‘Folklife Traditions’
FQ 50, Jul 2016, p28 v
‘Folklife Traditions’ pages in the Folklife Quarterly print magazine v
The Foggy Dew
The Foggy Dew, by Charles Menteith
by Charles Menteith
The Foggy Dew
1.
When I was a young bachelor I followed a roving trade, And all the harm that ever I done was courting a southern maid. 1. When I was a young bachelor I followed a roving trade, I courted her one summer season, and part of the winter too, And allthe thetimes harmasthat ever my I done courting a southern And many’s I rolled lovewas all over the foggy dew. maid.
3.
Now all former part of the night, nowwith we did sport and play, Forthe tonight I’ve resolved to sleep you, for fear of the foggy dew.” And all the latter part of the night, she in my arms did lay. 3. when Now bright all themorning former part of the night, now “Iweamdid sport and play, And did appear, she cried: undone!” And all the latter part of the night, she in my arms did lay. “Be quiet,” says I, “you foolish young thing, the foggy dew is gone.”
2.
4. 5.
I courted her one summer season, and part of the winter too,
One night lay upon bed, as a-taking balmy And Imany’s themy times I rolledmymy lovesleep. all over the foggy dew. This pretty young maid came up to me, and bitterly she did weep. 2. wept, One she night I layshe upon balmy sleep. She cried, toremy herbed, hair,a-taking she saidmy “What shall I do, This pretty young maid came up to me, and bitterly she dew.” did weep. For tonight I’ve resolved to sleep with you, for fear of the foggy
She wept, she cried, she tore her hair, she said “What shall I do,
And when bright morning did appear, she cried: “I am undone!”
Supposing as you says should have one child, ’t-would make laugh smile; “Be quiet,” I, “you foolish young thing, the you foggy dewand is gone.” Supposing as you should have another, ’t-would make you think a while; 4. Supposing you should have one child, another ’t-wouldone make Supposing as youasshould have another, another, too,you laugh and smile; Supposing as you should have another, ’t-would make youofthink a while; ’T-would make you leave off these foolish young tricks, and think the foggy dew.
Supposing as you should have another, another, another one too,
I loved that girl make with all myleave might,off loved her as I loved mytricks, life, and think of the foggy dew. ’T-would you these foolish young But in the latter part of the year, she became another man’s wife. I loved that girl withfaults, all my might, I 5. never did tell him of her nor neverloved intendher to as do,I loved my life, But inthe thetimes latter as part the year, she became another wife. But many’s sheofwinks and smiles, I think of that man’s foggy dew.
I never did tell him of her faults, nor never intend to do,
th In his article in Folklife Quarterly, Oct. 2014, Roy Palmerand didn’t give a tune for the But many’s the times as she winks smiles, I think of 20 thatcentury foggytraditional dew. version of “Foggy Dew”, so to complete his article, I offer my version, which is similar to Harry Cox’s1. I learnt it in the early ’60s from an EP record of 5 East Anglian singers, which I was lent for aIn short I didn’t note whoQuarterly, the singers were, my Roy memory of thedidn’t originalgive is probably Inththe 5th verse, most versions have century traditional his time. article in Folklife Oct. and 2014, Palmer a tuneimperfect. for the 20 the couple marrying, followed by “I never told her of her faults”, as reported by Roy. Other endings have one verse describing thei girl’s death in version of “Foggy Dew”, so to complete his article, I offer my version, which is similar to Harry Cox’s . I childbirth (eg Bob Hart, Suffolk2) with, in the final verse, the bachelor living with his son as in Britten’s version. 3 learnt in is the earlyto’60s fromasanareEP record ofBloomfield 5 East Anglian singers, was lent for short time. I Mrs Truell6, and Edgar Button4which , Suffolk,I Christopher Jaya5, Norfolk, Mr and Bob Hart’s it tune similar the above, those of Alec th 9. Kent, Bob Roberts William Stokes Somerset and Robert North is Yorkshire Cecil Sharp wrote “Mr.5Kidson maintained verse, most in an didn’t note7, Bargeman, who the singers were,8,and my memory ofHolliday, the original probably imperfect. In10:the articleversions in the Musical some years ago, that followed the well known ‘Ye Banks was originally mated the words haveTimes the couple marrying, by “Imelody nevertotold her ofand herBraes’ faults”, as reported bytoRoy. Otherof ‘The Foggy Dew,’ before Burns displaced them with his own lyric. ... I have noted down the tune several times in Somerset, iiand once in North Devon. It is usually ) with, in the endings have one verse describing Bob Traditional Hart, Suffolk sung in Somerset, not to Mrs Hooper’s tune, butthe to agirl’s variantdeath of thein airchildbirth given in Mr.(eg Kidson’s Tunes” (as noted fromfinal Robt. Holliday). It living hissong, sonatasleast in Britten's version. seemsverse, the tunethe wasbachelor quite widely usedwith for this in East Anglia and Somerset.
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bob Hart's tune is similar to the above, as are those of Alec Bloomfield and Edgar Button , Suffolk, References on this page v Christopher Jay , Norfolk, Mr and Mrs Truellvi, Kent, Bob Robertsvii, Bargeman, William Stokesviii, Somerset 1 rec. Peter Kennedy, EFDSS LP 1004, 1965; FTX-034 ix. “Mr. Kidson Robert Holliday, Yorkshire 2 andSnape, 1969; rec. R. & D. North Stradling, MTCD 301-2; Cecil PenguinSharp Book ofwrotex: English Folk Songs, S. Roudmaintained & J. Bishop. in an article in the 3 Musical Benhall,Times nr Framlingham, May 1952, Peter FTX-040melody to ‘Ye Banks and Braes’ was originally mated to some years ago,rec that theKennedy, well known 4 Thebburton nr Leiston, July 1956, rec Peter Kennedy, FTX-040 words of1908: ‘Thehttp://www.vwml.org.uk/record/RVW2/4/59 Foggy Dew,’ before Burns displaced them with his own lyric. ... I have noted down the 5 theAcle, 18 Apr 6 Gravesend, 31 Dec 1904; http://www.vwml.org.uk/record/RVW2/3/40 7 Pinmill, Ipswich, Feb 1958, rec Peter Kennedy, Folktracks tape, 45-208 8 Chew Stoke, 28.12.1908, coll C. Sharp; http://www.vwml.org.uk/record/CJS2/10/2021 9 Goathland, Yorkshire, Oct 1890, coll. Frank Kidson; http://www.vwml.org.uk/record/FK/3/31 10 Folk Songs from Somerset, CJ Sharp and CL Marson, 4th edn Feb. 1910