Faith J. Cormier wrote this review.
Classic Scots Ballads is another in Empire Musicwerks’ series of re-issues of important folk music, and a worthy addition to the series. Most of the 14 cuts on it were nowhere near as well known when the album first appeared in 1961 as they are now, and that they have become well known is thanks in part to the album itself.
So what do we have? Several Child Ballads, for starters. “The False Lover Won Back” always makes me wonder why she wanted him back. He must have been quite the lad to be worth running behind his horse halfway across Scotland. “The Gairdner Chyld” is full of poetic imagery as the wooer offers his love garb made of the finest flowers, and she promises him clothing made of storms and snows. “The Elfin Knight” presents a series of impossible challenges, rather like “Scarborough Fair.” “Hughie Grame” is the tragic tale of a poacher/reiver, hanged for revenge as much as anything else, and reminds me strongly of “Geordie.” “Glasgow Peggy” deals with a kidnapping, or an elopement, depending on whose side of the story you believe. “The Trooper and the Maid” is one of the oldest stories in balladry — the soldier who seduces a willing lass just before heading off to battle. Then there’s “Lord Thomas and Fair Annie.” I can never hear this one without thinking that Thomas was a twit of the first water who didn’t deserve to have anybody die for love of him. “Be my mistress ’til my wife bears me a son and I can get rid of her.” Indeed! And that’s supposed to be a good bargain? Poor Annie must have died of shame at the thought that she’d ever loved this man.
The other songs are a lovely mixture. “Johnny Lad” is an older version of this jaunty song than the one more commonly heard lately — no playing football with the Queen on Glasgow Green in this one. “Aikendrum” is a saucy Jacobite satire. “The Maid Gaed to the Hill” really should be “The Maid Gaed to the Mill”, I’m sure, as the maid in question gets her corn ground quite thoroughly, in an euphemism worthy of Burns himself. “The Banks of the Nile” is another old, old story, about the soldier who has to go off to war and his true love who wants to disguise herself as a man to go with him. Unlike Johnny in “Cruel War,” this soldier lad manages to persuade his love that the battlefield is no place for her. “Mormond Braes” is full of optimism and spunk. “The Moneymusk Lads” tells of the misadventures of a pair of lovers trying to get some quality time alone together. As for “I Loved A Lass,” well, the narrator is either the most saintly of men or an utter wimp. (I suspect the latter.) He pours his true love’s wine at the reception after she marries another man, for pity’s sake! Then he trots off and dies.
The liner notes reproduce those of the original LP. The only thing that could make them better would be lyrics, my ear for broad Scots never having been what it used to be. The CD is digitally remastered, of course, and Empire Musikwerks has done it properly. Many reissued albums sound like they were copied with a bent stylus, but not this one. Of course, this probably means that the original was of pretty good quality, too, but they certainly didn’t ruin it.
The late Ewan MacColl (born James Henry Miller) was a fine singer, a devoted collector of songs and a prolific songwriter. I was ashamed, while researching this review, to realize how many of his songs I have enjoyed over the years without knowing who had written them. I could never hope to summarize his political or musical career anywhere near as well as they deserve.
Peggy Seeger, of THE Seeger family, is still performing. Her main Web presence is here.
Green Man Review has also reviewed Heading for Home and Love Call Me Home by Peggy Seeger.
(Empire Musicwerks, 2005)
