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about

I discovered this ballad in a 1957 collection ‘The Common Muse’ bought from Cecil Sharpe House during a ballad purge. Its shocking tale of marital disharmony was impossible to ignore, but before embarking on my own version a quick search led my to Martin Carthy’s version recorded live in 1973, and then to John Wilks’ more recent recording. Our new recording tries to stand on the shoulders of these versions but falls off, mauling the tune down to the ground in the muddy banks of the Penryn river.

Roud Number: 184

lyrics

A man whose name was Johnny Sands
Had married Betty Hague
And though she brought him gold and she brought him land
She proved a dreadful plague
For oh, she was a scolding wife
Full of caprice and whim
He said that he was tired of life
And she was tired of him
Rye falla, rye fallarum fallarum, and she was tired of him

Says he ‘then I will drown myself
The river runs below’
Says she ‘I wish you would, you silly elf
I wished it long ago’
Says he ‘upon the brink I’ll stand
Do you run down the hill
And push me in with all your might’
Says she ‘My dear I will’
Rye falla, rye fallarum fallarum, says she ‘My dear I will’

For fear that I should courage lack
And try to save my life
Pray won’t you tie my hands behind my back
I will, replied his wife
She tied them back, as you may think
And when securely done - 
Now stand, says she, upon the brink
And I’ll prepare to run
Rye falla, rye fallarum fallarum, and I’ll prepare to run


All down the hill his loving bride
Now ran with all her force
To push him in - but then he stepped aside
And she fell in , of course
Now splashing, dashing, like a fish
‘Oh save me, Johnny Sands’
I can’t my dear, though much I wish
For you have tied my hands
Rye falla, rye fallarum fallarum, for you have tied my hands

credits

from A Shandy Ballad, released November 3, 2023
Recorded in Penryn, October 2023 by Julian Gaskell - vocal, guitar, piano, harmonica, bodhran, bells, Thomas Sharpe - backing vocals

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Julian Gaskell UK

Described by angry locals as the bastard son of Waits, Strummer, Reinhardt and Rachmaninov, Julian Gaskell’s music over the last 20 years has followed a wayward path of withering agricultural-folk, klezmer accordion, overly-lyrical punk, gypsy-jazz guitar, tangos, waltzes, rhumbas and skiffled-up boogie-woogie piano. ... more

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