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> Eliza Carthy > Songs > The Keek in the Creel

The Ride in the Creel / The Keek in the Creel

[ Roud 120 ; Child 281 ; Ballad Index C281 ; trad.]

Martin Carthy sang The Ride in the Creel on his and Dave Swarbrick's 1992 album Skin and Bone. They also played this as The Keesh and the Creel on their 1992 video 100 Not Out. Martin Carthy commented in the original album's sleeve notes:

Francis James Child wrote in his notes to The Ride in the Creel, “no-one looks for decorum in pieces of this sort, but a passage in this ballad, which need not be particularized, is brutal and shameless almost beyond example.” He didn't relish the prospect of nosy parents being treated with such a lack of respect. Noses put well out of joint—and a few other things beside.

The Keek in the Creel is also on Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr's 1995 album Shape of Scape and on their 2002 compilation On Reflection. Eliza Carthy commented in their sleeve notes:

The Keek (or Ride) in the Creel comes from the delicious Packie Manus Byrne and the almost as delicious Paul Brady.

Lyrics

Martin Carthy sings The Ride in the Creel

Young girl's down to the market,
Fresh fish for to buy;
Her young squire he followed her down
That night with her be nigh,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

“Oh how can I get in your chamber love?
Tell me how could I get in your bed?
When your father he locks your door at night
The keys lie under his head.”
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus:

Tum lum lay rigadoo-a-diddle-day
Tolly-rigadoo te-dum-day

“Go get you a ladder thirty foot,
Thirty foot and three,
And you climb up to the chimney top
Come down in the creel to me.”
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Now this young fellow he had two brothers,
Brothers bold were they,
And the three of them got them a long long ladder,
It was thirty foot and three,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Yes they got them a ladder was thirty foot,
It was thirty foot and three,
And the three of them climbed to the chimney top
And down in the creel came he,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus

Now the old couple woke in the middle of the night
With something that was said,
“Oh I swear to my life,” says the old, old wife,
“There's a man in my daughter's bed.”
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

So the old fellow rose in the middle of the night
For to see if it was true,
And she grabbed her darling round his neck
And under the cover he flew,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

“Oh what do you do my daughter dear?
Oh daughter tell me do.”
“Oh I'm here with a bible in my hand,
I'm praying for just you two.”
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus

No sleep, no sleep could the old couple get
For the thoughts that run in their head,
“Oh I swear to my life,” says the old old wife,
“There's a man in my daughter's bed.”
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

”Oh get up get up you silly old fool,
Go and see if it be true!”
“You're a fool yourself, you can get up yourself
And the devil may go with you!”
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus

So the two of them rose in the middle of the night
And up to the roof went they,
But they tripped up on the chimney pot
And into the creel fell they,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus

Now the boys they were up at the chimney top
And they thought the creel was full,
So they put their shoulders to the rope
And up the creel they drew,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus

“Oh help help husband dear,
Oh husband help me do!
For the devil that you have wished me to
I fear he's got me now.”
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

And then they rocked them up and they rocked them down,
They give them the good down-haul,
Till every bone in their two sides
Went tolly-rigadoo down the hall,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus

Oh the broom the bonny broom
And may the broom do well,
And may every old couple who do do so
Go rock in the creel to hell,
Rigadoo, tum lum lay rigadoo

Chorus

Acknowledgements

Transcribed from the singing of Martin Carthy by Garry Gillard.