A scottish child song : Willie O Winsbury

[Jean Pierre]

I knew this song in the 70's by John Renbourn and it was my initiation to finger picking
I saw live John Renbourn with Pentangle in Lyon (France) in the year 70,  we were in full in the period of folk revival in France
Willie O Winsbury is Child Ballad 100 (Roud 64), existing in several variants. [It is a traditional Scottish ballad that dates from at least 1775

As it is a ballad for child, I ask to enter the christmas festival

In fact the idea at the beginning was to do a search on the recorded sound of acoustic guitar which I am not satisfied ... and there,  I recorded in direct connection with guitar plugged on sound cart,  without passing by a microphone singing ... I find the result a little better

Then I just put the first verse sung, because this song is very long (13 couplets! ... and with my poor English, too hard

so this version is rather instrumental and I added parts in soundfont (fiddle, flute) and part of Band in Box (piano, bass and bodhran at the end)

..... if someone (or someone is amused to do the whole singing, I can send the backtrack in MP3

Bon Noel à tous les enfants petits et grands 

[64Guitars]

Willie O Winsbury is Child Ballad 100 (Roud 64), existing in several variants. [It is a traditional Scottish ballad that dates from at least 1775

As it is a ballad for child, I ask to enter the christmas festival

Um, the song is about a man who is screwing the king's daughter while the king is away and gets her pregnant. The king returns and threatens to hang the man. I wouldn't call that a "ballad for a child". I think you misunderstand the term "Child ballad". It refers to a collection of ballads in a 19th century book called "The English and Scottish Popular Ballads" by an American named Francis James Child. So the "Child" in "Child ballads" refers to the author's surname rather than to children.

In any case, to qualify for YuleFest, a song must be about Christmas or Christmastime (winter), and should be a song that you'd normally only hear at Christmastime. For example, you wouldn't normally hear "Jingle Bells" or "Frosty the Snowman" in August. They're only heard at Christmastime. So even if Willie o Winsbury was a children's song, it wouldn't qualify for YuleFest because it's not a Christmas song.

Sorry.


Nice recording though. Some fine guitar playing. I like the flute too.

[Jean Pierre]

Oups !...  thank you 64 Guitar

thank you for enlightening me on the meaning of "Child" song
actually the story is horrible and it's plaus "game of throne" that the Christmas spirit

Put this on the account of my ignorance of English ... but the music is pretty ...

in any case congratulations! ... you are vigilant on the site and good Christmas

[Oldrottenhead]

beautiful, tres braw!

i think Alfredo has met and interviewed the late great John Renbourn.

[Groundy]

Beautiful Playing JP.
Well done...


Alex.

[alfstone]

Well, not a Christmas song for sure  , but anyway a good rendition of a great medieval song, bringing back to my mind the great John Renbourn. Apart from the guitar genius, a really good man, a true gentleman. I miss him.

Alfredo

[Hilary]

I don't know the song but it sounds very lovely JP.

[Jean Pierre]

Oh! .. you do not know this song Hilary?

It is a traditional Scottish ballad that dates from at least 1775,


This injustice must be repaired! here is the version with singer Jacqui Mc Shee and the huge (is not it  Alfredo ? ) guitarist (and singer) John Renbourn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwqP_yoszCE


... I wish you could sing me this song, it's possible ?

... for the occasion I can pick up my dulcimer

[Hilary]

I really don't fancy it - sorry!

[Hook]

Marvelous playing.
Rock on!