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John Riley

from Heading For Home by Peggy Seeger

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JOHN RILEY

traditional USA

There are many such ballads about returned lovers. Usually they involve an object that is shared between them (a "broken token"). Our ballad does not have such an object. For a discussion of this genre, see Robert M. Rennick's "The Disguised Lover Theme and the Ballad," Southern Folklore Quarterly, vol. 23, no. 4, Dec. 1959. Another example of this group is Laws N42, "Pretty Fair Maid." A text of this ballad with a new tune composed in the 1950s by Chicagoan Rick Neff and subsequently sung by Bob Gibson, Myra Ross, Joan Baez and others was erroneously titled "John Riley." It is, of course, not our song.

There are two ballads titled "John (George) Riley" in G. Malcolm Laws's American Balladry from British Broadsides (1957). In number N36, the returned man claims that Riley was killed so as to test his lover's steadfastness. In number N37, which is our ballad, there is no such claim. Rather, he suggests they sail away to Pennsylvania; when she refuses, he reveals his identity. In the many versions found, the man's last name is spelled in various ways, and in some cases he is "Young Riley." Several scholars cite a possible origin in "The Constant Damsel," published in a 1791 Dublin songbook.

Peggy's learned the song in childhood from a field recording in the Library of Congress Folk Archive: AFS 1504B1 as sung by Mrs. Lucy Garrison and recorded by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax in Providence, Kentucky, in 1937. This was transcribed by Ruth Crawford Seeger and included in John and Alan Lomax's Our Singing Country (1941), p. 168. Previously, the first verse and melody as collected from Mrs. Garrison at Little Goose Creek, Manchester, Clay Co., Kentucky, in 1917 appeared in Cecil Sharp's English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians (1932), vol. 2, p. 22. Peggy's singing is listed as the source for the ballad on pp. 161-162 of Alan Lomax's The Folk Songs of North America in the English Language (1960), with "melodies and guitar chords transcribed by Peggy Seeger." In 1964 it appeared on p. 39 of Peggy's Folk Songs of Peggy Seeger (Oak Publications. edited by Ethel Raim). Peggy recorded it on Folk-Lyric FL114, American Folk Songs for Banjo and her brother Pete included this version on his first Folkways LP, FP 3 (FA 2003), Darling Corey (1950). (Joe Hickerson, August 2003)

APPALACHIAN DULCIMER TUNING: sung in the key of C; tuning: middle C, middle C, G below middle C, low C

lyrics

As I walked out one morning early
To take the sweet and pleasant air
Who should I spy but a fair young lady
Her cheeks being like a lily fair.

I stepped up to her, right boldly asking
Would she be a sailor's wife?
O no, kind sir, I'd rather tarry
And remain single for all my life.

Tell me, kind miss, and what makes you differ
From all the rest of womankind?
I see you're fair, you are young, you're handsome
And for to marry might be inclined.

The truth, kind sir, I will plainly tell you
I might have married three years ago
To one John Riley who left this country
He is the cause of all my woe.

Come along with me, don't you think on Riley,
Come along with me to some distant shore;
We will set sail for Pennsylvanie
Adieu, sweet England, forevermore.

I'll not go with you to Pennsylvanie
I'll not go with you that distant shore;
My heart's with Riley, I will ne'er forget him
Although I may never see him no more.

And when he seen she truly loved him
He give her kisses, one two and three,
Says, I am Riley, your own true lover
That's been the cause of your misery.

If you be he, and your name is Riley,
I'll go with you to that distant shore.
We will set sail to Pennsylvanie,
Adieu, kind friends, forevermore.

credits

from Heading For Home, released October 7, 2003

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Peggy Seeger Oxford, UK

Peggy is one of the most influential folk singers on either side of the Atlantic. She is Pete Seeger’s half-sister and Ruth Crawford Seeger’s daughter; her first life partner was the English songwriter Ewan MacColl, who wrote First Time Ever I Saw Your Face for her. She has made more than 22 solo recordings to date. Please check ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com for other albums featuring Peggy. ... more

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