> A.L. Lloyd > Songs > Geordie
> Shirley Collins > Songs > Geordie
> Peter Bellamy > Songs > Georgie
> Martin Carthy > Songs > Geordie
> Sandy Denny > Songs > Geordie
> June Tabor > Songs > Silly Sisters: Geordie

Geordie

[Child 209; trad. arr.]

This song was collected by Cecil Sharp in 1908 from Charles Neville, Easter Coker, Somerset, and published in The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs. A.L. Lloyd recorded it in 1960 for his EP England & Her Folk Songs. As all tracks from this EP it was reissued in 2003 on the CD England & Her Traditional Songs. Lloyd wrote in the album's sleeve notes:

As with many of our best ballads, this one is familiar both in England and in Scotland. In the latter, the main character usually appears as a nobleman sometimes identified as George Gordon, a sixteenth century Earl of Huntly, whereas in England he is usually a common outlaw thought by some to be George Stoole, a Northumbrian robber executed in 1610. In fact, there are not good grounds for presuming that this is a historical ballad at all; it may well be simply a romantic fiction that was already delighting singers and audiences well before the day of the robber Stoole or the dissident Earl of Huntly. Perhaps the story really belongs to the period when the Middle Ages were drawing to a close and the greenwoods were full of outlaws, some high-born, but mostly otherwise, all of them on the run from oppressive feudal authority. This version was collected by Cecil Sharp in the village of East Coker, Somerset.

Shirley Collins recorded Geordie for the first time in 1958 or 1959; this was released in 1964 on her Collector EP The Foggy Dew. A live recording from the 1964 Scarborough Folk Festival was included on her 2002 4CD anthology Within Sound. She recorded it for a third time in 1970 for her album Love, Death & the Lady.

Peter Kennedy commented in the Collector EP's sleeve notes:

Thoese who have tried to unravel the historical background of such ballads as The Queen's Four Maries will appreciate how the ballad-makers through the years have changed the names and places to fit the various popular figures who end in the criminal courts and below the gallows tree.

Here is another such ballad which, according to one broadside, refers to Lady Grey pleading for George of Oxford. As indicated by many English folk-songs, poachers would be transported to Van Diemen's Land, but for his crime Geordie is condemned to death:

Now Geordie robbed no store-houses
He never murdered any
He only shot a King's white deer
All for to feed his family.

Harry Cox sang this song as Georgie. A recording by Mervyn Plunkett from September 1958 can be found on the Harry Cox anthology on the Topic label, The Bonny Labouring Boy. Peter Bellamy learned this song from the singing of Harry Cox. He sang it unaccompanied on his first album, Mainly Norfolk. He commented in the album's notes:

Georgie is of course Geordie with almost everyone except Harry Cox. The story of the condemned poacher is one of the most common in folk song, and Harry's tune to my mind one of the most beautiful.

Geordie was also recorded by Julie Felix in 1966 for her album Changes. It was the album's only track where she was accompanied by Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick and it was included in 2002 on the Topic anthology The Acoustic Folkbox. Martin Carthy sang Geordie in 1974 in a John Peel BBC Radio session. This recording was included in The Carthy Chronicles. He then recorded Geordie for his 1976 album Crown of Horn; this was reissued in 1993 on Rigs of the Time. A live version recorded in June 1977 was released on 6. Folkfestival auf der Lenzburg. Martin Carthy commented in the Crown of Horn sleeve notes:

It is often said that the English version of Geordie is a later copy of the Scottish song about George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, who was imprisoned and threatened with death in 1554 for “failing to execute a commission against a Highland robber.” The motive was obviously political and in the end a fine was exacted and he was freed. A later song called The Life and Death of George of Oxford, while being superficially a copy of the Scots one, at least in part, also seems to me to be an attempt to tart up and bring up to date something else. The “something else” being the English version of an idea with, maybe, two distinct strains. It is a gritty, passionate little song with the sting of rage in its tail, and one is tempted to suggest that English versions which have survived – some are still current – could be that “something else” possibly used as the model for George of Oxford. Learned from John Pearse many years ago, I really determined to sing it on hearing a recording of Mrs Louisa Hooper made by Dr Maud Karpeles in about 1941 and deposited in the BBC Sound Archives.

Martin Carthy again accompanied June Tabor in the same year as his solo recording of Geordie, 1976, the aforementioned Scottish version on her and Maddy Prior's album Silly Sisters.

Sandy Denny sang Geordie as a 1967 home demo released on the cassette The Attic Tracks Vol. 3 and on the 5CD Fledg'ling anthology A Boxful of Treasures. It was sung by Joan Baez and Ewan MacColl too.

Lyrics

Martin Carthy sings	Sandy Denny's home demo
Now as I rode out over London Bridge On a misty morning early I overheard a fair pretty maid A cry for the life of her Geordie	As I walked under London Bridge One misty morning early, I overheard a fair pretty maid, Lamenting for her Geordie.
	“My Geordie will be hanged with a golden chain, 'Tis not the chain of many. He stole sixteen of the King's royal deer And he sold them in Bohenny.”
“Go bridle to me a milk white steed Bridle me a pony I'll ride down to London town And I'll plead for the life of my Geordie”	“Go saddle me my milk white steed Go saddle me my pony That I may ride to London's courts To plead for the life of Geordie.”
“For he never stole ox he never stole ass He never murdered any He stole sixteen of the King's wild deer He sold them in Bohenny”	“My Geordie never hurt a man nor calf He never hurted any He stole sixteen of the King's royal deer And he sold them in Bohenny.”
But when she rode down and in the king's hall There were lords and ladies plenty Down on her bended knee she fall And she begged for the life of her Geordie
Cries, “Six pretty babes I had by him Another one lies in my body Freely I'd part with each one of them If you'll give me the life of my Geordie”	“Two pretty babies have I borne, The third lies in my body, And I would part with them every one, If you pardon my dear Geordie.”
“For he never stole ox he never stole ass He never murdered any He stole sixteen of the King's wild deer He sold them in Bohenny”
But the judge looked over his left shoulder He cries, “I'm sorry for thee Me pretty fair maid you come too late For he's been condemned already”	But the judge looked over his left shoulder, He said, “Fair maid, I'm sorry, I cannot pardon the one you love, He has been hanged already.”
“Oh my Geordie shall hang in a chain of gold Such chains as never was any Because he came of the royal blood And he courted a fine young lady”
“Oh he never stole ox he never stole ass He never murdered any He stole sixteen of the King's wild deer He sold them in Bohenny”
“Oh I wish I had you in yonder grove Where times I have been many With my broadsword and a pistol too I'd fight you for the life of me Geordie”
“For he never stole ox he never stole ass He never murdered any He stole sixteen of the King's wild deer He sold them in Bohenny”

Scottish version sung by June Tabor	Shirley Collins sings
There was a battle in the north And nobles there were many And they have killed Sir Charlie Hay And laid the blame on Geordie O he has written a long letter And sent it to his lady: “You must come up to Edinburgh town To see what news of Geordie” When first she looked the letter on She was both red and rosy She had not read a word but two When she grew pale as the lily “Go fetch to me my good grey steed My men shall all go with me For I shall neither eat nor drink Till Edinburgh town shall see me” Then she has mounted her good grey steed Her men they all went with her And she did neither eat nor drink Till Edinburgh town did see her And first appeared the fatal block And then the axe to head him And Geordie coming down the stair With bands of iron upon him Though he was chained in fetters strong Of iron and steel so heavy O not a one in all the court Was so fine a man as Geordie O she'd down on her bended knee I'm sure she's pale and weary “O pardon, pardon noble kings, And give me back my dearie” “Go tell the heading man make haste” Our king replies full lordly “O noble king take all that's mine But give me back my Geordie” The Gordons came and the Gordons ran And they were stark and steady And ay the word among them all Was Gordons keep you ready An aged lord at the king's right hand Says “Noble kings, but hear me, Let her count out five thousand pounds And give her back her dearie” Some gave her marks, some gave her crowns Some gave her dollars many She's counted out five thousand pounds And she's gotten again her dearie. She glanced blithe in her Geordie's face Say “Dear I've bought thee Geordie; But the blood would have flowed upon the green Before I lost my laddie” He clasped her by the middle small And he kissed her lips so rosy “The fairest flower of women kind Is my sweet bonny lady”	As I rode over London Bridge One misty morning early, I overheard a tender hearted girl Plead for the life of Geordie. Now Geordie robbed no store-houses, He never murdered any. He only shot a King's white deer All for to feed his fam'ly. Then the judge looked over his left shoulder And thus he says to Geordie: “By your confession you shall hang And the Lord have mercy upon you.” The Geordie he looked around the court And saw his dearest Polly, Said he, “My love, you've come too late, For I'm condemned already.” There's six prety babes I've born to you And the seventh lies in my body, But freely would I part with them To spare the life of Geordie. Then Geordie he walked around the court And said farewell to many, But the leaving of his own true luve That grieved him worst of any. Let Geordie hang in golden chains, His crimes they were not many, He only shot a king's white deer All for to feed his fam'ly.

Peter Bellamy sings Georgie
As I walked over London Bridge One misty morning early, There I overheard some fair lady Lamenting for her Georgie. “O pray, can you send me some little boy Who can go an errand quickly? Who can go ten mile in one hour With an errand for a lady?” “Come saddle to me my best black horse, Come saddle him right quickly, That I may ride to the king's castle gaol With an errand for a lady.” And when she had come to the king's castle door The prisoners aye stood many, And they all stood with their hats in their hands Excepting her bonny bonny Georgie. “Oh Georgie never stole no cow nor horse, He never murdered any. But he stole sixteen of the king's fat deers Which grieved me most of any. “And six pretty babies I've had to him, The seventh lies in my bosom. I would freely part with them everyone For to save the life of me Georgie.” And the judge he looked over his left shoulder. He seemed so very hard hearted, Saying, “Pretty fair lady you've come too late For you Georgie's condemned already.” “Oh, my Georgie will be hanged in the chains of gold, Such gold as never hangs many, Because he come of the royal blood And he courted a very rich lady. “Oh, my Georgie will be hanged in the chains of gold, Such gold as there isn't much of any. And on his grave these words will be wrote: Here lies the heart of a lady .”

Acknowledgements and Links

Martin Carthy's version transcribed by Garry Gillard. Roberto transcribed Peter Bellamy's Georgie in this Mudcat thread.

A lengthy Mudcat discussion of Geordie.