The Banks of Green Willow (Child 24) - Rod Stradling

Описание: The Green Banks of Yarrow / The Banks of Green Willow / Bonnie Annie (Child No. 24) - Sung by Rod Stradling at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2008. From "Grand to Be a Working Man: Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Volume 5" (2009) Autumn Harvest AH 007. Loosely based on a phonograph recording of David Clements of Basingstoke, Hampshire made by Charles Gamblin and George Gardiner in August 1906.

Note by Kevin W.:
Detailed notes on how Rod Stradling adapted the song are available here: https://www.mustrad.org.uk/songbook/b...

Song transcription:

It's of a sea captain, came o’er the salt billow,
And he has courted a fair maid, by the banks of green willow.
And he has courted this fair maid, ‘til she's proved with child O.

Crying, "Oh my love, what shall I do, and what will become of me,
For my father and mother, they both will disown me."

"Go fetch to me your father's gold and some of your mother's money,
And you can go sailing on the ocean, along with your Johnny."

So she' has fetched to him her father's gold and some of her mother's money,
And they have set foot on board of shipping, both her and her Johnny.

They had not been a-sailing scarce six weeks nor so many;
The sails they were outspread, but of miles made not any.

They had not been kept there scarce six hours nor so many,
Before she wanted woman's help, but could not get any.

"Oh hold your tongue you foolish girl, oh hold your tongue my Annie.
For we cannot get woman's help, not for love nor for money."

Then a gale came upon them, but of miles they made not any.
And she was delivered of a beautiful baby.

And the seas reared above them and the winds roared like thunder;
But the sails would not fill, which has caused them to wonder.

“Oh there’s fey folk on our gallant ship”, the Captain, he cried, so boldly.
“Or there is craftwork on our gallant ship; she will not sail for me.”

So he’s cast the black bullets, he’s cast them twice six and forty.
And it’s all those black bullets fell on his dearest Annie.

"Oh Captain, dearest Captain, here's fifty pounds for thee,
If you'll convoy me safe home again, both me and my baby."

"Oh no," says the Captain, "See, the storm is agin me;
And it would be better to loose two lives, than it would to loose so many."

So he's tied a kerchief round her head, he's tied it soft and easy,
And he has thrown her right overboard, both her and her baby.

"See how my love do swim, my boys, see how my love don't taver.
See how my love do swim, my boys; that makes my heart quaver."
And I fear she may never cease her swimming 'til the banks of green willow.

Then the winds they did veer, and the tide began a-flowing,
And the sails they did fill at last, with a landward breeze blowing.

They have steered for the land, and at length reached the shore O,
But the corpse of fair Annie had reached there before O.

“The bells shall be rung mournful, as well befits a lady,
And it’s there she shall be buried, both her and her baby.”

"And my love shall have a coffin of the gold that shines so yellow.
And she shall be buried on the banks of green willow."