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> Tony Rose > Songs > Bold William Taylor
> Martin Carthy > Songs > William Taylor

(Bold) William Taylor

[trad.]

Sung by Joseph Taylor on Unto Brigg Fair, from a cylinder recorded in 1908 for Percy Grainger. The LP sleeve notes said:

An extremely popular song in the English, Irish, Scottish and Anglo-American traditions, Bold William Taylor has appeared in a variety of forms, including the music-hall parody Billy Taylor that was printed in sheet form by Laurie and Whittle in London, c. 1811 with a large coloured engraving by George Cruikshank. For American sources one should consult G. Malcolm Laws' bibliographical index, American Ballads from British Broadsides, N. 11.. Of English collections one might consult SFS, KP, AMS, GBF; Irish sources are JIFMS, PCI; Scottish versions in GNE, CTBA and broadsides by C, F, H. S, KY, FH, and MB. Sound recordings BBC 18483 (a) and (b), TC 1164, 12T196.

Tony Rose sang Bold William Taylor on the 1970 BBC record Folk on Friday. The sleeve notes comment:

One of the songs collected and phonographed by Percy Grainger from Joseph Taylor of Saxby-All Saints, Lincolnshire. The story of a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to follow her lover to war or to sea is a fairly familiar one in traditional English music. However, the outcome of this particular ballad is perhaps more realistic than many of the other tales of womanly devotion which end in happy reunion.

William Taylor is also on John Roberts & Tony Barrand's Heartoutbursts: English Folksongs collected by Percy Grainger.

And Martin Carthy recorded William Taylor for his 1972 album Shearwater. He wrote in the album's sleeve notes:

Of all the traditional singers I have listened to, I think my favourite is still Joseph Taylor of Saxby-all-Saints, Lincolnshire. A few years ago, Patrick O'Shaughnessy of the Lincolnshire Association gave me a copy of a tape of his singing, and it has proved the steadiest source of inspiration. The song William Taylor comes originally from him, although with thinking about it and singing to myself, a few little variations in the melody have come in. Some sets of the song have the last verse

If all young men in Wells and London
Used young girls like he use she
Then all young girls would never marry
Very scare young men would be

William Taylor the Poacher from Martin Carthy's album Crown of Horn (1976) is a completely different song.

Lyrics

Joseph Taylor sings Bold William Taylor	Martin Carthy sings William Taylor
I'll sing you a song about two lovers, Who from Lichfield town they came. The young man's name was William Taylor, The maiden's name was Sarah Gray.	I'll sing you a song of two young lovers, Oh from Litchfield town they came. Oh the young man's name was William Taylor, Sarah Gray was the maiden's name.
William Taylor he has 'listed, For a soldier he has gone. He has gone and left his own true lover For to sigh and for to mourn.	William Taylor he has enlisted, For a soldier he has gone. And he's gone and he's left his own true lover For to sigh and for to moan.
Sally's parents did despise her, Filled her heart with grief and woe; And then at last she vowed and told them For a soldier she would go.	Sarah his parents they abused her, Filled her heart with much grief and woe; And for to seek young William Taylor For a soldier she would go.
She dressed herself in man's apparel, Man's apparel she put on; Then for to seek her own true lover For to seek him she has gone.	She dressed herself in man's apparel, Man's apparel she put on; And for to seek young William Taylor For a soldier she has gone.
One day as she were exercising, Exercising one, two, three, A silver chain hung down her waistcoat And exposed her lily-white breast.	One day as she was exercising, Exercising one, two, three, four with the rest, Oh a silver chain fell down from her waist, Oh then exposed her lily-white breast.
The sergeant-major stepped up to her, Asking her what brought her there, “I've come to search out my true lover Who has proved to me so dear.”	The sergeant he stepped up to her Asked her, “Young lady, what brings you here?” “Oh I've come in search of William Taylor Who was pressed from me last year.”
“If you've come to seek your own true lover, I pray you tell to me his name.” “His name it is bold William Taylor, O, from Lichfield town he came.”
“If his name be William Taylor, William Taylor is not here; He's lately married a rich young lady, Worth ten thousand pound a year.”	“Oh if you come in search of William Taylor, William Taylor he's not here; For I do hear that he's to be married To some lovely lady fair.”
“If you rise early in the morning, Just before the break of day, Why there you'll find bold William Taylor, A-walking out with his lady fair.”	“And if you rise early in the morning, Early at the break of day, Oh it's there you'll see your William Taylor Walking out with the ladies gay.”
Then she rose early in the morning, Just before the break of day; And there she spied bold William Taylor A-walking out with his lady fair.	So she rose early in the morning, Early at the break of the very next day; And it's there she's seen her William Taylor Walking out with the ladies gay.
And then she called for a sword and a pistol, Which was brought at her command; She fired and shot bold William Taylor, With his bride at his right hand.	She has called for a brace of pistols, A brace of pistols was brought all there to her hand; And she's shot William Taylor With his bride at his right hand.
And then the captain stepped up to her, Was well pleased at what she'd done. He took her and made her a bold commander Over a ship and all his men.

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Garry Gillard.