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Judas (Was a Read-Headed Man)

[trad.]

June Tabor sang Judas (Was a Read-Headed Man) in 2011 on her second album with the Oysterband, Ragged Kingdom. The album's sleeve notes state that it is

[a] Spring carol from Somerset collected by Ruth L. Tongue in 1916. It refers to the ancient custom of making twelve fires of hedge cuttings and one apart, of green weeds and rubbish—“That one be for Judas—he burn slow.”

and it was probably taken from Ruth L. Tongue's book The Chime Child, or, Somerset Singers (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1968). Malcolm Douglas wrote in the Mudcat Café thread Lyr/Tune Add: The Gay Green Gown in 2004 about another song from this book:

[The Gay Green Gown] is one of the surprising songs that appeared in Ruth L Tongue's engaging book The Chime Child (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1968). Although they were presented as having been collected from various (pseudonymous) singers in Somerset in the early part of the 20th century, all but one have never been found anywhere else, and internal evidence suggests that many of them were written by the same person; quite possibly Miss Tongue herself, though it is impossible to be sure. With the caveat that they may be fakes and not real traditional songs, they are nevertheless interesting and unusual, and well worth attention. I've posted a few here in the past.

Lyrics

June Tabor sings Judas (Was a Read-Headed Man)

There were twelve bonfires burning in a field
Judas, Judas
There was one for Peter, there was one for John
Every disciple he had one
Judas, Judas
There was one for James who died by the sword
The biggest and the best was for our dear Lord
Burn, burn, Judas burn slow
Bright, bright, bright for our dear Lord's sake.
Burn slow for Judas
Judas was a red-headed man

There was one for Judas and it stood all alone
Judas, Judas
Down by the marish and it smoked away
Smoked all night and it smoked all day
Judas, Judas
'Twas a proper green smoke for all to see
But the fire burned sweet for our Lord on the Tree
Burn, burn, Judas burn slow
Bright, bright, bright for our dear Lord's sake
Burn slow for Judas
Judas was a red-headed man

(repeat first verse)