FROM FOLKWAYS SLEEVE – Lucy Stewart, traditional singer from Aberdeenshire, Scotland Vol -1 Child Ballads

‘From October 1959 to August 1961 I had the great privilege to meet, know and work with the Stewart family of Fetterangus. The variety, quality and amount of [their] folklore convinced me that this was the family I on whom I should concentrate my time and efforts. I reaped a handsome reward.’

Their vast treasure of tradition included ‘more than 200 ballads and songs, over 60 tales and legends, 185 riddles,’ and much more. ‘Even if I were to spend ten years more I would still not touch bottom in their deep well of tradition.’

The major tradition- bearer in the family was Lucy, who gave Goldstein some 70% of the total materials he collected. ‘At 59 she was full master of the arts of singing and storytelling.’ Her family, all fine singers and story tellers, recognised that ‘none could approach Lucy in her absolute artistry.’ Goldstein says her tunes ‘were always so well shaped that the occasional lack of a complete text in no wayt affected the value. She rarely repeated a tune, only six of her songs were sung to tunes previously used.’

Everyone else in her family were well known as fine musicians and singers, her brothers as master instrumentalists and her sister Jean was a professional musician [and band leader] with a widespread reputation.‘

But even in Fishie no one outside of her family even knew that she sang. She did not want to sing when people other than her family were there, and it took Goldstein ‘more than two months to pry loose from her the first [complete] song.’ Then ‘her song flowed in a seemingly endless stream’. She learned them from her family and neighbours, and said her mother knew close to 500 songs.

Elizabeth Townsley was born in Northumberland, her father was a horse dealer and showman with a travelling circus, her mother’s family were coal miners and a circus showman. Lucy, her parents and most of her 13 siblings moved to Fetterangus in 1917, the family ran a general store and travelled the countryside selling goods while Lucy cared for the younger family members. Later she started her own henwife business.

LUCY STEWART SOME SONGS ON TOBAR AN DUALCHAIS
DAVIE FAA, APRIL 196Track ID: 22428
In this song, a Traveller is given permission to spend the night in a farmer's barn, and manages to seduce the farmer's daughter during the night

GREEN GROWS THE LAURELS, APRIL 1960 Track ID: 2243
In this version of 'Green Grows the Laurel', a young woman laments her former sweetheart's treatment of her.

** THERE WAUR A FAIRMER'S DOCHTER, MAY 1960 Track ID: 24034
O there waur a fairmer's dochter, Thocht lang o haein' a bairn-cit still

THREE BONNIE LASSIES FROM BUNYON, DECEMBER 195 Track ID: 4698A song in which a young woman, eager to marry, takes steps to bring this about.

THE GOOD LOOKING WIDOW, MARCH 1960 Track ID: 52788
The widow has had four husbands and is looking for a fifth.THE NICHT AH TOOK BIG AGGIE TAE THE BALL, MARCH 1960Track ID: 52842
The night the singer takes big Aggie to the ball, he finds she cannot dance

**SHE'S AWA TAE BE WED TAE ANITHER, 26 DECEMBER 1959 Track ID: 5469
**In this song, a young man goes to the wedding of his former sweetheart.

I AM A MILLER TO MY TRADE, 26 DECEMBER 195 Track ID: 5480
In this mildly bawdy seduction song, a miller tries to win the affection of a maid.

THE BONNIE HOOSE O' AIRLIE, 26 DECEMBER
In this ballad, the Earl of Argyll attacks Airlie Castle while Ogivlie is away.

TWO PRETTY BOYS, 26 DECEMBER 1959 Track ID: 54861
In this ballad, two brothers, William and John, decide to have a wrestling contest on their way to school.

?? STILL I LOVE HIM, 26 DECEMBER 1959 Track ID: 54862
In this song, the singer describes the pettiness and scruffiness of her husband

THE BEGGARMAN, C. JANUARY 1960 Track ID: 5560
In this song, a beggar seeks lodgings at a house, but is refuse

PUIR WEE JOCKY CLARK, C. JANUARY 1960 Track ID: 55616
In this song, young Jocky Clark sells newspapers in the street.

THE LAIRD O THE DAINTY DOUNBY, DECEMBER 1959 Track ID: 56062
The Laird of the Dainty Dounby seduces a young girl before abandoning her.

THE CRUEL MOTHER, DECEMBER 1959 Track ID: 56070
In this ballad, a young woman kills her two babies straight after their birth.

** GIN I WERE WHAUR THE GADIE RINS, 16 JANUARY 1960 Track ID: 56086
Fragments of a song about a woman who has twice been betrothed,

**UP A WIDE AND LONELY GLEN, 17 DECEMBER 1959 Track ID: 59345
In this song, a man encounters the fairest girl he has ever seen

THE LARK IN THE MORNING, 16 OCTOBER 1972 Track ID: 67979
The ploughman is whistling for joy at the plough, accompanied by the song of the lark.

**GIN I WERE WHERE THE GADIE RINS, 1960 Track ID: 77880
The singer longs to be where the Gadie Burn runs behind the hill of Bennachie.

YOWIE WITH THE CROOKIT HORN, Track ID: 7788
The singer is mourning the ewe with the crooked horn, which has been stolen.

**PLOOMAN LADDIES, 1960 Track ID: 8021
In this song, a woman hopes to marry the ploughman she loves

THE CRUEL MOTHER, 09 APRIL 1961 Track ID: 98103
In this ballad, a young woman kills her two newborn babies.

**HISHIE BA, 09 APRIL 1961 Track ID: 98115
A young woman has been abandoned by her lover, and must care for their baby all alone