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'The Little Musgrave’

This is an English folk ballad, also known as 'Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard’ or ‘Matty Groves’. It is one of the Child Ballads (Number 81) collected by 19th-century American scholar Francis James Child, and may be more than 300 years old. There are many wonderful recorded versions of this song, including Christy Moore with Planxty, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley and Nic Jones, amongst others.

Link to video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7civikzF-8&feature=youtu.be

lyrics

Little Musgrave (Traditional With New Words By Christy Moore)

It fell upon a holy day as many in the year
Musgrave to the church did go to see fine ladies there
Some were dressed in velvet red and some in velvet grey
Then in came Lord Barnard’s wife the fairest among them all
She cast an eye on Little Musgrave as bright as the Summer's sun
Said Musgrave unto himself this Lady's heart I've won

I have loved you fair lady, full long and many’s the day
And I have loved you Little Musgrave and never a word did say

My Lord has to the hunting gone, I hope he'll ne'er return
And you shall sleep unto his bed and keep his lady warm.

I dare not for my lands lady, I dare not for my life
For the ring upon your white finger shows you're Lord Barnard's wife

Standing by was a little footpage from the Lady's coach he ran
Although I am a lady's page I am Lord Barnard's man
And when he came to the wide water, he fell on his belly and swam
And when he reached the other side, to Lord Barnard he ran
And when he came into the woods, t'was dark as dark could be
And he found Lord Barnard and his men, asleep beneath the trees.

Rise up, rise up, my lord he said, rise up and speak to me
Your wife's in bed with the Little Musgrave, rise up right speedily

If this be truth you tell to me, then gold shall be your fee
If this be false you tell to me then hang-ed you will be

Go saddle me the black he said go saddle me the grey
Sound you not your horns he said lest our coming you'd betray
But there was a man in Lord Barnard's train who loved the Little Musgrave
He blew his horn both loud and shrill. Away Musgrave Away!

I think I hear the morning call I think I hear the jay
I think I hear Lord Barnard’s men I wish I was away
Lie still lie still my Little Musgrave and keep me from the cold
'Tis nothing but a shepherd lad bringing his flock to fold
Is not your hawk upon his perch, your steed eats oats and hay
You a lady in your arms, why would you go away?
So he turned her round and kissed her twice and then they fell asleep
When they awoke Lord Barnard's men were standing at their feet

How do you like my bed he said and how do you like my sheets?
How do you like my fair Lady that lies in your arms asleep?

Tis' well I like your bed he said but great it gives me pain
I'd gladly give a hundred pounds to be on yonder plain

Rise up rise up Little Musgrave, rise up and then put on
It'll not be said in this country I slayed a naked man

Slowly, slowly he got up, and slowly he put on
Slowly, slowly down the stairs, thinking he'd be slain
There are two swords down by my side and dear they cost my purse
You can have the best of them and I will have the worst

And the first stroke that Little Musgrave struck it hurt Lord Barnard sore
But the next stroke that Lord Barnard struck Little Musgrave ne'er struck more

Then up spoke the lady fair from the bed whereon she lay
Although you’re dead my Little Musgrave still for you I'll pray
How do you like his cheeks my love and how do you like his chin?
How do you like his fair body now there’s no life within?

Tis' well I like his cheeks she cried, and well I love his chin
It's more I want his dead body, than all your kith and kin

He's taken out his long, long sword to strike the mortal blow
Through and through the Lady's heart the cold steel it did go

A grave, a grave Lord Barnard cried, to put these lovers in
With my Lady on the upper hand, for she came from better kin
For I've just killed the finest knight that ever rode a steed
And I've just killed the finest woman that e'er did a woman's deed

It fell upon a holy day as many’s in the year
Musgrave to the church did go to see fine Ladies there

credits

released September 27, 2016
TINTO SINGING SCHOOL 2016
Kirsty Leonard (lead vocals and fiddle)
Morgan Gillette (vocals & guitar)
Hamish Napier (vocals, flute & piano)
Laura Beth Salter (vocals, tenor guitar)

recorded at Wiston Lodge, Biggar
mixed and mastered by Hamish Napier and Barry Reid

The Tinto Singing School is a joint residential between Scotland Sings and Tinto Summer School every July at Wiston Lodge. The school aims to encourage young people aged 16-25 to come along to Wiston Lodge and work with tutors in a relaxed setting with beautiful food, nice people, group singing and song sessions.

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Kirsty Leonard Glasgow, UK

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