songs and Ballads. Kenneth S. Goldstein noted:

This ballad was a favorite with broadside printers in both the old world and the new. The theme of the maiden who rejects the advances of a wealthy suitor for the love of a ploughboy was an extremely popular one with country singers, and several ballads on this theme are still sung in tradition.

This version was learned by Mr. Wales from the singing of C. Potter of Horsham, who had learned it from his father, who in turn had learned it from Harry Burstow, the most famous of the local folksingers.

Stan Staggles sang Banks of Sweet Dundee in Rattlesden 1958/59, and Charlie Carver sang it in Tostock Gardeners’ Arms in 1960. Both were included in two volumes of John Howson recordings of traditional music making from Mid-Suffolk on the Veteran label, Many a Good Horseman (cassette 1993; CD 2009). John Howson commented in the liner notes:

A widely sung ballad which seems to have been particularly popular in East Anglia and certainly in mid Suffolk. In Roy Palmer’s A Book of British Ballads he introduces this ballad as “Villainy and virtue, blood and tears, innocence triumphant: here are the ingredients for a 19^th century melodrama”. It attracted the attention of many broadside printers and thus was another widely published ballad. It was obviously popular in Scotland, also turned up in Ireland and in North America. In the eastern counties Clive Carey collected it in 1911 from Mrs Yeldham in Thaxted, Essex and in the same year Cecil Sharp noted it down from John Darling in Ely, Cambridgeshire, then in 1960 Sam Steele recorded it from Billy Rash of West Wratting, Cambridgeshire and Reg Bacon of Radwinter, Essex: the latter recording can be heard on VT150CD Heel & Toe.

Fred Jordan sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee in a recording made by Mike Yates in 1965. This was included in 2003 on his Veteran CD A Shropshire Lad. The liner notes commented:

Also called, by Fred, The Farmer’s Daughter. Scots collector Gavin Greig said of The Banks of Sweet Dundee (or Undaunted Mary as it is sometimes called), “Few ballads are so popular and so widely distributed… It seems to be as well known in England as in Scotland, and appears in several collections. Its popularity may so far be due to its tragic character. As one editor (Frank Kidson) says, there is enough tragedy and injured innocence in the ballad to furnish the plot of a penny novelette. The tune too, which belongs to a well-known type of folk-melody, has doubtless helped to make the ballad a favourite.” It should, perhaps, be noted that Kidson also thought the words of the song to be, “sublime doggerel”! Although Fred did not record this song for the BBC in 1952, he did mention that it was another song that he then knew.

Bob Brader sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee in a recording made by Fred Hamer in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire on 29 July 1967. It was included in 1989 on the VWML cassette of Hamer’s field recordings, The Leaves of Life and in 1998 on the Topic anthology As Me and My Love Sat Courting (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 15).

Charlie Wills sang Banks of Sweet Dundee in January 1971 to Bill Leader. This recording was released a year later on his eponymous Leader album, Charlie Wills.

Rebecca Penfold sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee to Peter Kennedy at Mount Pleasant, Broadwood Kelly, Devon, on 18 April 1973. This recording was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology I’m a Romany Rai (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 22).

The Broadside from Grimsby sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee in 1973 on their Topic LP of songs and ballads collected in Lincolnshire, The Moon Shone Bright.

Harry Upton sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee in a recording by Mike Yates in between 1972 and 1975. It was included in 1976 on the Topic anthology of country singers from the South, Green Grow the Laurels.

Danny Brazil sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee to Gwilym Davies, Staverton, Gloucestershire, in December 1977. This recording was included in 2007 on the Brazil family’s Musical Traditions anthology, Down By the Old Riverside. Rod Stradling commented in the album’s booklet:

A very popular song, with 218 Roud entries from most of the Anglophone world, this was described by Cecil Sharp as being “known to every singer of the present day”. It was even found as a capstan shanty with the words “Heave away my Johnny, heave away” sung after every line.

While most versions have the two lovers being parted, never to re-unite, there are a number that end with William returning, as here; and one broadside, An Answer to Undaunted Mary, describes his adventures at sea and his coming back in disguise in order to test Mary’s faithfulness.

Robin and Barry Dransfield sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee in 1977 on their Free Reed album Popular to Contrary Belief. This track was also included in 1997 on their Free Reed anthology Up to Now.

June Tabor sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee in a BBC session recorded on 25 January 1977 and broadcast on 22 February 1977. This recording was included in 1986 on her Strange Fruit EP The Peel Sessions and in 1998 on her Strange Fruit CD On Air.

Walter Pardon sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee in a recording made by Mike Yates on 2 August 1978. It was included in 2000 on his Topic anthology A World Without Horses.

Bill Smith sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee in 1979 to his son Andrew Smith. This recording was included in 2011 on his Musical Tradition anthology of songs and stories of a Shropshire man, A Country Life.

Louis Killen sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee unaccompanied on his 1989 cassette The Rose in June. He commented in his liner notes:

From the singing of Brian Ballinger when we were both living in Oxford in the mid-50s. One of the most popular broadsides of the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, and found in the repertoire of most country singers well into the 20^th.

Vic Legg sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee in 1994 to John Howson. This recording was published on his Veteran cassette (1994) and CD (2000) of a Cornish family’s songs, I’ve Come to Sing a Song.

Andy M. Stewart sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee in 1997 on his Green Linnet album Donegal Rain. He noted:

The city of Dundee lies in the county of Angus at the mouth of the River Tay in Scotland about 19 miles from where I was born. However, I learned this song from the singing of the great Joe Heaney from Carna, Galway, in West Connemara, whom I first met by accident, one Sunday in 1979, whilst taking a stroll in New York’s Central Park! Joe was rightly recognised as a giant amongst traditional singers and is now sadly missed. The last verse came from John Ord’s Bothy Songs and Ballads, published by John Donald, Edinburgh, in 1930.

What a woman is the heroine of this song! She just will not allow herself to be pushed around by anyone. There is loads of action in this wonderful old ballad, which I believe is of mixed Irish/Scottish descent. There was a great swapping of songs between Ireland and my part of Scotland, where many people came for work on the farms and in the mills and where many ended up getting married to locals. Consequently, I know quite a few songs which are ‘hybrids’ of this cultural exchange; this may well be another of them.

Grace Notes sang Banks of the Sweet Dundee in 1998 on their Fellside CD Red Wine & Promises. Maggie Boyle commented in their liner notes:

From the singing of Joe Heaney. A great song of a young lass in no need of assertiveness training. Thanks to Arthur Knevett for sharing his research.

Pete Morton sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee on his 1998 Harbourtown album Trespass. He noted:

Heard a version of this by Robin and Barry Dransfield and thought—what a wonderful song—but found the tune too difficult so I changed it to a three chord wonder. It’s people like me who destroy our culture—what culture!

Matt Quinn sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee, “from a recording of Walter Pardon”, in 2008 on The Mighty Quinn’s album Thicker Than Water.

Janet Russell sang Banks of Sweet Dundee in 2008 on her Harbourtown CD Love Songs and Fighting Talk. She noted:

It’s okay to cheer for Mary in this song, because it’s all in self defence. I can’t help myself cheering anyway. […] Dundee, I am informed by Sheila Miller, is prabably “Dudden” or “Dundy” in Cumbria.

Rob Williams sang The Banks of the Sweet Dundee in 2012 on his CD of songs from around the Quantock Hills, collected from Jane Gulliford of Combe Florey, Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Andy Turner learned Banks of the Sweet Dundee from Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl’s The Singing Island. He sang it as the 18 August 2013 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.

Jack Rutter sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee in 2017 on his CD Hills. He noted:

I found two sets of words for this song from Frank Kidson, one in Folk Songs of the North-Countrie and the other in Traditional Tunes, and then heard some more verses for the song round and about. I’ve set these words to a variation of the tune from the song The Banks of Red Roses.

The Outside Track sang The Banks of Sweet Dundee on their 2018 CD Rise Up. They noted:

We heard this song from the singing of Jack Rutter. It tells the tale of a young woman who defeats her wicked uncle in order to marry her beloved ploughboy. A folk song with a happy ending!

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

A ballad about a young woman oppressed by her uncle to marry a squire. She foils a rape by shooting the squire and her uncle. It was very popular throughout Britain.

Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys sang Banks of Sweet Dundee in 2021 on their Pure CD The Wishing Tree.

Lyrics

Tony Wales sings The Banks of Sweet Dundee

It’s of a farmer’s daughter, so beautiful, I’m told;
Her parents died and left her five hundred pounds in gold.
She lived with her uncle, the cause of all her woe,
As you soon shall hear, this maiden fair did prove his overthrow.

Her uncle had a ploughboy, young Mary loved full well,
And in her uncle’s garden their tales of love would tell;
But there was a wealthy squire, who oft came her to see,
Yet still she loved her ploughboy, on the banks of the sweet Dundee.

Her uncle rose one morning, and early went straightway,
And knocking at the bedroom door, he unto her did say,
“Come rise up, pretty maiden, a lady you might be;
The squire’s waiting for you, on the banks of the sweet Dundee.”

“A fig for all your squires, your lords and dukes likewise;
My William’s hand appears to me like diamonds in my eyes.”
“Begone, unruly female, you ne’er shall happy be,
For I mean to banish William from the banks of the sweet Dundee.”

Her uncle and the squire was a-walking out next day;
“Young William is in favor,” her uncle he did say,
“But, indeed, it’s my intention to tie him to a tree,
Or else to bribe the pressgang on the banks of the sweet Dundee.”

The pressgang come to William when he was all alone.
He boldly fought for liberty, but they was six to one.
The blood did flow in torrents, “Pray kill me now,” said he,
“I’d rather die for Mary, on the banks of the sweet Dundee.”

The maid next day was walking, lamenting for her love;
She met with the wealthy squire down in her uncle’s grove.
He clasped his hands all round her, “Stand off, base man,” said she,
“’Twas you that bribed the pressgang, on the banks of the sweet Dundee.”

He clasped his arms all round her, and tried to throw her down,
Two pistols and a sword she spied beneath his morning gown.
Young Mary took the pistols, the sword he used so free;
But she did fire and shoot the squire, on the banks of the sweet Dundee.

Her uncle overheard the noise and hastened to the ground.
“Since you have killed the squire, I’ll give you your death wound.”
“Stand off,” then said young Mary, “Undaunted I will be.”
Then the trigger drew and her uncle slew, on the banks of the sweet Dundee.

The doctor then was sent for, a man of noted skill.
Likewise came the lawyer, for him to sign his will;
He willed his gold to Mary, who fought so manfully,
Then he closed his eyes no more to rise, by the banks of the sweet Dundee.

Danny Brazil sings The Banks of Sweet Dundee

All for a fair damsel I’ve lately been told,
Her parents died, left her a hundred pounds in gold;
She lived all with her uncle; was the cause of all her woe,
So soon you’ll hear the maid so fair when she proved her overthrow.

Her uncle had a ploughing boy that Mary loved fair well,
It was in her uncle’s garden, some tales of love they told;
All for a wealthy squire so often come to see,
Still Mary she loved her ploughboy on the banks of Sweet Dundee.

It was early one morning, Mary’s uncle he rose,
Straight away to Mary’s bedroom so speedily did go;
“It’s rise you up young Mary, a lady you may be,
The squire’s waiting for you on the banks of Sweet Dundee.”

“I don’t want none of your squires, nor your lords, dukes likewise,
Young Willie he appeared to me like diamonds in my eyes.”
“We’ll have young Willie headed, we’ll chain him to a tree,
And we’ll send the press gang to him on the banks of Sweet Dundee.”

The press gang came to William as he sat all alone,
There he boldly fought for liberty where there was ten to one;
The blood flew in torrents. “Now kill me now,” says he,
“I would rather die for Mary on the banks of Sweet Dundee.”

As Mary was walking all through her uncle’s grove,
There she met the wealthy squire dressed in his mornings clothes;
He put his arms around her, “Stand off, stand off,” says she,
“You’ve sent the only lad I love from the banks of Sweet Dundee.”

He throwed his arms around her, trying to throw her down
Two pistols and a sword she spied beneath his mornings gown;
She took the weapons from him and the sword she used it free,
She boldly fired and shot the squire on the banks of Sweet Dundee.

Soon as her uncle heard of it he made haste to the ground
He said, “Since you’ve killed the squire I will give you your death wound.”
“It’s stand you off,” young Mary cried, “undaunted I will be.”
The trigger drew and her uncle slew on the banks of Sweet Dundee.

The doctor was sent for a man of noted skill,
And likewise a lawyer to sign up his will;
He willed his gold to Mary ’cos she fought so manfully,
He closed his eyes no more could rise on the banks of Sweet Dundee.

Young William was sent for and quickly did return,
As soon as he came back again young Mary ceased to mourn;
The day it was appointed, they joined their hands so free,
And now they live in splendour on the banks of Sweet Dundee.

Louis Killen sings The Banks of Sweet Dundee

It’s of a farmer’s daughter, so beautiful I’m told.
Her father died and left her five hundred pounds in gold.
She lived with her uncle, the cause of all her woe,
But you soon shall hear this maiden fair that causes his overthrow.

Her uncle had a ploughboy young Mary loved fair well
And in her uncle’s garden their tales of love they’d tell.
But there was a wealthy squire who oft her came to see
But still she loved her ploughboy on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Her uncle and the squire rode out once on this day.
“Young William’s in favour,” her uncle then did say,
“Indeed is my intention to tie him to a tree
Or else to bribe the press gang on the banks of sweet Dundee.“

The press gang found young William when he was all alone;
He boldly fought for liberty, but they were six to one.
The blood did flow in torrents, “Pray, kill me now,” says he,
“I’d rather die for Mary on the banks of sweet Dundee.“

This maid one day was walking, lamenting for her love,
She met the wealthy squire down by her uncle’s grove.
He put his arms around her, “Stand off, bad man,” said she;
“You sent the only lad I love from the banks of sweet Dundee.“

He clashed his arms around her and tried to throw her down;
Two pistols and a sword she spied beneath his morning gown.
Young Mary took the pistols and the sword he used so free;
And she did fire and shot the squire on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Her uncle overheard the noise and hastened to the ground,
“Oh since you killed the squire, I’ll give you your death wound!”
“Stand off!” oh then young Mary said, “undaunted I will be!”
And the sword she drew and her uncle slew on the banks of sweet Dundee.

A doctor soon was sent for, a man of noted skill;
Likewise came his lawyer for him to sign his will.
He left his gold to Mary who’d fought so manfully
And closed his eyes, no more to rise, on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Andy M. Stewart sings The Banks of Sweet Dundee

It’s of a farmer’s daughter so beautiful I’m told,
Her parents died and left her five hundred pounds in gold.
She lived with her uncle, the cause of all her woe,
You soon shall hear how this maiden fair did prove his overthrow.

Her uncle had a ploughboy young Mary loved full well,
And in her uncle’s gardens sweet tales of love would tell.
There was a wealthy squire who oft came her to see
But still she loved the ploughboy on the banks of sweet Dundee.

It was on a summer’s morning her uncle went straight way,
He knocked at Mary’s bedroom door and unto her did say,
“Come rise, my pretty maiden, a lady you may be,
The squire is waiting for you on the banks of sweet Dundee.”

“A fig for all your squires, your lords and dukes likewise!
My William he appears to me like diamonds in my eyes.”
“Be gone, unruly female, you ne’er shall happy be!
I mean lo banish William drom the banks of sweet Dundee.”

Her uncle and the squire rode out one summer’s day,
“Your William is in favour,” her uncle he did say,
“Indeed ’tis my intention to tie him to a tree
Or else to bribe the press-gang on the banks of sweet Dundee.”

The press-gang came to William when he was all alone,
He boldly fought for liberty, but they were six to one.
The blood did flow in torrents, “Pray kill me now!”, says he,
“I would rather die for Mary on the banks of sweet Dundee.”

This maid, one day, was walking, lamenting for her love,
She met the wealthy squire down in her uncle’s grove.
He put his arms around her, “Stand off, base man,” said she,
“For you’ve banished the only man I love From the banks of sweet Dundee.”

He clasped his arms around her and he tried to throw her down;
Two pistols and a sword she spied beneath his morning gown.
Young Mary took the pistols, his sword he used so free,
Then she did fire and she shot the squire on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Her uncle overheard the noise and he hastened to the ground,
“Oh since you shot the squire, I’ll give you your death wound!”
“Stand off then,” cried young Mary, “Undaunted I will be!”
She the trigger drew and her uncle slew in the banks of sweet Dundee.

A doctor soon was sent for, a man of noted skill,
Likewise, there came a lawyer to sign her uncle’s will.
He willed his gold to Mary who fought so manfully
Then he closed his eyes, no more to rise on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Young William, he was sent for and quickly he did return,
As soon as he came back again young Mary ceased to mourn.
The day it was appointed, they joined their hands so free
And now they live in splendour on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Grace Notes sing Banks of the Sweet Dundee

It’s of a farmer’s daughter, so beautiful I am told.
Her parents died and they left her a large amount of gold.
She lived with her uncle, the cause of all her woe,
But you soon shall hear how this maiden fair she proved his overthrow.

Her uncle had a ploughboy young Mary loved quite well
And in her uncle’s garden their tales of love did tell.
There was a wealthy squire who oft her her to see
But still she loved her ploughboy on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Well on a Monday morning her uncle went straightway,
He knocked upon the maiden’s door and this to her did say:
“Arise, arise, my pretty maid, a lady you can be,
The squire is waiting for you on the banks of sweet Dundee.“

“I care not for your squires, your lords or dukes likewise,
My William he appears to me like diamonds in the skies.”
“Begone, unruly female, you ne’er shall happy be,
For I will banish William from the banks of sweet Dundee.“

Her uncle and the squire went out to walk next day.
“Young William he’s in favour,” her uncle he did say,
“Indeed it’s my intention to tie him to a tree
Or else to bribe the press gang on the banks of sweet Dundee.“

The press gang came on William while he was all alone;
He bravely fought for liberty, but they were six to one.
His blood did flow in torrents, “Pray, kill me now,” said he,
“For I will die for Mary on the banks of sweet Dundee.“

And Mary was out walking, lamenting for her love,
She met the wealthy squire down by her uncle’s grove.
He threw his arms around her, “Stand off, bad man,” said she;
“’Twas you to bribe the press gang on the banks of sweet Dundee.“

He wrapped his arms around her and he tried to throw her down;
A pistol and a sword she spied beneath his morning gown.
She took the pistol from him and the sword he used quite free;
She did fire and she shot the squire on the banks of sweet Dundee.

Her uncle overheard the noise and hastened to the ground,
“Since you have killed the squire,“ he said, “I’ll give you your death wound!”
“Stand off, bad man!” said Mary, “undaunted I will be!”
The trigger she drew and her uncle slew on the banks of sweet Dundee.

He willed his gold to Mary who fought so manfully,
He closed his eyes, no more to rise, on the banks of sweet Dundee.