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Blackwater Side

[Trad.]

Anne Briggs recorded this ballad in 1971 for her album Anne Briggs. As all tracks from this album it was reissued on her two compilations Classic Anne Briggs and A Collection. A.L. Lloyd wrote in the original album's sleeve notes:

Some English singers know this as The False Young Man. It's one of those pieces whose verses have floated in from half-a-dozen other songs. A form of it was published late in the nineteenth century by the London broadside printer Henry Such of Southwark. Anne's version is the one popularised from a BBC Archive recording of an Irish traveller, Mary Doran. Anne says her accompaniment “is based on Stan Ellison's version.”

This recording also appeared on the anthology Troubadours of British Folk Vol. 1. In the sleeve notes Anne Briggs commented:

Bert Lloyd gave me this song. The version I sing was originally recorded by Irish traveller Mary Doran for the BBC Archives. I don't personally identify with the sentiments, but it's a lovely thing to sing and, in the midst of the swinging '60s, was a sad reminder of a harsher and unequal sexual morality that still lingers on.

Bert Jansch learnt the song from Anne Briggs and recorded it five years earlier than her - in 1966 - for his album Jack Orion; this version also appeared on The Electric Muse and served as the basis for Led Zeppelin's Black Mountainside.

Sandy Denny sang Blackwaterside as the only traditional song on her first solo album, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. It was recorded at Sound Techniques in May 1971 with Sandy Denny playing acoustic guitar; Richard Thompson, electric guitar and accordion; Pat Donaldson, bass; and Gerry Conway, drums; and appeared also on her Who Knows Where the Time Goes? box set and in 2004 on the 5CD Fledg'ling Sandy Denny anthology A Boxful of Treasures. And Sandy Denny recorded Blackwaterside three times live for the BBC:

1. A live performance with Richard Thompson on the BBC 1 TV Show “The Spinners” on April 22, 1971 was published in 2007 on the3CD+DVD set Live at the BBC.
2. A live version recorded at the Paris Theatre, London, on March 16, 1972 for BBC “Radio 1 in Concert” and broadcast on March 25, 1972 was released in 1997 on The BBC Sessions 1971-73 and in 2007 on Live at the BBC.
3. Live at the BBC contains a third live recording from November 1972 for the BBC Radio 1 show “Sounds on Sunday”, hosted by Johnny Moran, and broadcast on December 3, 1972.

Lyrics

Anne Briggs sings

One morning fair to take the air
Down by Blackwater side.
'Twas in gazing all, all around me
'Twas the Irish lad I spied.

All through the first part of the night
Well, we lay in sport and play,
Then this young man he arose and he gathered his clothes,
He said, “Fare thee well today.”

Well, that's not the promise that you gave to me
When first you lay on my bed,
You could make me believe with your lying tongue
That the sun rose in the west.

Then go home, go home, to your father's garden,
You go home and weep your fill.
And you think of your own misfortune
That you brought with your wanton will.

For there's not a girl in this whole wide world
As easily led as I,
Sure it's fishes they'll fly and the seas run dry,
'Tis then you'll marry I.

Sandy Denny sings

One evening fair I took the air
Down by Blackwaterside.
'Twas a-gazing all around me
That the Irish lad I spied.

All through the first part of that night
We did lie in sport and play,
When this young man arose and he gathered his clothes,
Saying, “Fare thee well today.”

That's not the promise that you gave to me
When the first you lay on my breast,
You could make me believe with your lying tongue
That the sun rose in the west.

Go home, go home, to your father's garden,
Go home and weep your fill.
And think upon your own misfortune
Which you brought with your wanton will.

There's not a girl in this whole town
As easily led as I,
And when the sky does fall and the seas will run dry,
Why, it's then you'll marry I.

(Copyright © 1970 Warlock Music)

Music Transcription

Transcribed by Silver.