Robin Williamson: vocals, harp, keyboards, guitar, cittern, mandolin, fiddle, small-pipes, whistle, jew's harp,
mouth organ, kazoo, wash-board, hand drums
Krysia Krystianne: vocals
Judy Gameral: hammer dulcimer
Bryan Tolley: hurdy-gurdy
Randy Tobin: keyboard programming
Recorded and mixed at Theta Sound Studios, Los Angeles, California 1987
Engineered by Randy Tobin
Witches Hat
Certainly
The children have seen them
In quiet places where the moss grows green
Coloured shells
Jangle together
The wind is cold, the year is old
The trees whisper together
And bent in the wind they lean
If I was a witches hat
Sitting on her head like a paraffin stove
I'd fly away and be a bat
Across the air I would rove
Stepping like a tightrope walker
Putting one foot after another
Wearing black cherries for rings
If I was a witches hat
Sitting on her head like a telegraph pole
Id fly away and be a bat
Across the air I would roll
Stepping like a tightrope walker
Putting one foot after another
Wearing black cherries for rings
Words and Music: Robin Williamson. ©1967 Paradox/Warner Tamerlane.
This and the 'Water Song I first recorded in 1967 on the album The Hangmans Beautiful Daughter. They
were written for the children who appear on the cover of that record, in whose house I was staying.
The Herring Song
As many fine fishes as swim with the tide
Sing aberamvane, sing aberoling
My herrings the king of them all in their pride
Sing aberamvane, sing aberoling
Sing fishes, sing tide, sing king, sing pride
Sing aberamvane, sing aberoling
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing
Sing aberamvane, sing aberoling
What do you think I made of his eyes?
Forty five puddings and forty five pies
What do you think I made of his mouth?
As many red cherries as grow in the South
What do you think I made of his tail?
The finest ship that ever set sail
What do you think I made of his belly?
A sweet little girl and her name it was Nelly
The man in the wilderness said to me
"How many strawberries grow in the sea?"
I answered him as I thought goo
"As many red herring as grow in the wood."
Words and Music: Traditional Scottish
Three Men Went A-Hunting
Three men went a-hunting
But nothing could they find
Till they came across a mouldy cheese
And that they left behind
The Englishman said "mouldy cheese"
The Scotsman he said "nay"
"Bedad," says Pat, "its your grandpapa
And his whiskers are blown away
Three men went a-hunting
But nothing could they find
Till they came across a sailing ship
And that they left behind
The Englishman said "sailing ship"
The Scotsman he said "nay"
"Bedad," says Pat, "its a laundry tub
And the sheets are blowing away
Three men went a-hunting
But nothing could they find
Till they came across a milestone
And that they left behind
The Englishman said "milestone"
The Scotsman he said "nay"
"Bedad," says Pat. "its a plum pudding tree
And the currants are blown away"
Three men went a--hunting
But nothing could they find
Till they came across a tollgate
And that they left behind
The Englishman said "tollgate"
The Scotsman he said "nay"
"Bedad." says Pat, "its the end of the world
And the others have run away
Words: Traditional Newfoundland.
Music: Adapted from the traditional Irish tune 'Dear Old Donegal
Fools Song
And can a physician make sick men well?
And can a magician a fortune divine?
Without lily, germander. and sops in wine?
With sweetbriar, and bonfire,
Strawberry--wire and columbine
Within and out, in and out, round as a ball
With hither and thither and straight as a line
With lily. germander. and sops in wine?
With sweetbriar, and bonfire,
Strawberry-wire and columbine
When Saturn did live there lived no poor
Beggars and kings on roots did dine
With lily, germander, and sops in wine?
With sweetbriar, and bonfire,
Strawberry--wire and columbine
Words: Traditional English.
Music: Robin Williamson.
These words may originally have been performed by jesters at the Tudor court, c. 16th century.
Horses Dance (Bransle des Chevaux)
Music: Traditional French. The street barrel organ, often called hurdy-gurdy. is quite different from the instrument
(called in French 'vielle a rouel heard here, which is a stringed instrument fretted with wooden keys and
sounded with a wooden wheel.
Brian O'Linn
Brian O'Linn had no britches to wear
So he got him a sheepskin to make him a pair
The leather side out and the wooly side in
"Sure its great summers clothing." said Brian
O'Linn
Brian O'Linn had no watch to put on
So he got him a turnip to make him a one
He put a wee cricket in under the skin
"Sure theyll think it is ticking," said Brian
O'Linn
Brian O'Linn and his wife and wifes mother
They all went home oer a wee bridge together
The bridge it was narrow, they all tumbled in
"Sure well go home by water," said Brian O'Linn
Brian O'Linn to his house had no door
Hed the sky for a roof and the bog for a floor
Hed a way to jump out and a way to swim in
"Sure theres great ventilation," said Brian
O'Linn
Brian O'Linn and his wife and wifes mother
They all lay down in the one bed together
The night it was cold and the blankets were thin
"Sure Ill sleep in the middle," said Brian O'Linn
Words and Music: Traditional Irish
Butter
I got a gift of butter, now
Good butter it was claimed to be
I dont think it was from a cow
And if it was, it cowed me
A beard was growing on the stuff
A goatish beard without a doubt
Ah. it was sickly, sour and rough
With poison juices seeping out
Ah, it was slick. ah, it was grey
I dont think any goat produced it
I had to face it every day
Oh, how I wish I had refused it
The salts a thing it never knew
In fact Im sure they never met
It sprouted spots of green and blue
It made me ill. Im not right yet
'Twas made of grease and wax and fat
And substances too vile to utter
You may be sure that after that
Ive rather lost the taste for butter
From an Irish poem by Tadhg Dali OHuiggin, died 1591. English version and music: Robin Williamson
The Water Song
Water, water
See the water flow
Glancing, dancing
See the water flow
Wizard of changes
Teach me the lesson of flowing
Dark and silvery
Mother of life
Water. water
Holy mystery
Heavens daughter
Wizard of changes
Teach me the lesson of flowing
God made a song
When the world was new
Waters laughter
Sings it through
Wizard of changes
Water. water, water
Words and Music: Robin Williamson. ©1968 Paradox/Warner Tamerlane
The Raggle Taggle Gipsies
Gipsies came to the castle gate
They sang so high, they sang so low
They sang so sweet, so very very sweet
They stole away the heart of the lady-o
She came stepping down the stairs
With all her maids before her--o
Soon as the gipsies saw her pretty face
They cast their glamourie oer her-o
She kicked off her heeled shoes
Made of Spanish leather-o
And shes out in the street in her bare, bare feet
Following the raggle taggle gipsies--o
Late that night when the lord came home
Enquiring for his lady-o
The servants gave him this reply
"Shes gone with the raggle taggle gipsies-o"
"Saddle me up my my bonny black steed
The white was never so speedy--o
That I may ride a long summers night
In search of my false lady-o"
He rode east and he rode west
Till he was wondrous weary-o
Until he got near to the banks of the sea
And there he found his lady-o
"Would you leave your house and your land?
Would you leave your baby-o?
And would you leave your newly wedded lord?
And follow the raggle taggle gipsies-o?"
"I would leave my house and land
I would leave my baby-o
Id rather have a kiss from the gipsy laddies lips
Than you and all your money-o
Last night I slept in a goose--feather bed
Sheets and blankets so cosy-o
Tonight I will lie in the cold open fields
With the gipsies lying all around me--o
Words and Music: Traditional Bristish. 'Glamourie was a magic power attributed to gipsies, by which they
could make people believe or see whatever they chose.
Froggy Would A Wooing Go
Froggy would a wooing go
Cuddy alane. cuddy alane
Froggy would a wooing go
Cuddy alane and a Froggy would a wooing go
Whether his mummy would let him or no
Keek maleerie, cowden down
Cuddy alane and a
He went to Mistress Mouses door
Where often he had been before
He took Miss Mousie on his knee
"Mousie will you marry me?"
"Sir, I could not answer that
Until I ask my Uncle Rat"
Uncle Rat he laughed and cried
"This very night youll be a bride"
Then they all sat down to dine
Partaking of some sherry wine
The piper was a bumble bee
The drummer was a dark eyed flea
The fiddler was an old tom cat...
Words: Traditional Scottish.
Music: Robin Williamson
Liberty / Old Dan Tucker
Old Dan Tucker was a mean old man
Washed his face in a frying pan
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel
Died with a toothache in his heel
Get out the door, old Dan Tucker
Youre too late to get your supper
Suppers over, breakfasts cooking
Old Dan Tucker is standing looking
Old Dan Tucker. old no good
Went to Alaska looking for food
The weather tried to freeze him,
did its level best
Sixty below he buttoned up his vest
Old Dan Tucker he was no beauty
His head was bald and his breath was fruity
He never used a razor on his horny hide
Drove the hairs in with a hammer.
chewed them off inside
Words and Music: Traditional American (pretty much).
The second two verses I adapted from another American song, 'My True Love Was A Logger
Ivy, Sing Ivy
My father left me an acre of land
Ivy, sing ivy
Between salt water and salt sea sand
And a bunch of green holly and ivy
I plowed it all under with an old rams horn
I sowed it all over with nettles and corn
I scythed it well with the brim of my hat
I carted it to mill with a team of great rats
I stored it well in the wee pigs sty
With all these riches, what'll I buy?
Words: Adapted from traditional English. Music:
Adapted from a traditional Irish march
The Back Of Burnies Hill/Over The Hills And Far Away
Whats in there?
Gold and money
Wheres my share?
The mousie took it
Wheres the mousie?
In his housie
Wheres his housie?
In the wood
Wheres the wood?
The fire burnt it
Wheres the fire?
The water dowsed it
Wheres the water?
The brown bull drank it
Wheres the brown bull?
At the back of Burnies Hill
Wheres Burnies Hill? All covered in snow
Wheres the snow?
The sun melted it
Wheres the sun?
High high high up in the air
Words and Music: Traditional Scottish
The Gartan Lullaby
Sleep, my son, the red bee hums
The silent twilights fall
The lady from the grey rock comes
To wrap the world in thrall
My darling boy, my pride, my joy
My love and hearts desire
The cricket sings his lullaby
Beside the dying fire
Dusk is drawn and the green mans thorn
Is wrapped in wreaths of fog
The fairies sail their boat till dawn
Across the starry bog
My darling son, the pearl-white moon
Has drained her cup of dew
And weeps to hear the sad, sweet song
I sing, my love, to you
Words and Music: Traditional Irish
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