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Tell Tale Signs

by Tim Graham

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keef chemistry outstanding musicianship keeping folk traditions alive Favorite track: Prickly Bush.
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1.
Haymakers 03:32
1 The golden sun is shining bright In the summer of the year For us it is our heart’s delight To go down by the river clear Ch: And the pipe and tabor both shall play The viols loudly ring As from morn to eve each Summer’s day We go haymaking 2 As we young lads haymaking go All in the month of June It’s Tom and Beth, Jess and Joe Will join us in this tune Ch: 3 And when the haysel is all done Then down in the arish grass The lads will have their sport and fun And go dancing with each lass Ch: 4 And the good old farmer and his wife Will join us in good cheer I would it were odds of my life Haymaking all the year Ch:
2.
Two Sisters 03:46
1 There was an old lord by the Northern sea Bow down There was an old lord by the Northern sea The boughs they bend to me There was an old lord by the Northern sea And he had daughters one, two and three That will be true, true to my love Love and my love will be true to me 2 A young man he came a-courting there And he made the choice of the youngest fair 3 He bought the youngest a beaver hat The eldest thought much of that 4 He bought the youngest a gay gold ring Didn’t get the eldest anything 5 “Sister oh sister shall we walk out To see the tall ships sailing about?” 6 And as they walked down by the water’s brim The eldest pushed the youngest in 7 “Sister of sister lend me your hand! And I’ll give you my houses and land” 8 “I’ll never lend you my hand nor glove But I will steal your own true love” 9 So down she sank and away she swam She swam right into the miller’s dam 10 The miller he pulled her out of the brook Pulled her out with his long fishing hook 11 And off of her rings took the gay gold ring And into the water he pushed her again 12 The miller was hung by his own mill gate And the sister was burned right at the stake
3.
Hanging Ivy 04:36
Hanging Ivy 1 “Oh mother dear such dreams I’ve had Such nightmares filled my mind Of my dear love chased by three wolves And mauled in the woods nearby Mother dear allay my fears And tell me reasons true From whence these fevered dreams have come And why tonight they grew?” 2 “Tell me of these three dark wolves Had they the like of any?” “Why yes their eyes were just the same As my brothers young and canny Mother dear was this a dream? Or was’t a vision true? And where have my three brothers gone What do they intend to do?” 3. “You know they never liked your love Nor approved his love of you Your love who was riding here tonight To ask a bride of you” “Mother dear how do you know All the answers that I seek?” “That same dream that has tortured you Has plagued me for a week” 4. So she’s run from the lighted house To the darkened woods beside And she’s hid behind a tree so stout As three wolves came prowling by The first he carried a club of wood The second a length of rope The third he carried his own conscious As heavy as the end of hope 5. When they’d gone, their shadows long She’s run on then a crying “Oh! Johnny dear, if you hear me, Please give to me a sign!” And the first she saw was his wooden stick That he used to walk this world The second she saw was his tall grey steed That rode where he was told The third she saw was so high up So high up in a tree Johnny’s body hanging there By her cruel brothers three 6. And at the first her heart it broke It never left his side At the second her tears they fell No other steed he would ride And at the third she fell so far So far unto her knees “Oh my dear you have been killed By my cruel brothers three” 7. And there she’s stayed eyes raised in prayer For her own dear above “Oh yes, oh yes I will marry you You are my only love!” And she has wept so bitterly As a plea and a curse on men And from her body strong Ivy grew To hold her love again And from her body strong Ivy grew To hold her love again
4.
Prickly Bush 03:58
Prickly Bush Ch: Oh! The prickly bush That pricks my heart so sore And if e’er I get out of this prickly bush I’ll never get in it any more 1 Hangman stay your hand, Stay it for a while For I think I see my own dear mother Coming over yonder stile Mother have you brought me gold Or silver to set me free? For to save my body from the cold, cold ground And my neck from the willow tree? No I have not brought you gold Nor silver to set you free For to save your body from the cold, cold ground And your neck from the gallows tree Ch: 2 Hangman stay your hand, Stay it for a while For I think I see my own dear sister Coming over yonder stile Sister have you brought me gold Or silver to set me free? For to save my body from the cold, cold ground And my neck from the willow tree? No I have not brought you gold Nor silver to set you free But I’ll see your body in the cold, cold ground And your neck on the gallows tree Ch 3 Hangman stay your hand, Stay it for a while For I think I see my own true love Coming over yonder stile True love have you brought me gold Or silver to set me free? For to save my body from the cold, cold ground And my neck from the willow tree? Yes I have brought you gold Silver to set you free For to save your body from the cold, cold ground And your neck from the gallows tree Ch And now that I’m out of this prickly bush Now that I’ve slipped the hangman’s noose Now that my true love has cut me loose I’ll never get in it again!
5.
1 As I walked out one morn in May The birds did sing and the lambs did play, The birds did sing and the lambs did play; I met an old man, I met an old man by the way. 2 His head was bald, his beard was grey, His coat was of a myrtle shade, I asked him what strange countryman, Or what strange place, Or what strange place he did belong. 3 “My name is Death, cannot you see? Lords, dukes and ladies bow down to me. And you are one of those branches three, And you fair maid, And you fair maid must come with me.” 4 “I'll give you gold and jewels rare, I'll give you costly robes to wear, I'll give you all my wealth in store, If you'll let me live, If you'll let me live a few years more.” 5 “Fair lady, lay your robes aside, No longer glory in your pride. And now, sweet maid, make no delay, Your time is come, Your time is come and you must away.” 6 And not long after this fair maid died; “Write on my tomb,” the lady cried, “Here lies a poor distressed maid, Whom Death now lately, Whom Death now lately hath betrayed.”
6.
Gamekeepers 03:53
1 I’ve got a dog and a good dog too I keeps him in my keeping For to hunt the are that runs by night While the gamekeepers lie sleeping 2 Me and my dog went out one night To learn some education Up jumped a hare and away she ran Right into a large plantation 3 She had not gone but very far When something stopped her running And in one bound my dog brought her down “Wait a minute your Uncle’s coming” 4 So I took out my old penknife And so quickly I did paunch her She turned out one of the female kind How glad am I that I caught her 5 So I picked her up and I smoothed her down And put her in my keeping Says to me dog “we must be away For I hear the gamekeepers a-creeping” 6 So me and me dog crept out Back into the old town I showed her to a labouring man I sold her for a crown 7 Then we went to some public house And there we got right mellow For I spent that crown and another one too Don’t you think I’m a kind hearted fellow 8 I’ve got a dog and a good dog too I keeps him in my keeping For to hunt the are that runs by night While the gamekeepers lie sleeping

credits

released May 5, 2012

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Paul James in his studio, Inkpen, Berkshire 24/03/2012.

All material trad./arr Graham except for Hanging Ivy (Graham), Washingline Jig (Graham) & Drunken Poacher's Jig (Graham)

Cover photo by Owen Lucas owenlucasphotography.co.uk

copyright T. Graham 2012 all rights reserved

For more information please visit: www.timgrahammusic.co.uk

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