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{{short description|English folk song}}
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'''The Bold Fisherman''' ([[Roud Folk Song Index|Roud]] 291, [[George Malcolm Laws|Laws]] O24)<ref name="RFSI">{{cite web|url=http://www.vwml.org/search?ts=1487267960814&collectionfilter=HHA;SBG;LEB;JHB;GB;COL;CC;DCD;GG;AGG;PG;HAM;MK;FK;EML;MN;TFO;CJS1;CJS2;FSBW;RVW1;RVW2;AW;RoudFS;RoudBS&advqtext=0|title=The Bold Fisherman : Francis Collinson Manuscript Collection (COL/6/34A)|website=Vwml.org|accessdate=2017-05-03}}</ref> is an English [[folk song]] popular with traditional singers and widely collected in the early and mid 20th century CE. It has been frequently performed and recorded by contemporary folk singers and groups.

'''The Bold Fisherman''' ([[Roud Folk Song Index|Roud]] 291, [[George Malcolm Laws|Laws]] O24)<ref name="RFSI">http://www.vwml.org/search?ts=1487267960814&collectionfilter=HHA;SBG;LEB;JHB;GB;COL;CC;DCD;GG;AGG;PG;HAM;MK;FK;EML;MN;TFO;CJS1;CJS2;FSBW;RVW1;RVW2;AW;RoudFS;RoudBS&advqtext=0|rn|291#</ref> is an English folk song popular with traditional singers and widely collected in the 19th and 20th centuries CE. It has been frequently performed and recorded by contemporary folk singers and groups.


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
A young woman on a river bank sees a bold fisherman rowing on the tide. She asks him how he comes to be fishing there, and he replies that he is fishing for her "sweet sake". He moors his boat and takes her by the hand. He takes off his "morning gown" (in broadside versions, her gown)<ref>http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/static/images/sheets/05000/01732.gif</ref> and "gently lays it down" (in the broadsides, he lays her down). She sees he is wearing three gold chains, and begs him to forgive her for calling him a fisherman when "I fear you are some lord". He says she hasn't offended him, and tells her he will take her to his father's house and marry her. She will have "a bold fisherman to row you on the tide".<ref name="MT">https://mainlynorfolk.info/peter.bellamy/songs/theboldfisherman.html for the texts of various versions.</ref>
A young woman on a river bank sees a bold fisherman rowing on the tide. She asks him how he comes to be fishing there, and he replies that he is fishing for her "sweet sake". He moors his boat and takes her by the hand. He takes off his "morning gown" (in broadside versions, her gown)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/view/edition/14035 |title=Ballads Online |website=Ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-03}}</ref> and "gently lays it down" (in the broadsides, he lays her down). She sees he is wearing three gold chains, and begs him to forgive her for calling him a fisherman when "I fear you are some lord". He says she hasn't offended him, and tells her he will take her to his father's house and marry her. She will have "a bold fisherman to row you on the tide".<ref name="MN">{{cite web|url=https://mainlynorfolk.info/peter.bellamy/songs/theboldfisherman.html |title=The Bold Fisherman / The Fisherman (Roud 291; Laws O24; G/D 4:834) |website=Mainlynorfolk.info |date= |accessdate=2017-05-03}}</ref>


==Early versions==
==Early versions==

===Broadsides and early printed versions===
===Broadsides and early printed versions===
This song was frequently printed by broadside publishers. Examples survive from 6 London printers and one from Birmingham, dating from between 1813 and 1885.<ref name="RFSI"></ref><ref>http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search/?query=Bold+Fisherman</ref>
This song was frequently printed by broadside publishers. Examples survive from six London printers and one from Birmingham, dating from between 1813 and 1885.<ref name="RFSI" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search/?query=Bold+Fisherman |title=Ballads Online |website=Ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-03}}</ref>


===Versions Collected from Traditional Singers===
===Versions collected from traditional singers===
The Roud Folk Song Index lists 54 versions collected from singers in Southern England and East Anglia, with two from Scotland, 5 or so from Canada (Nova Scotia and Newfoundland) and two or three from the USA (Maine).<ref name="RFSI"></ref>
The Roud Folk Song Index lists 54 versions collected from singers in Southern England and East Anglia, with two from Scotland, five or so from Canada (Nova Scotia and Newfoundland), and two or three from the USA (Maine).<ref name="RFSI" />


==Recordings==
==Recordings==
===Field Recordings===
===Field recordings===
A fine version from the Norfolk singer [[Harry Cox]], probably recorded in 1950, is in the ACE online archive,<ref>http://research.culturalequity.org/rc-b2/get-audio-detailed-recording.do?recordingId=11613</ref> and a further recording of Cox made in 1934 by E.J. Moeran is on ''Come Let Us Buy the Licence: Songs of Courtship & Marriage (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 1)''.<ref>Topic Records TSCD651 (CD, UK, October 1998)</ref> Versions by Sussex singer George Belton, recorded in the early 1970s by Keith Summers<ref>http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Keith-Summers-Collection/025M-C1002X0063XX-4000V0</ref> and by Devon singer Charlie Hill, recorded in November 1985 by Bob Patten,<ref>http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Bob-and-Jacqueline-Patten-Collection/025M-C1033X0196XX-0400V0</ref> are in the {{British Library Sound Archive]]. A version by another Norfolk singer, [[Sam Larner]], recorded by [[Ewan McColl]], [[Peggy Seeger]] and [[Charles Parker]] between 1958 and 1960 is on ''Cruising Round Yarmouth - Sam Larner (1878-1965)''.<ref>Musical Traditions Records MTCD369/70 (2 CD, UK, December 2014)</ref> The song has also been recorded by members of the Sussex [[Copper Family]].
A version from the Norfolk singer [[Harry Cox]], probably recorded in 1950, is in the ACE online archive,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://research.culturalequity.org/rc-b2/get-audio-detailed-recording.do?recordingId=11613 |title=Research Center |website=Research.culturalequity.org |date= |accessdate=2017-05-03}}</ref> and a further recording of Cox made in 1934 by E.J. Moeran is on ''Come Let Us Buy the Licence: Songs of Courtship & Marriage (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 1)''.<ref>Topic Records TSCD651 (CD, UK, October 1998)</ref> Versions by Sussex singer George Belton, recorded in the early 1970s by Keith Summers<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Keith-Summers-Collection/025M-C1002X0063XX-4000V0 |title=The Bold Fisherman - Keith Summers English Folk Music Collection - World and traditional music &#124; British Library |website=Sounds.bl.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-03}}</ref> and by Devon singer Charlie Hill, recorded in November 1985 by Bob Patten,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Bob-and-Jacqueline-Patten-Collection/025M-C1033X0196XX-0400V0 |title=Bold fisherman - Bob and Jacqueline Patten English Folk Music Collection - World and traditional music &#124; British Library |website=Sounds.bl.uk |date=1985-05-11 |accessdate=2017-05-03}}</ref> are in the [[British Library Sound Archive]]. A version by another Norfolk singer, [[Sam Larner]], recorded by [[Ewan McColl]], [[Peggy Seeger]], and [[Charles Parker (producer)|Charles Parker]] between 1958 and 1960 is on ''Cruising Round Yarmouth - Sam Larner (1878-1965)''.<ref>Musical Traditions Records MTCD369/70 (2 CD, UK, December 2014)</ref> The song has also been recorded by members of the Sussex [[Copper Family]].


===Recordings by revival singers and groups===
===Recordings by revival singers and groups===
[[A L Lloyd]], [[The Young Tradition]], [[Tim Hart]] and [[Maddy Prior]], [[Shirley Collins]], Andy Turner, Bow Lewis, [[Tim van Eyken]], Rachael McShane, [[Jon Boden]], Emily Portman, Sound Tradition, Derek Gifford, and Alex Cumming and Nicola Beazley have recorded versions of this song.<ref name="MT"></ref>
[[A L Lloyd]], [[The Young Tradition]], [[Tim Hart]] and [[Maddy Prior]], [[Shirley Collins]], Andy Turner, Bow Lewis, [[Tim van Eyken]], Rachael McShane, [[Jon Boden]], [[Emily Portman]], Sound Tradition, Derek Gifford, and Alex Cumming and Nicola Beazley have recorded versions of this song.<ref name="MN" />


===Published Versions===
===Published versions===
A version of "The Bold Fisherman" is included in ''The New Penguin Book of English Folksongs''.<ref name="Newpenguin">Roud, S, and Bishop, J; The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs; London, 2012</ref>
A version of "The Bold Fisherman" is included in ''The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs''.<ref name="Newpenguin">Roud, S, and Bishop, J; The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs; London, 2012</ref>


==Discussion==
==Discussion==
Various commentators have suggested that the song is an allegory with religious connotations.<ref name="MN" /> [[Steve Roud]] comments that "both the traditional and broadside versions make it pretty clear that this is a straight seduction narrative, of a maid by a higher-class man, but with a happy ending to prove his intentions were honourable and to make it romantic rather than sordid.'<ref name="Newpenguin"></ref>


== References ==
==References==
<!--- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags, these references will then appear here automatically -->
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
==External links==
* [https://www.vwml.org/ Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, Roud Folk Song Indexes]
* [http://www.example.com www.example.com]

<!--- Categories --->


[[Category:Articles created via the Article Wizard]]
[[Category:Songs with unknown songwriters]]
[[Category:Year of song unknown]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bold Fisherman}}

Latest revision as of 23:50, 26 October 2024

The Bold Fisherman (Roud 291, Laws O24)[1] is an English folk song popular with traditional singers and widely collected in the early and mid 20th century CE. It has been frequently performed and recorded by contemporary folk singers and groups.

Synopsis

[edit]

A young woman on a river bank sees a bold fisherman rowing on the tide. She asks him how he comes to be fishing there, and he replies that he is fishing for her "sweet sake". He moors his boat and takes her by the hand. He takes off his "morning gown" (in broadside versions, her gown)[2] and "gently lays it down" (in the broadsides, he lays her down). She sees he is wearing three gold chains, and begs him to forgive her for calling him a fisherman when "I fear you are some lord". He says she hasn't offended him, and tells her he will take her to his father's house and marry her. She will have "a bold fisherman to row you on the tide".[3]

Early versions

[edit]

Broadsides and early printed versions

[edit]

This song was frequently printed by broadside publishers. Examples survive from six London printers and one from Birmingham, dating from between 1813 and 1885.[1][4]

Versions collected from traditional singers

[edit]

The Roud Folk Song Index lists 54 versions collected from singers in Southern England and East Anglia, with two from Scotland, five or so from Canada (Nova Scotia and Newfoundland), and two or three from the USA (Maine).[1]

Recordings

[edit]

Field recordings

[edit]

A version from the Norfolk singer Harry Cox, probably recorded in 1950, is in the ACE online archive,[5] and a further recording of Cox made in 1934 by E.J. Moeran is on Come Let Us Buy the Licence: Songs of Courtship & Marriage (The Voice of the People Series Vol. 1).[6] Versions by Sussex singer George Belton, recorded in the early 1970s by Keith Summers[7] and by Devon singer Charlie Hill, recorded in November 1985 by Bob Patten,[8] are in the British Library Sound Archive. A version by another Norfolk singer, Sam Larner, recorded by Ewan McColl, Peggy Seeger, and Charles Parker between 1958 and 1960 is on Cruising Round Yarmouth - Sam Larner (1878-1965).[9] The song has also been recorded by members of the Sussex Copper Family.

Recordings by revival singers and groups

[edit]

A L Lloyd, The Young Tradition, Tim Hart and Maddy Prior, Shirley Collins, Andy Turner, Bow Lewis, Tim van Eyken, Rachael McShane, Jon Boden, Emily Portman, Sound Tradition, Derek Gifford, and Alex Cumming and Nicola Beazley have recorded versions of this song.[3]

Published versions

[edit]

A version of "The Bold Fisherman" is included in The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.[10]

Discussion

[edit]

Various commentators have suggested that the song is an allegory with religious connotations.[3] Steve Roud comments that "both the traditional and broadside versions make it pretty clear that this is a straight seduction narrative, of a maid by a higher-class man, but with a happy ending to prove his intentions were honourable and to make it romantic rather than sordid.'[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "The Bold Fisherman : Francis Collinson Manuscript Collection (COL/6/34A)". Vwml.org. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  2. ^ "Ballads Online". Ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  3. ^ a b c "The Bold Fisherman / The Fisherman (Roud 291; Laws O24; G/D 4:834)". Mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  4. ^ "Ballads Online". Ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  5. ^ "Research Center". Research.culturalequity.org. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  6. ^ Topic Records TSCD651 (CD, UK, October 1998)
  7. ^ "The Bold Fisherman - Keith Summers English Folk Music Collection - World and traditional music | British Library". Sounds.bl.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  8. ^ "Bold fisherman - Bob and Jacqueline Patten English Folk Music Collection - World and traditional music | British Library". Sounds.bl.uk. 1985-05-11. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  9. ^ Musical Traditions Records MTCD369/70 (2 CD, UK, December 2014)
  10. ^ a b Roud, S, and Bishop, J; The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs; London, 2012
[edit]