> Shirley Collins > Songs > Locks and Bolts
> Martin Carthy > Songs > Locks and Bolts

Locks and Bolts / Back o’ Benachie / I Dreamed Last Night of My True Love

[ Roud 406 / Song Subject MAS967 ; Master title: Locks and Bolts ; Laws M13 ; G/D 5:1012 ; Ballad Index LM13 , Ord438 ; VWML CJS2/10/3411 , CJS2/9/2502 ; Folkinfo 4 ; DT LOCKBOLT ; Mudcat 61071 ; trad.]

Katherine Campbell: Songs From North-East Scotland Maud Karpeles: Cecil Sharp’s Collection of English Folk Songs Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger: Travellers’ Songs From England and Scotland John Ord: Bothy Songs and Ballads Frank Purslow: The Foggy Dew

The hero of this ballad frees his love who was locked away by her father.

Cecil Sharp collected Locks and Bolts from Mr. Harland Shelton of Spillcorn, North Carolina, on 6 September 1916. [VWML CJS2/10/3411] . His then assistant Maud Karpeles returned to the Appalachians in 1950 and recorded it from Emma Shelton of Flag Pong, Unicoi County, Tennessee. This recording was included in 2017 on the Musical Traditions anthology of historic recordings of Appalachian singer and musicians, When Cecil Left the Mountains. Rod Stradling noted in the accompanying booklet:

Scholars usually assign this ballad to the mid-17^th century writer Martin Parker. As The lover’s joy and grief, or, a young man’s relation, in a pittyful fashion the ballad was printed in London by F. Cole, T. Vere, J. Wright & J. Clarke, sometime around 1674-79. It is also listed in William Thackeray’s catalogue of song titles, printed c.1689. Again, it is a song which has survived well in North America.

George ‘Pop’ Maynard sang Locks and Bolts at home in Copthorne, Sussex, on 3 December 1955 to Peter Kennedy His recording was released in 1976 on Maynard’s Topic album of traditional songs from Sussex, Ye Subjects of England. Mike Yates noted:

[…] The Seeds of Love, Locks and Bolts, Down by the Seaside and Rolling in the Dew were also stock Victorian broadside ballads, albeit ones with ancient histories even then. Many of these songs, once common, are now seldom encountered. Cecil Sharp, for instance, noted four versions of Locks and Bolts at the turn of the century, as did George Gardiner also. However, to my knowledge, Pop is the only English singer to have been recorded singing it—a sad come-down for this splendid ballad which was first licensed to be printed on 5 September 1631 under the title A Constant Wife.

Almeda Riddle sang Rainbow ’Mid Life’s Willows to Alan Lomax and Shirley Collins at Greers Ferry, Arkansas, in October 1959. This recording was included in 1997 on the Rounder anthology Ozark Frontier (Southern Journey Volume 7). She also sang Locks and Bolts in a May 1972 recording that was released in 1978 on her Rounder album More Ballads and Hymns From the Ozarks. Anna L. Chairetakis noted on the Southern Journey album:

This was probably Mrs. Riddle’s own title for this ballad of British origin about a maiden sealed away from her lover by her male kin (See also Track 7, Once I Courted a Lady Beauty Bright).

… and Mark Wilson noted on the 1978 album:

[…] Several of Granny’s other selections have a British origin, spawned in the broadside press. Locks and Bolts (Granny usually calls it My Rainbow Mid the Willows) was first printed in 1631 under the title A Constant Wife:; a nice British version by George [Maynard] can be heard on Topic 12T286.

Shirley Collins sang Locks and Bolts with some different verses in 1963 on her Topic EP Heroes in Love. Like all tracks of this EP, it was included in her compilation Fountain of Snow and on the CD reissue of The Sweet Primeroses. It was also included in 2002 on her Fledg’ling anthology Within Sound. The original record’s sleeve notes commented:

This song is known in Britain, though it has not appeared in the published English collections. Our present version is from the Appalachian region—Shirley has collated two texts from C.J. Sharp’s book English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians. The interesting hexatonic tune is something of a mystery since Shirley has forgotten her source, and may have composed it herself.

Maggie McPhee sang the Scottish version Back o’ Benachie in a recording made by Bill Leader in 1967. it was released a year later as the title track of the Topic album of songs and ballads from the Lowland East of Scotland, Back o’ Benachie. Peter Hall noted:

The tune, known as The Hessian’s March, was brought back to Scotland by soldiers serving with Marlborough and at first was an instrumental piece with but a single strain which has since become the chorus. Its first appearance as a song was in Lyric Gems of Scotland (1856). The verses have a literary ring and were presumably written by a local rhymester who realised the potential of the existing tune. The travelling people have many versions which, like the present example, differ widely from that usually published. Maggie McPhee, being a prolific songmaker, it is difficult to disentangle her own contributions from what us traditional in this version.

The Battlefield Band sang The Back o’ Benachie in 1976 on their first album, Scottish Folk.

Martin Carthy recorded Locks and Bolts for his 1976 album Crown of Horn; this track was also included on his Green Linnet compilation The Collection. And he sang this song Live in Sidmouth 1979 (a BBC recording of it was released as a digital download in 2013). He noted on the original album:

Locks and Bolts comes from the repertoire of the woodcutter, hop-picker, poacher and marbles champion George Maynard. It was collected by Ken Stubbs and printed in the Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (1963), whence I learnt it. At first glance it seems to be a Victorian song, but it is probably very much older, although not in this form.

Charlie Bridger sang O Who Will o’er the Downs So Free? at his home in Stonee-in-Oxney, Kent on 15 April 1983 to Andy Turner. This recording was included in 2018 on Bridger’s Musical Traditions anthology Won’t You Buy My Pretty Flowers?. Rod Stradling noted:

Written by Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795-1856). It was recorded in England at least once on a 78 in the 1930s. It was also recorded by Gwilym Davies from Bill Train, of Teignmouth, Devon, in 1976. Steve Roud writes: “Who Will O’er the Downs is interesting because its language is much more literary than the traditional versions, but is clearly the ‘same’ song. There’s something to be investigated there.”

Malinky sang this song as I Dreamed Last Night of My True Love in 2002 on their second CD, 3 Ravens. They noted:

Versions of this song exist in the traditions of Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada and Appalachia—an early version dates back to 1630. In the age of music being widely recorded and available, people can obtain songs from many different media and not just from other singers. Mark [Dunlop] took a longer (and bloodier) version from the Mudcat database and combined it with the version he first heard on a recording of Eddie and Finbar Furey.

Bob Bray sang Locks and Bolts in the early 2000s in Rod and Danny Stradling’s kitchen for the Musical Traditions CD of 2005, Songs From the Golden Fleece. He noted:

One of the first songs I learnt, I think, as a student in Bristol, from an EP of Shirley Collins’ singing. It is a lovely American version of the English song that I heard years later on a tape but never got the name of the singer. The tune soars and allows for gentle improvisation at every singing. A slightly dangerous courting technique—but then you’re only young once.

Martyn Wyndham-Read sang Locks and Bolts in 2005 on the Fellside anthology celebrating English traditional songs and their American variants, Song Links 2; the corresponding American version on this double CD is Locks and Bolts sung by Sara Grey. Paul Adams noted:

Martyn learned this enthralling song from the fine Sussex singer George ‘Pop’ Maynard. Mike Yates writes in his notes on George’s Topic album Ye Subjects of England: “Pop was the only English singer to be recorded singing it—a sad come-down for this splendid ballad which was first licensed to be printed on 5 September 1631 under the title A Constant Wife.”

and

Sara Grey learned Locks and Bolts from the singing of Harrison Burnett of Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was collected by Max Hunter on 18 August 1960, and the original recording can be found and heard on the Max Hunter Folk Song Collection website. Another fine version called Rainbow Mid the Willows, sung by the remarkable Arkansas singer, Almeda Riddle, was recorded at Heber Springs in October 1959 by Alan Lomax. That can be heard on Ozark Frontier (Southern Journey, Vol. 7, Rounder Records).

This song, in which true love wins against heavy odds of family disapproval, was a favourite throughout the South. But there is a darker side, a hint perhaps of incest; the girl is kept imprisoned in her father’s, or her uncle’s, house by her brothers. Sharp collected four versions from North Carolina, and it can also be found in the Carrie Grover collection (see note to Molly Varne).

Sara Grey and Kieron Means also sang Rainbow Willow in 2019 on their WildGoose CD Better Days a Comin. They noted:

Sometimes called Rainbow Mid-life’s Willows. This version is from the singing of Ollie Gilbert of Timbo, Arkansas. She and her fellow singer and companion Almeda ‘Granny’ Riddle each had their own version of this ballad. We are convinced more than ever that often a singer will unconsciously gravitate to a version that suits their personality and circumstances. The ballad has it’s origins in Ireland and England and it is known as Locks and Bolts.

Many versions are so dark and they end in a total blood bath. Almeda’s version is slower and more of a lament with a very plaintive tune and text but all does not work out well for the fellow. His sweetheart is taken away by her brothers but no blood bath ensues. However, strangely enough, Ollie Gilbert’s version ends quite pleasantly. The two lovers walk away from a potential blood bath hand in hand! Ollie lead a much happier life and this is often reflected in her choice of songs and style whereas Almeda had so many tragedies befall her, she lost her infant son and husband in an Arkansas tornado and her songs sometimes reflect the dark side of her life.

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan sang Locks and Bolts on their 2006 Fellside CD Strands of Gold. Like Shirley Collins they took their version from Cecil Sharp’s English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians. This track was also included on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2007 compilation.

Jackie Oates sang Locks and Bolts in 2009 on her CD Hyperboreans. She noted:

This song can be traced back to 1876, also going under the name of The Lover’s Joy and Grief, and its story centres around a parent’s desire that their daughter should not marry a poor man.

Tim Radford sang ’Twas Over Hills in 2009 on his Forest Tracks CD of songs collected by George B. Gardiner in 1906-07 from the Hampshire gardener George Blake (1829-1916), George Blake’s Legacy. He noted:

Gardiner mss. no. 302 from notebook no. 5 page 195 collected on 24 May 1906 at St. Denys. It appears in Roud as no. 406, and there is a version in Purslow’s Foggy Dew page 53 with the title of Locks and Bolts collected by Gardiner from Henry Purkiss (or Perkes) of Cadnam H1302 and James Brooman of Upper Farringdon H1274. Gardiner also collected it from Isaac Hobbs of Winchester H248.

Purslow says that “none of this little known song are complete and that broadside versions are not entirely coherent”. One could argue with his comments and find Blake’s version, sung here almost verbatim (except for a few small word substitutions to make it scan more easily), perfectly complete as a story, even though some versions do contain more of the story.

Before singing this version, George Maynard’s version, with a little help from a recording by Martyn Wyndham-Read, was my personal singing choice.

Steeleye Span sang Locks and Bolts in 2009 too on their CD Cogs, Wheels and Lovers.

Elizabeth LaPrelle sang Locks and Bolts in 2011 on her CD Birds’ Advice. She noted:

The poetry in this version is made up of such fine phrases. It quickly became one of my favourites. Emma Shelton of North Carolina is the singer on the incredible album Black Is the Color: The Maud Karpeles Collection, Vol. 1 (Folktrax #908) [and on When Cecil Left the Mountains, see above]. Maud Karpeles was an assistant to the famous ballad-collector Cecil Sharp as he travelled through the southern mountains around the time of the first World War. Karpeles returned in the 1950s with a tape recorder.

Andy Turner learned Locks and Bolts from the singing of ‘Pop’ Maynard, but was also influenced by Martin Carthy’s version. He sang it as the 8 September 2013 entry of his blog A Folk Song a Week.

Meg Baird sang Locks and Bolts in 2015 on the anthology of songs from the repertoire of Shirley Collins, Shirley Inspired….

Cath and Phil Tyler got Finest Flower from the singing of Almeda Riddle, learned it for the performance piece I Made Some Low Enquiries by Justin Hopper, and sang it in 2018 on their CD The Ox and the Ax.

Edgelarks sang Locks and Bolts on their 2020 CD Henry Martin. They noted:

An English balled collected by [Peter] Kennedy in Somerset, but also documented widely aamoss the south of England, and in America. We’ve wondered about the psychological significance of selecting a song about imprisonment to sing during lockdown (the connection only came to us afterwards!) We thoroughly enjoyed creating percussion by recording the actual sounds of keys in locks, and bolts being shot!

Queer Folk member Holly Clarke sang Locks and Bolts in March 2022 during a Foundry Residency at Sage Gateshead:

Lyrics

Emma Shelton sings Locks and Bolts

Come in (away?) and tell me your name,
I’m talking about my darling.
She’s the little one I love so well,
She’s almost the complete one.

Her yellow hair’s like glittering gold
Comes jingling down her pillow,
She’s the little one I love so well,
She’s like a weeping willow.

You’ve caused your parents to owe me a grudge
And treat me most unkindly,
Because you’re of some high degree
And me so poor and needy.

I went up to her uncle’s house,
Enquiring for my darling,
And all they would say, “There’s no such here.”
And then, oh, what weeping.

But when she heard my lonely voice
She answered at the window,
Saying, “I would be with you soon my love
But locks and bolts still hinder.”

I stood for a moment all in amaze,
I viewed her long and tenderly.
My spirit flew, my sword I drew,
I swore that house I’d enter.

The blood was shed from every side
Till I got her from among them.
And all you young men who get such wives
Should fight ’til you overcome them.

Almeda Riddle sings Rainbow ’Mid Life’s Willows

Last night I dreamed of my true love;
All in my arms I held her.
But I awoke, she was not there,
Now I must live without her.

Her yeller hair, like strands of gold,
Was streaming over my pillow.
O she’s the only one I love,
My rainbow ’mid the willow.

I search for high, and I search for low,
I made some low inquiries.
But they all said, “No, we’ve seen no such,
We would have no such in our keeping.”

But when she heard from me those words,
She whispered low at her window:
“O darling, I’d be in your company,
But lacks and chains doth hinder.”

Now when I heard those words of hers,
I swore that room I would enter,
Or I would pray know the reason why
She was locked and chained within there.

But up stepped her father, stern and wise,
Likewise her two stalwart brothers.
“Before you enter that locked room
In your life’s blood you will wallow.”

They’ve taken away my own true love,
And tears now wet my pillow.
O she’s the only one I love,
My rainbow ’mid life’s willows.

Shirley Collins sings Locks and Bolts

I dreamed last night of my true love,
All in my arms I held her;
But when I woke she was not there,
I was alone without her.

Her yellow hair, like locks of gold,
Come jingling down my pillow;
She is the one that I love best,
She’s like the weeping willow.

You’ve caused your parents to bear me a grudge
And treat me most unkindly
Because you’re of some high degree
And me so poor and needy.

I went up to her father’s house
Enquiring for my darling.
Her father said, “She is not here;
I’ve none such in my keeping.”

But when she heard my lonely voice
She answered at the window,
“O lover, love, it’s I’d be yours,
But locks and bolts do hinder.”

I stood a moment all amazed,
I viewed her long and tender;
My passion flew, my sword I drew,
I swore that house I’d enter.

The blood was shed from every side
Till I got her from among them;
And all young men with loves like mine
Should fight till you can win them.

Martin Carthy sings Locks and Bolts

Twas over the hills, it was over the hills,
Twas over the hills and the valleys,
Where my true love was kept from me
Quite out of spite and malice.

I went down to her father’s house
Enquiring for my jewel.
They answered me, “She is not at home,
She is at her uncle’s housekeeping.”

So I went down to her uncle’s house
Enquiring for my jewel.
They answered me, “She is not here,”
Which proved to my heart so cruel.

This fair maid hearing of his voice
Put her head out of the window,
She says, “My dear, you’re welcome here
But locks and bolts do hinder.”

He stood a moment all in amaze,
All in amaze and wonder,
Till straight he drew in a passion flew,
And the door he broke asunder.

Her uncle’s servant, he being at home,
Soon after him did follow.
He said, “Young man, you must quit this room
Or in your own blood wallow.”

He took his true love all by her hand
And his sword all in the other,
He said, “If you have more right than I,
Take one and fight the other.”

So now this couple are in wedlock joined,
They do adore each other.
They oft time think all of that day
When the door he broke asunder.

Charlie Bridger sings O Who Will o’er the Downs So Free?

O who will o’er the downs so free?
O who will with me ride?
O who will up and follow me
To win a bloomin’ bride?
Her father he has locked the door
Her mother keeps the key
But neither door nor bolt shall part
My own true love from me
But neither door nor bolt shall part
My own true love from me

I saw her bower at twilight grey
‘Twas guarded safe and sure
I saw her bower at break of day
‘Twas guarded then no more
The varlets they were all asleep
And none was here to see
The greetings fair that passes there
Between my love and me
The greetings fair that passes there
Between my love and me

I promised her to come at night
With comrades brave and true
Our gallant band with sword in hand
To break the prison through.
I promised her to come at night,
She’s waiting now for me;
And ere the dawn of morning light
I’ll set my true love free
And ere the dawn of morning light
I’ll set my true love free.

Martyn Wyndham-Read sings Locks and Bolts

It was over the hills and valleys-o
It was over the hills and valleys
Where my true love was kept from me
Quite out of spite and malice.

I went unto her father’s house
Where oft-times I’d been many
They answered me she is not here
She’s at her uncle’s house sleeping.

I went unto her uncle’s house
Enquiring for my jewel
They answered me she is not here
Which proved to me most cruel.

This fair maid hearing of his voice
Put her head out of the window
𝄆 She said young man you are welcome here,
But the locks and bolts do hinder. 𝄇

This young man stood all in amaze
All in amaze and wonder
𝄆 Till at length he drew in a passion flew,
And he broke the door asunder. 𝄇

Her uncle’s servant he being at home
Soon after did him follow
He said young man you must quit this room
Or in your own blood wallow.

He took his true love all by the hand
His sword all in the other
𝄆 He said if you have more right than I,
Take one and fight the other. 𝄇

And now this couple in wedlock joined
They do adore each other
𝄆 They oft-times think all of the day
When he broke the door asunder. 𝄇

Sara Grey sings Locks and Bolts

I had a dream the other night
I dreamed I was with my darling
And when I woke I found it was not so
And I started looking for her.

Saying, O that girl, that pretty little girl
She rode on the railroad with me
Saying, O that girl, that pretty little girl
Somebody’s stole her from me.

And it’s every man at every hour
Are you sure she’s getting lonely
Her yellow hair like strands of gold
Come a-dingling round her shoulder.

Well I rode till I come to her brother’s house
And there I inquired for her
He answered me, there’s none such here
And it set my heart on fire.

Well I rode till I come to her father’s hall
And there I inquired for her
He answered me, there is such here
And I have a room here for her.

Well I stood a while all in amaze
Viewing the lonely window
O to be in your sweet company
But it’s locks and bolts do hinder.

Well, I stood a while all in amaze
Viewing the lonely window
My passion flew, my sword I drew
I swore her room I would enter.

O her father sent for some other men
And swiftly they did follow
They said that before I would enter that door
In my own heart’s blood I would wallow.

O the locks and bolts were knocked away
Which caused the locks for to shatter
No sooner had I entered that door
Straightway I made at her.

O the blood was shed on every side
Till I won her from among them
Come all you men who have sweethearts
You must fight till you overcome them.

Tim Radford sings ’Twas Over Hills

’Twas over hills, ’twas over dales,
’Twas all through flowery valleys
Where my true love was kept from me,
’Twas out of spite and malice.

I went unto her father’s house
To inquire for my true love,
“She is not here,” her father said,
“she’s at her uncle’s house abiding.”

I went unto her uncle’s house
To inquire for my true love,
She is not here I greatly fear,
She sets my heart a-beating.

My love she overheard my voice
And looked out of her window,
She said, “I’d be in your sweet company
But locks and bolts do hinder me.”

Some locks and bolts, some door he split,
Some bars he broke asunder,
“Since and I’d lose my own true love
I’d die all in her chamber.”

Her uncle over heard the noise
And in the room did follow.
He said, “Young man you must quit this room
Or in your gore you shall wallow.”

“No gore I have, no gore I fear,
No gore I am in danger.
Since and I’d lose my own true love
I’d die all in her chamber.”

I took my sword in my right hand,
My darling in the other,
So, it’s all young men that loves like me
Take one and fight the other.

(repeat first verse)

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Garry Gillard.