The WELL: deadsongs.vue.111: Jack-a-Roe

#4: David Gans (tnf) Sat 30 Jul 05 08:47

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:47:00 PDT

This song has such a sweet groove, adn the five-part harmony on "Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day" is seductive as hell. I didn't get the gist of the story the first time I heard the song, but what a tale! [Read entire topic]

#3: Gary Burnett (jera) Sat 30 Jul 05 05:53

Sat, 30 Jul 2005 05:53:00 PDT

Uncle Earl is great, as is their CD! [Read entire topic]

#2: David Gans (tnf) Fri 29 Jul 05 16:49

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 16:49:00 PDT

Here's another song on a similar theme. I heard Uncle Earl perform it live last weekend, and then bought their new CD "She Waits for Night" because I loved their rendition so much:

WILLIE TAYLOR

Willie Taylor and his youthful lover, full of mirth and loyalty, they were going to the church to be married, he was pressed and sent on sea. Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

She dressed herself up like a sailor, on her breast she wore a star, her lovely fingers long and slender, she gave them all just a smear of tar. Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

On the ship there being a skirmish, she was one amongst the rest, a silver button flew off her jacket, there appeared her snow white breast. Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

Said the Captain to this fair maid, "What misfortune has took you here?" "I'm in search of my true lover, whom you pressed on the other year". Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

"If you're in search of your true lover, tell me what might be his name" "Willie Taylor's what they call him but Fitzgerald is his name" Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

"If You get up tomorrow morning, early as the break of day, there you'll spy your Willie Taylor, walking along with a lady gay." Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

So she got up the very next morning, early as the break of day, There she spied her Willie Taylor walking along with a lady gay. Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

So she pulled out a brace of pistols that she had at her command, and there she shot her Willie Taylor with his bride at his right hand. Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

When the Captain came to hear of the deed that she had done, he made her a ship's commander, over a vessel for the Isle of Man. Dally dilly dum, dilly dum dum day

Although this song ( http://www.taramusic.com/sleevenotes/cd4004.htm ) was collected in Ireland, from the 90 year old singer "Pa" Cassidy, it is actually English and part of a long tradition of songs about "warrior maids", serving in the army or navy. Although the conventions of the search for a lost lover, the women's disguise, the apparent short-sightedness of the officers, and the matter-of-fact acceptance of their eventual discovery, might give the songs a somewhat unreal air today, an attested historical foundation does lie behind these songs. This book review ( http://unionsong.com/muse/songnet/reviews/frs/warrior.html ) gives an assessment of the tradition from a perspective of historical sociology. The two links just below the title of that page lead to the titles of a large collection of ballads from that tradition, and to one other complete example.

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/farawayhills/lyrics3.html

More on Uncle Earl: http://www.uncleearl.net/ [Read entire topic]

#1: Alex Allan (alexallan) Mon 8 Sep 03 18:35

Mon, 08 Sep 2003 18:35:00 PDT

Jack A Roe Lyrics: Traditional Music: Traditional

There was a wealthy merchant, in London he did dwell He had a beautiful daughter, the truth to you I'll tell Oh the truth to you I'll tell

She had sweethearts a plenty and men of high degree But none but Jack the sailor her true love e'er could be Oh her true love e'er could be

Jackie's gone a sailing with trouble on his mind He's left his native country and his darling girl behind Oh his darling girl behind

She went down to a tailor's shop and dressed in man's array She climbed on board a vessel to convey herself away Oh convey herself away

Before you step on board Sir, your name I'd like to know She smiled all in her countenance 'they call me Jack A Roe' Oh they call me Jack A Roe

I see your waist is slender, your fingers they are small Your cheeks too red and rosy to face the cannonball Oh to face the cannonball

I know my waist is slender, my fingers they are small But it would not make me tremble to see ten thousand fall Oh to see ten thousand fall

The war soon being over, she went and looked around Among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found Oh her darling boy she found

She picked him up all in her arms and carried him to town She sent for a physician who quickly healed his wounds Oh who quickly healed his wounds

This couple they got married, so well they did agree This couple they got married, so why not you and me Oh why not you and me [Read entire topic]

#0: David Dodd (ddodd) Mon 8 Sep 03 08:37

Mon, 08 Sep 2003 08:37:00 PDT

Jack-a-Roe w&m: traditional LASF: http://www.whitegum.com/songfile/JACKAROE.HTM [Read entire topic]