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> Trevor Lucas > Songs > Fotheringay: Eppie Moray

Eppie Moray / Eppie Morrie

[ Roud 2583 / Song Subject MAS1047 ; Child 223 ; Ballad Index C223 ; DT EPPMORR ; Mudcat 3049 ; trad.]

The Oxford Book of Ballads The Singing Island Thee Penguin Book of English Folk Songs

Jimmy McBeath from Banffshire sang Eppie Morrie to Alan Lumax in c. 1951-53. This recording was included in 2000 on the Rounder anthology Classic Ballads of Britain and Ireland Volume 2.

Ewan MacColl sang the North-east Scottish abduction ballad Eppie Moray in 1956 on his and A.L. Lloyd’s Riverside album The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Volume I. This and most of his other ballads from this series were re-issued in 2009 on his Topic CD Ballads: Murder·Intrigue·Love·Discord. He also sang Eppie Morrie in 1960 on his Folkways album with Peggy Seeger, Popular Scottish Songs, and he sang Eppie Morrie in 1982 on his and Peggy Seeger’s Blackthorne album Blood & Roses Volume 3 on which he noted:

Songs about bride-stealing are very rare, although the practice was once very popular in Scotland. Maidment (North Countrie Garland, 1824) proposed that the ballad must have been pre-1720 and probably much older than that. Little is known of the source and although it still seems to survive occasionally in the oral tradition, it has not been reported in print since Child. I learned the air and most of the verses from my father, William Miller.

Fotheringay recorded Eppie Moray for their second album which was never finished due to the band’s break-up. After a long time of being available on bootlegs only, in 2008 Fledg’ling Records released the 1970 Sound Techniques studio recordings including Eppie Moray on the CD Fotheringay 2.

Fotheringay performed Eppie Moray live on two BBC Radio 1 sessions, both with Trevor Lucas and Sandy Denny singing. The first one was on BBC Radio “Folk on One”, hosted by Jim Lloyd, recorded on 12 November 1970 and broadcast on 21 November 1970; this recording was also included in 2015 on Fotheringay’s Universal anthology Nothing More. The second session was for BBC Radio “Sound of the Seventies”, hosted by Bob Harris, recorded on 15 November 1970 and broadcast on 21 December 1970, A Fotheringay live performance at Grugahalle, Essen, Germany, on 23 October 1970 was included in 2011 on the concert recording Essen 1970.

Sìleas (Patsy Seddon and Mary Macmaster) sang Eppie Morrie in 1986 on their album Delighted with Harps. They noted:

This ballad comes from the North-east of Scotland.

A Highlander abducts an heiress and tries to force her to marry him. When she refuses in front of the minister he carries her off and tries to rape her. She successfully fights him off and in the morning scornfully demands a horse so that she may ride home to her mother “a maiden as she cam”.

The melody was transmitted to Ewan MacColl by William Miller.

Ceolbeg sang Eppie Moray in 2000 on their Greentrax CD Cairn Water. They noted:

The vintage of this ballad is unknown, other than it being post-Reformation. It is however the sexual politics in the storyline which sets it apart from traditional ballad values. Judge for yourself!

Isla St Clair sang Eppie Morrie on her 2000 CD Murder & Mayhem. She explained:

Twenty four Highlanders kidnap Eppie Morrie for Willie, their leader, to marry. Eppie Morrie refuses to submit to his desires, so Willie attempts to rape her but she defends herself successfully throughout the night. In the morning she is rescued, still a maiden, and after scorning Willie returns to her true love.

Andrew Calhoun sang Eppie Morrie on his 2004 album of folk ballads from Scotland, Telfer’s Cows. He noted:

I heard Ewan MacColl sing this at the Singer’s Club in London in 1977. I grew up listening to MacColl’s recordings on Riverside and Folkways Records. He collected and recorded ballads and folksongs in prodigious numbers.

Corrina Hewat released her Foot Stompin’ single The Ballad of Eppie Moray in 2005.

Janet Russell sang Eppie Morrie in 2008 on her Harbourtown CD Love Songs and Fighting Talk. She noted:

Another song I’ve known and liked for many years, and it’s a good time to acknowledge the common practice of forced marriage in our not so distant past, with this song of triumphant fight back.

The Shee sang Eppie Morrie in 2010 on their CD Decadence.

More Maids sang Eppie Morrie on their 2011 CD III.

This video shows the Fiddle Folk Family singing Eppie Morrie on their 2011 DVD Ungeschieden, ungekämmt, ungesehen:

Jim Moray sang Eppie Moray in 2016 on his CD Upcetera. He noted:

The tune appears to come from William Miller, via his son Ewan MacColl who popularised it. I’m compiled and anglicised the words from several sources.

James Wilson sang Eppie Moray in 2018 on the Wilson & Swarbrick CD Kailyard Tales.

Alasdair Roberts sang Eppie Moray on his 2023 album Grief in the Kitchen and Mirth in the Hall. He noted:

This ballad became fairly well-known in the last century through a version sung by Ewan McColl, who tells us that it came from the singing of William Miller of Stirling (McColl’s father) and Samuel Wylie of Falkirk. My own version has been influenced by those of various other singers, including some from recordings held in the sound archives of the School of Scottish Studies, Edinburgh, such as Walter Allan.

Shoon sang Eppie Morrie on their eponymous 2024 EP Shoon.

Lyrics

Fotheringay sing Eppie Moray

Four-and-twenty Highland men
Come from the Carron side
To carry away Eppie Moray for
She would not be a bride, a bride,
She would not be a bride.

Then out it came her mither for
It was a moonlit night,
She couldn’t see her daughter for
The moon it shone so bright, so bright
The moon it shone so bright.

Hold away from me, mither,
Hold away from me!
There’s not a man in all Strathdon
Should married be with me, with me,
Should married be with me.

They’ve taken Eppie Moray,
And a horse they’ve bound her on,
And they had rid to the minister’s house
As fast as horse could run, could run,
As fast as horse could run.

[ Then Willie he’s taken his pistol out
And set it to the minister’s breast,
O marry me, marry me, minister,
Or else I’ll be your priest, your priest
Or else I’ll be your priest.

Hold away from me, Willie,
Hold away from me,
I not avow to marry you
Except she’s willing as thee, as thee,
Except she’s willing as thee.

They’ve taken Eppie Moray then,
She’d better could not be,
And they have rid over Carron side
As fast as horse could flee, could flee,
As fast as horse could flee.

Then mass was sung and bells were rung
And they’re away to bed,
And Willie and Eppie Moray,
In ane bed they were laid, were laid
In ane bed they were laid. ]

He’s taken the sark from off his back
And kicked away his shoes,
And thrown away the chamber key,
And naked he’s lay down, lay down
And naked he’s lay down.

Hold away from me, Willie,
Hold away from me,
Before I lose my maidenhead
I’ll try my strength with thee, with thee.
I’ll try my strength with thee.

He’s kissed her on the lily breast
And held her shoulders twa
But aye she grat and aye she spat
And turned to the wall, the wall,
And turned to the wall.

All through the night they wrestled there
Until the light of day,
And Willie grat and Willie swat
But he could not stretch her spey, her spey
He could not stretch her spey.

Weary fa’ you, Willie, then,
For you could not prove a man,
For if you gained her maidenheid,
She would have held your hand, your hand,
She would have held your hand.

Go away from me, Lady,
Go away from me!
There’s not a man in all Strathdon
Shall married be with me, with me,
Shall married be with me.

Go fetch me a horse,
And fetch it like a man,
And send me back to my mither
A maiden as I came, I came
A maiden as I came.

Ewan MacColl sing Eppie Morrie

Four-and-twenty Hielan’ men
Cam’ frae the Carron Side,
To steal awa’ Eppie Morrie
For she wadna be a bride, a bride,
She wadna be a bride.

Then oot it’s cam’ her mither then,
It was a moonlicht nicht.
She couldnae see her dochter
For the water shine sae bricht, sae bricht,
The water shine sae bricht.

Haud awa’ frae me, mither,
Haud awa’ frae me!
There’s no’ a man in a’ Strathdon
Shall wedded be with me, with me,
Shall wedded be with me.

They’ve taken Eppie Morrie then,
And a horse they’ve bound her on,
And they hae rid to the minister’s hoose
As fast as horse could gang, could gang,
As fast as horse could gang.

Then Willie’s ta’en his pistol oot
And set it to the minister’s breist,
O marry me, marry me, minister,
Or else I’ll be your priest, your priest,
Or else I’ll be your priest.

Haud awa’ fae me, Willie,
Haud awa’ fae me!
I daurna avow to marry you
Except she’s willin’ as thee, as thee,
Except she’s willin’ as thee.

Haud awa’ frae me, good sir,
Haud awa’ frae me!
There’s no’ a man in a’ Strathdon
Shall married be by me, by me,
Shall married be by me.

They’ve taken Eppie Morrie then,
Sin’ better couldna be,
And they hae rid ower Carron Side
As fast as horse could flee, could flee,
As fast as horse could flee.

Then mass was sung and bells were rung
And they’re awa’ to bed,
And Willie and Eppie Morrie,
In ane bed they were laid, were laid,
In ane bed they were laid.

He’s ta’en the sark frae aff his back
And kicked awa’ his shoon,
And thrawn awa’ the chaulmer key
And naked he lay doon, lay doon,
And naked he lay doon.

Haud awa’ fae me, Willie,
Haud awa’ fae me!
Before I’ll lose my maidenheid,
I’ll try my strength wi’ thee, with thee,
I’ll try my strength wi’ thee.

He’s kissed her on the lily breist
And held her shouthers twa,
But aye she grat and aye she spat
And turned tae the wa’, the wa’,
And turned tae the wa’.

Haud awa’ fae me, Willie,
Haud awa’ fae me!
Before I’ll lose my maidenheid,
I’ll fecht wi’ you till day, till day,
I’ll fecht wi’ you till day.

A’ through the nicht they warssled there
Until the licht o’ day,
And Willie grat and Willie swat
But he couldna streitch her spey.

Then early in the morning,
Before the licht o’ day
In came the maid o’ Scallater,
Wi’ a goon and shirt alane, alane,
Wi’ a goon and shirt alane.

Get up, get up, young woman.
And drink the wine wi’ me!
Ye micht hae ca’d me ‘maiden’
For I’m sure as hale as thee, as thee,
I’m sure as hale as thee.

Weary fa’ you, Willie, then.
That ye couldna prove a man,
Ye micht hae ta’en her maidenheid.
She would hae hired your hand, your hand,
She would hae hired your hand.

Haud awa’ fae me, lady,
Haud awa’ fae me!
There’s no’ a man in a’ Strathdon
Shall wedded be with me, with me,
Shall wedded be with me.

Then in there came young Breadalbane
Wi’ a pistol on each side,
O come awa’, Eppie Morrie,
And I’ll mak’ you my bride, my bride,
And I’ll mak’ you my bride.

Gae get to me a horse, Willie,
Get it like a man,
And send me back to my mither
A maiden as I cam’, I cam’,
O a maiden as I cam’.

The sun shines ower the westlin hills
By the lamplicht o’ the moon,
O—saddle your horse, young John Forsythe,
Just whistle and I’ll come soon, come soon,
Just whistle and I’ll come soon.

Ceolbeg sing Eppie Moray

Four and twenty Heilan men
Cam fae the Carronside
Tae tak awa Eppie Moray for
She widnae be a bride, a bride,
She widnae be a bride.

Then oot its cam her mither then,
fur it wis a moonlit nicht.
She couldnae see her daughter for
The water shone sae bricht, sae bricht,
The water shone sae bricht.

Haud awa fae me, Mither,
Haud awa fae me!
There’s no a man in a’ Strathdon
Will merriet be wi me, wi me,
Will merriet be wi me.

They’ve taken Eppie Moray then
And a horse they’ve bound her on.
And they’re awa tae the minister’s hoose
As fest as horse could gang, could gang,
As fest as horse could gang.

Willie’s taen his pistol oot
And pit it tae the minister’s briest
O merry me, merry me, minister,
Or else I’ll be yer priest, yer priest,
Or else I’ll be yer priest.

Haud awa fae me, Willie,
Haud awa fae me!
Ah durna vow tae merry ye,
Except she’s fain as ye, as ye,
Except she’s fain as ye.

Haud awa fae me, guid sir,
Haud awa fae me!
There’s no a man in a’ Strathdon
Shall merriet be by me, by me,
Shall merriet be by me.

They’ve taken Eppie Moray then,
That better’d couldnae be,
And they hae rode ower Carronside,
As fest as horse could flee, could flee,
As fest as horse could flee.

Then mass was sung and bells were rung
And they’re awa tae bed.
And Willie and Eppie Moray
In ae bed they were laid, were laid,
In ae bed they were laid.

He’s taen the sark fae off his back
And kicked awa his shoon.
He’s thrawn awa the chaulmer key
And naked he laid doon, laid doon,
And naked he laid doon.

Haud awa fae me Willie,
Aaud awa fae me!
Afore I lose my maidenheid
I’ll try my strength wi thee, wi thee,
I’ll try my strength wi thee.

He’s kissed her on the lily breist
And held her shoulders twa.
And ay she’s grat and ay she’s spat
And turned her tae the wa, the wa,
And turned her tae the wa.

Haud awa fae me Willie,
Haud awa fae me!
There’s no a man in a’ Strathdon
Will merriet be wi me, wi me,
Will merriet be wi me.

A’ through the nicht they warstled
Antil the licht o day,
And Willie grat and Willie spat,
But couldnae stretch her spey, her spey,
But couldnae stretch her spey.

Then early in the mornin,
Afore the licht o day,
Then came a maid o scalatur
wi goon and shirt alane, alane,
Wi goon and shirt alane.

Get up get up young woman
And drink the wine wi me.
Ye micht hae ca’d me maiden for
I’m sure as hail as thee, as thee,
I’m sure as hail as thee.

Weary fa ye Willie then
That ye couldnae prove a man.
Ye micht hae taen her maidenheid,
She would hae hired yer hand, yer hand,
She would hae hired yer hand.

Haud awa fae me lady,
Haud awa fae me!
There’s no a man in a’ Strathdon
Will merriet be wi me, wi me,
Will merriet be wi me.

Gae get tae me a horse, Willie,
Get it like a man!
And send me back tae my mither’s hoose,
A maiden as I cam, I cam,
A maiden as I cam.