No, Arlo recorded it, but Steve Goodman wrote it.
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.lasso?id=2878
Beth
I stand corrected.Good one.Glad there was no money riding on that one…
Slan,
D.
Now that is a ballad!
It’s almost as long as the shorter old Norse version of The Two Sisters (but not close to the longer one).
For some reason it reminds me a a song Theodore Bikel recorded. I think it started out:
Lochnagar came from the West
…
…
…
And then came young XXX,
Out of the low country
And he has gained her father’s heart
And her mother’s tae
Lochnagar is supposed to be the Lochinvar of [u]the Sir Walter Scott ballad[/u]. Young XXX has her parents’ favor, but she loves Lochnagar, who grabs her up at the wedding and rides off with her, with all her kinsmen on their heels.
I can’t believe I’ve forgotten the words, when it’s only been a little over 40 years since I last heard it. I still remember the tune, though. It’s in Dorian mode, and closely resembles Shady Grove, but more energetic, with a kind of galloping rhythm.
Gotta wonder about the words to [u]Chi-manero[/u].
The main library in Houston had a copy of this book by Vance Randolph, which, I believe, included Rain and Snow.
Amazon has what appears to be [u]an entire collection[/u]. Note that item 6 is from Waldenbooks. Coincidence?
By the way, for those who like to blame all “moral problems” of the modern world on Hollywood, or those who believe that America was a bastion of spiritual purity before FDR got elected, it might be worthwhile to check out his [u]Roll Me in Your Arms: Unprintable Ozark Folksongs and Folklore[/u] and [u]Pissing in the Snow and Other Ozark Folktales[/u].
Oh my, there are loads of them that I love!!! Most patriotic Irish ballads, and murder ballads. And some bluegrass songs as well.
Here are some of my favorites:
Spancil Hill
Matty Groves
Pretty Polly
Foggy Dew
Kelly from Killane
Sean South from Garryowen
Kevin Barry
The Irish Rover
Barbara Allen
Mary Hamilton (aka The four Maries)
Fair Annie (especially Martin Simpson’s version on The Bramble Briar)
Willy O’ Winsbury
Across the Blue Mountains
I’ll add
“A Very Unfortunate Man”
“The Handsome Cabin Boy”
to the many I love that have already been listed by others.
For an epic tale encompassing all human life I would like to mention “Anachie Gordon” from Mary Blacks first album. She learned it from a recording of Nic Jones,a great English singer/guitarist who was involved in a tragic car accident thus ending his career.
His recordings are well worth checking out.
Slan,
D.
My favorite modern ballad is “Borderlands” by Chris Caswell and Danny Carnahan, which tells the story of a boy being discovered watching a girl from afar. Kate Price also did a wonderful version of that. Another is “Renegade” by Steppenwolf, telling the story of how John Kay escaped from East Germany. And “A salty dog” by Procol Harum.
My favorite traditional is probably “Montrose,” a collection of four songs about the Scottish general that Steeleye Span put together.
I like a lot of the (somewhat unbelievable) ones about guys disguising themselves (often with an eye patch) to check up on their girls, like Banks of Claudy or the Dark-eyed sailor. And girls disguising themselves to gain access to ships, like In London Town. And the ghostly ones like The unquiet grave or Demon lover/House carpenter.
Some others:
King Henry
Blow the winds
The wee wee man
Edwin
Benjamin Bowmaneer
You mean like this one, a version of which is said to have been one of W.C. Fields’ favorites? The melody ain’t much, and it don’t rhyme, but it’s a fine story with a moral.
The Poor Young Girl
There was once a poor young girl who lived in the country,
And she went to the city to seek employment.
She went to the city because the wolf was at her door,
And her father had fallen down and hurt his knee.
Just before she went to the city, her boyfriend whose name was Jack,
He said to her, “I fear you will not be true.”
So he made her promise just as she was getting on the train
That every night at eight o’clock she would burst into tears.
Then she got to the city and was riding on an omnibus
When a man got up and offered her his seat
She refused him with scorn for she saw that he wore a ring
And for all she knew he could be a married man.
Then up stepped the driver and said, “I knew you would be true!”
And he tore off his false whiskers and it was Jack
The very same day she received a telegram saying her father’s knee was better
And an aunt had died and left her a substantial amount of money.
Another with a similar “melody” is:
The Poor Young Man
There was once a poor young man
Who left his country home
And went to the city
To seek employment
And just before he left,
He promised his dear old mother
To always shun
The fatal curse of drink
While living in the city
He found employment in a quarry
Where he made the acquaintance of
Some college men
One night he went out
With his new-found friends to dine
And there they tried to persuade him
To take a drink
They persuaded and they persuaded
But he refuséd and he refuséd
'til finally
He took a sip of beer
When he saw what he had done
He dashed the liquor to the floor
And staggered from the bar in a fit
Of delerium tremens
And whilst in the grip of curséd liquor
He met a Salvation Army lassie
And cruelly
He burst her tambourine
All she said was “Sir, God bless you”
And left a mark upon his brow
With a kick that she had learned
Before she was savéd
Which just goes to show
You should always shun the fatal curse of drink
And don’t go round
Breaking ladies’ tambourines!
Star of the County Down
Maid Who Sold Her Barley
The Rising of the Moon
Foggy Dew
Kevin Barry
The Humors of Whiskey
There Were Roses
Among my favourite narrative ballads would have to be Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrigs version of this song.
http://www.elyrics.net/go/l/lloyd-lyrics/the-two-magicians-lyrics/
Slan,
D.
Saw a pretty good movie last night, [u]October Sky[/u], based on Homer Hickam’s Rocket Boys, a must see for Chris Cooper fans or anyone looking for feel good movie (or anyone like me who can actually remember the '50s 
). It was set in a small Appalachian coal town and got me thinking about mining songs.
[u]Blue Diamond Mines - Jean Ritchie[/u]
[u]1913 Massacre - Woody Guthrie[/u] (never heard it by Woody, but Jack Elliot has a couple of recorded versions)
[u]Paradise - John Prine[/u] (not a ballad, still a good story song)
Almost anything by Chris de burgh. Most folks may know him only as the guy who sang “Lady in Red” but that song really does not do him justice. His lyrics are typically phenomenal.
All the Best, Tom
As this thread goes way past Irish Trad musuic, here are a few of my current favorites
Irish - Lough Melvin’s Shore (Chulua)
Kevin Barry
Leonard Cohen - The Gypsy’s Wife
Emmy Lou Harris - Michangelo
Lyle Lovet - This Old Porch
- L.A. County - (country stalker story with rock beat!)
Kasey Chambers - Paper Aeroplane
Nullarbor Song (feels like a ballad, but I’m not sure)
On the subject of Kasey Chambers, can any of our Australian friends offer any insight as to how she’s preceived there. I find her voice a little odd, but very appealing. Her song writing is good and geting better.
Thanks for everyone that has contributed so far, over 200 ballads with many a forgotten favorite. Here are some links to some that were mentioned above
- There Were Roses
- The Wind that Shakes the Barley,
- Flora, The lilly of the West,
- Matti Groves,
- A Boy Named Sue,
- Cat’s in the Cradle
So many stories shared, I wonder at the richness of life that connects us so.
hm… I don’t think I’ve seen any of these posted yet:
Child Noryce (the version with which I’m familar is done by Kornog on their self-titled album)
Edward
Willie’s Lady
The Errant Apprentice (Andy M. Stewart-- very funny)
Go Home, Girl
New York Girls (both of which are really story-songs, I guess, but they amuse me, too)
The Two Sisters (which has been posted several times… I still like it)
Gypsy Davie (and any variation thereon)
Willam Taylor (same deal, though the first rendition with which I fell in love was Patrick Streets)
The Slip Jigs and Reels (performed by the House Band. I think they wrote it too, but I don’t have the linernotes to check…)
I also noticed that there was no mention of ‘Rocky Road to Dublin.’ Couldn’t that be considered a story song as well? or is everyone too drunk by the time they get around to singing it that no one notices?
Steve Tilston wrote that song – it’s on his Of Moor and Mesa. Fairport Convention also covered it. He’s written a number of other great story songs – “The Naked Highwayman” comes to mind.
I think my current favorite story song is “Tickle Cove Pond”.