Cam Ye O'er Frae France - Steeleye Span + Lyrics

Lundi 27 avril 2009 1 27 /04 /2009 13:37

Cam Ye O'er Frae France - Steeleye Span + Lyrics

Steeleye Span is a British electric folk band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat". They had 3 top 40 albums. They achieved a certified "gold" record with sales of "All Around My Hat". (...)

Throughout its long history, Steeleye Span has seen a great many personnel changes but has maintained a strong continuity of tradition. Lead vocalist Maddy Prior was one of the main attractions of the band's music, being one of a handful of strong-but-melodically-voiced women in rock music in the 1970s (along with Sandy Denny, Renaissance's Annie Haslam, Jacqui McShee and Linda Thompson).

Their typical album is a collection of mostly traditional songs with one or two instrumental tracks of jigs and/or reels added in; the traditional songs often include some of the Child ballads. In their later albums there has been an increased tendency to include music written by the band members, but they have never got completely away from traditional music, which draws upon indigenous pan-British traditions. (from Wikipedia)

(Hogg's "Jacobite reliques")
Cam ye o'er frae France?
Cam ye doon by Lunnon?
Saw ye Geordie Whelps
and his bonnie woman?
Oh, weren't ye at the place
called the Kittle Housie?
Saw ye Geordie's grace
a-ridin' on a goosie?
Geordie, he's a man,
there is little doot o't,
And he's done a' he can,
all can dae wi'oot it,
Doon there cam' a blade,
linkin' like ma lordie,
He wad drive a trade
at the loom o' Geordie.
Though the claith were bad,
blythly may we niffer
Gin we git oor wab,
it makes little differ,
we hae tint oor plaid,
bonnet, belt and swordie
Ha's and mailin's braid,
but we hae oor Geordie.
Jocky's gone to France,
and Montgomery's lady
there will learn to dance;
madam, are ye ready?
They'll be back belyve,
belted brisk and lordly,
Brawly, may they thrive
to dance a jig wi' Geordie!
Hey for Sandy Don,
hey for Cockalorum,
Hey for Bobbin' John,
and his Hielan' quorum!
Mony a sword and lance
swings at Hielan hurdie;
How they'll skip and dance
o'er the bum o' Geordie!

Note: When George I imported his seraglio of impoverished gentlewomen
from Germany, he provided the Jacobite songwriters with material for
some of their most ribald verses. Madame Kilmansegge, Countess of Platen,
is referred to exclusively as "The Sow" in the songs, while the King's
favorite mistress, the lean and haggard Madame Schulemburg (afterwards
named Duchess of Kendall) was given the name of "The Goose". She is the

"goosie" referred to in this song. The "blade" is the Count Koningsmark.
"Bobbing John refers to John, Earl of Mar, who was at the time recruiting
Highlanders for the Hanoverian cause. "Geordie Whelps" is, of course,
George I himself. MJ
Lunnon=London
Kittle Housie=Brothel
Linkin=Tripping along
Claith=Cloth
Niffer=Haggle
Gin=If
Wab=Web (or length) of cloth
Tint=Lost
Ha's and Mailins=Houses and Farmlands
Gane=Gone
Belyve=Quickly
Brawly=Well
Hurdie=Buttock