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> Waterson:Carthy > Songs > The Bay of Biscay
> Brass Monkey > Songs > Willie the Waterboy

The Bay of Biscay / Willie the Waterboy / Willie-O

[ Roud 22567 ; Ballad Index CrMa113 ; Bodleian Roud 22567 ; trad.]

Tim Hart and Maddy Prior sang the night visiting song Bay of Biscay with glorious harmonies in 1969 on their second duo album, Folk Songs of Old England Vol 2. The album’s sleeve notes commented:

An Irish song of the night visiting variety collected by Geoff Woods from James McKinley of Tra-Narossen, Donegal. Like [in] so many of these songs the drowned sailor, after a seven year absence, appears to his girlfriend in the middle of the night; presumably an extension of the belief that unless a body received Christian burial the soul could not rest in peace.

Nora Cleary sang a variant of this under the title Willie-O—which shares three verses with the above—in her home at The Hand, Miltown Maybay, Co. Clare in July 1976. Jim Carroll and Pat Mackenzie recorded her; and this track was included on the anthology O’er His Grace The Grass Grew Green (The Voice of the People Series Volume 3; Topic 1998). By the way, this is the one song listed here that does not refer to the Bay of Biscay, but instead it has the cock-crow motif at the end. Probably that’s why the CD liner notes list it as Child 248, i.e. a variant of The Grey Cock.

Len Graham sang My Willy-O in 1977 on his Topic album Wind and Water. He noted:

This is a County Antrim version of The Lover’s Ghost or The Grey Cock, which I learnt from the late Johnnie McLaughlin, Skerry. Joe Holmes also recalls his mother singing this ballad.

Boys of the Lough sang Willie O in 1980 on their Topic album Regrouped.

Nick Dow sang this song as Seven Long Years in 1980 on his album A Branch of May. He noted:

This is my arrangement of a night visiting song from Northern England. It was originally called My Willie-O, a title I have changed to avoid embarrassing misunderstandings.

John Kirkpatrick sang this ballad as Willie the Waterboy in 1986 on Brass Monkey’s LP See How it Runs, which was reissued in 1993 as part of their CD The Complete Brass Monkey. The original album’s sleeve notes commented:

Sung by Mrs Whiting, of Newport, Monmouthshire, to George Butterworth in April 1908. Selected by Michael Dawney for inclusion in The Ploughboy’s Glory, published by the EFDSS in 1977. ‘Waterboy’ and ‘Waterman’ are names for fairy spirits in Germany.

I’ll have to add that, while ‘Wassermann’ is a well-known German fairy spirit and the German translation of the zodiac sign of Aquarius, I’ve never heard of any kind of ‘Waterboy’ here.

This rather long video from Barnsley Acoustic Roots Festival 2012 shows Brass Monkey performing The Friar in the Well, The King’s Hunt, Soldier, Soldier / The Flowers of Edinburgh, Willie the Waterboy, and Happy Hours:

Claire Lloyd with Folly Bridge sang The Bay of Biscay—with words very similar to Tim Hart and Maddy Prior’s— in 1991 on their WildGoose cassette All in the Same Tune. She noted:

A traditional night-visiting song of Irish origin, sung here by Claire Lloyd with Folly Bridge. Like so many of these songs the drowned sailor, after a seven year absence, appears at his girlfriend’s window in the middle of the night, with his “two pale cheeks as white as snow”, before disappearing again at daybreak. This comes from the belief that unless a body received Christian burial, the soul could not rest in peace.

Claire Mann sang The Bay of Biscay on Tabache’s 1999 album Waves of Rush. They noted:

Mary is left broken-hearted after waiting seven years for her lover, William, to return from sea. Unfortunately he died whilst away and comes back to Mary’s bedside one night to bid his final farewell. She says that she will give anything in the world to be able to see him one last time. The song is of English origin.

Carolyn Robson sang Bay of Biscay on her 1999 album All the Fine Young Men. She noted:

The only Irish contribution, this ghost song also has a striking melody.

Norma Waterson sang The Bay of Biscay in 1999 on Waterson:Carthy’s third album Broken Ground. Martin Carthy noted:

There are two people we have to thank for The Bay of Biscay. One is Mary O’Connor, an Irish woman who lives in Watford and who sang regularly at the Pump House club (organised by the redoubtable Bob Wakeling until apathy—certainly not his own—forced him to close it) and one of whose songs it is, and the other is Deirdre MacLennan from Inverness who got me out of a hole when I couldn’t remember the last verse and taught it to me. It’s in her repertoire too and there is no song quite like it. It’s a song about the never ending ache of loss and it haunts. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in print.

Bill Cassidy sang Biscayo on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs and stories from Jim Carroll’s and Pat Mackenzie’s recordings of Irish Travellers in England, From Puck to Appleby (2003).

Jon Boden learned Bay of Biscay from the singing of Tim Hart & Maddy Prior and sang it as the 7 October 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day. He noted:

My absolute favourite Tim Hart and Maddy Prior track. The harmony line is so good that it took me a very long time to work out who had the melody. I think I picked the right line!

Karan Casey sang The Bay of Biscay in 2010 on her and John Doyle’s their Compass album Exiles Return. John Doyle noted:

This is the late Nora Cleary’s version of this great song on a field recording from a fantastic collection The Voice of the People on Topic Records. Another supernatural song of a ghostly visitation from this mournful maiden’s lover.

Finest Kind sang Bay of Biscay on their 2010 album For Honour & for Gain. They noted:

Ian [Robb] first heard this beautiful Irish supernatural night visiting song at the St Albans Folk Club in 1969, sung by Tim Hart and Maddy Prior. Tim and Maddy apparently had it from Geoff Woods, who collected it from James McKinley of Tranarossen, Donegal.

Chris Sarjeant sang The Bay of Biscay in 2012 on his WildGoose album Heirlooms.

Jim Moray learned Seven long Years from the singing of Nick Dow and sang it in 2012 on his CD Skulk.

FatDog sang Bay of Biscay on their 2014 CD New Found Land.

Niamh Parsons sang Willie O on her and Graham Dunne’s 2015 album Kind Providence. She noted:

I first learnt this song in the 1980s and have been singing it since. It is a derivative of Sweet William’s Ghost (Child 77). This version was published as a broadside c.1860 in Dublin, however some verses were omitted from the oral journey of this song. During research with ‘The Wild Bees Nest’ project [website now defunct] I found it in a chap-book in the National Library of Ireland.

Helen Diamond sang Willie-O on her 2018 eponymous first album Helen Diamond. She noted:

Another song my father used to sing at home when I was very small. This was one of the first songs I learned as a child, along with Long Lankin. He heard it from Len Graham who recorded it on the album Wind and Water.

Rachel Newton sang The Cruel Crave on the Furrow Collective’s 2018 album Fathoms. They noted:

Rachel came across this song in the book Traveller’s Joy: Songs of English and Scottish Travellers and Gypsies 1965-2005, compiled by Mike Yates. It was sung by Duncan Williamson in Ladybank, Fife, in 2001.

Emily Portman sang The Bay of Biscay, accompanied by Rob Harbron on concertina, in 2019 on Topic’s 80^th year anthology, Vision & Revision. She noted:

The Bay of Biscay is an Irish supernatural night-visiting or ‘revenant’ ballad that Waterson:Carthy learnt from Mary O’Connor. Waterson:Carthy were my introduction to traditional song at the age of 17, and I’ve been hooked ever since. When it comes to ballad singing, for me there is no-one to top Norma; she always gets straight to the heart of a song and her repertoire is a treasure trove. Her rendition of The Bay of Biscay always gives me goosebumps, so it’s an honour to be asked to have a go.

The Norfolk Broads sang Bay of Biscay on their 2021 album Yonder Green Grove.

Adrienne O’Shea sang Ghost of Willie O on her 2023 album Threads of Gold. She noted:

This is a beautiful unaccompanied ballad that I learned from the singing of Dónal Maguire in 2017. This is a nightvisiting song about a young man come back from the grave to bid his partner farewell. It is one of my favorite songs to sing in the world and I couldn’t imagine recording my first album without it.

Nuala Kennedy sang Willie-O on her and Eamon O’Leary’s 2024 album Hydra. They noted:

Nuala learned this ghostly night-visiting song from a recording made by Jim Carroll and Pat Mackenzie for Topic Records of the late County Clare singer Nora Cleary (1924-1988). Inspired by Nora’s characterful, rhythmical singing style, we have added a vocable chorus…

Lyrics

Tim Hart & Maddy Prior sing Bay of Biscay

“My Willy sails on board the tender
And where he is I do not know.
For seven years I’ve been constantly waiting
Since he crossed the Bay of Biscay-o.”

One night as Mary lay a-sleeping,
A knock came to her bedroom door,
Saying, “Arise, arise, my dearest Mary,
For to earn one glance of your Willy-o.”

Young Mary rose, put on her clothes,
Unto her bedroom door did go
And there she spied her Willy standing,
His two pale cheeks as white as snow.

“Oh Willy dear, where are those blushes,
Those blushes I knew long years ago?”
“Oh Mary dear, the cold clay has them
I am only the ghost of your Willy-o.”

“Oh Mary dear, the dawn is coming.
Don’t you think it is time for me to go?
I am leaving you quite broken-hearted
For to cross the Bay of Biscay-o.”

“If I had all the gold and silver
And all the money in Mexico,
I would grant it all to the King of Erin
To bring me back my Willy-o.”

Nora Cleary sing Willie-O

As Mary lay sleeping, her love came creeping
To her bedroom door so slow,
Saying, “Rise up, Mary, my lovely Mary,
I’m your charming Willie-o.”

Mary arose, she put on her clothes
And to her bedroom door did go,
And there she found her own true lover
And his face was white as the lily snow.

“Oh, Willie dear, where are those blushes,
That you had some long ago?”
“Mary dear, the clay has changed them;
I’m but the ghost of your Willie-o.”

They spent that night in deep conversation
Concerning their courtship years ago.
They kissed, they shook hands and sorrowful parted
Just as the cock began to grow.

And as they were in deep conversation
Down her cheeks the tears did flow.
“Farewell, Darling, I must leave you;
I’m but the ghost of your Willie-o.”

“Oh, Willie dear, when will we meet again?”
“When the fishes there will fly
And the sea it will run dry
And the rocks they will melt with the sun.”

Brass Monkey sing Willie the Waterboy

As young Mary lay sleeping, Willie come creeping
To her bed chamber door did go,
Saying, “Arise and awake, young lovely Mary,
For it is your true love, Young William-o.”

So Mary she rose and she put on her clothing,
To her bedchamber door did go,
And there she met with her true love William
Whom she’d not seen some long time ago.

Oh it’s seven long years I’ve been daily writing
All over the Bay of Biscay-o,
But it’s cruel death gave me no answer
Gave me no answer from my William-o.

Then it’s, “William dear, where are those blushes,
Those blushes you wore, being so long ago?”
Then it’s, “Mary dear, oh the cold clay has worn them
For I am but the ghost of Young William-o.”

Waterson:Carthy sing The Bay of Biscay

My William sailed on board the tender
And where he is I do not know,
For seven long years I have been waiting
Since he has crossed the Bay of Biscay-o.

One night as Mary lay a-sleeping
A knock came to her bedroom door,
Saying, “Arise, arise, my lovely Mary,
It is your true lover, William-o.”

So Mary rose, put on her clothing,
So swift she’s opened up the door.
And there she saw her true lover standing,
His cherry cheeks they were as white as snow.

“Oh William dear, where are your blushes,
Your blushes you’d got some time ago?”
“Oh Mary dear—the clay has changed me
And I am the ghost of your William-o.”

“And Mary dear, the dawn is breaking,
The time has come for me to go.
And I must leave you broken-hearted
Since I have crossed the Bay of Biscay-o.”

Duncan Williamson sings The Cruel Grave

O it’s seven long years since my true love left me.
It is seven long years since he went to sea.
But another seven I shall wait his pleasure,
Till he comes home and he marries me.

Now I lie in my bed and I often wonder
I lie in my bed and I often pray.
I pray to my dearest God in Heaven,
Will he send my true love back home to me?

Now who is that there, who is at my window?
Who is keeping me out of my night’s rest?
It is not my father, it is not my mother,
Who is keeping me out of my night’s rest?

He said, “Open your door, love, and let me in, love.
Will ye open your door, love, will you let me in?
For I am cold, love, and I am weary.
And I am wet to the very skin.”

So she opened the door with the greatest of pleasure,
She opened the door and she let him in.
Saying, “If you’re my young man, you have changed your colour,
You’re not like the young man I used to know.”

So they sat talking and went walking,
Until the small cock he began to crow.
He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer
For it’s a far way that I have to go.”

She said, “Willie dear, love, o please don’t leave me,
O Willie dear, don’t go back to sea.
O Willie dear, love, o please don’t leave me,
O Willie won’t you stay with me?”

He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer,
For it’s a far way I have to go.
And when I’m gone, love, please pray no longer,
For never more can I come home to you.”

Rachel Newton sings The Cruel Grave

O it’s seven long years since my true love left me.
It is seven long years since he went to sea.
But another seven I shall wait his pleasure,
Till he comes home and he marries me.

I lie in my bed and I often wonder
I lie in my bed and I often pray.
I pray to my dearest God in Heaven,
Will he send my true love back home to me?

Now who is there, who is at my window?
Who is keeping me out of my long night’s rest?
It is not my father and it is not my mother,
Who is keeping me out of my long night’s rest?

He said, “Open your door, love, and let me in, love.
Will you open your door and let me in?
For I am cold, love, and I am weary.
And I am wet to the very skin.”

So she’s opened the door with the greatest of pleasure,
She’s opened the door and she let him in.
Saying, “If you’re my young man, you have changed your colour,
You’re not like the young man I used to know.”

So they sat talking and they went walking,
Until the small cock he began to crow.
He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer
For it’s faraway that I have to go.”

She said, “My dear love, o please don’t leave me,
O Willie dear, don’t go back to sea.
O my dear love, o please don’t leave me,
O my love, won’t you stay with me?”

He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer,
For it’s faraway that I have to go.
And when I’m gone, love, please pray no longer,
For never more can I come home to you.”

Acknowledgements

Willie the Waterboy lyrics copied from the LP sleeve notes by Garry Gillard, thanks to Wolfgang Hell.