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The Flandyke Shore

[ Roud 2636 ; Ballad Index LyCr2090 ; trad.]

Nic Jones sang this mysterious song of loss on his 1980 Topic album, Penguin Eggs. This track was also included in the anthologies New Electric Muse and English Originals.

An earlier live performance from the late 1970 - when Nic still called the song Flanders Shore - was published in 2006 on the Topic CD Game Set Match. Another Flanders Shore live recording from the Folk Festival Sidmouth in 1980 can be found on the 2 CD compilation Folk Festival Sidmouth.

John Wesley Harding also sang this song on his Nic Jones tribute album, Trad Arr Jones.

Chris While sang Flandyke Shore on the Albion Band's CD Acousticity. The track was also included in the Albion Band compilations Along the Pilgrim's Way (1998), The HTD Years (2000), and Albion Sunrise (2004). Ashley Hutchings commented in the original album's booklet:

The much-loved Nic Jones found the traditional Flandyke Shore some years ago, about the same time as I discovered the song. He recorded it, I didn't. Recently, while driving through the Canadian Rockies in our touring van, Chris spontaneously started to sing which renewed our interest in, and love of, the piece. She and I decided to give Flandyke a happy ending and by the time we had reached the United States border the task was completed.

A 1995 live concert performance was published in 2004 on the CD Albion Heart on Tour. This track was also included in the Albion Band compilation Burning Bright.

Lyrics

Nic Jones sings	The Albion Band on Acousticity
I went unto my love's chamber window Where I often had been before Just to let her know 𝄆 unto Flandyke Shore 𝄇 𝄆 Never to return to England no more. 𝄇	I went unto my love's chamber window Where I often had been before Just to let her know 𝄆 unto Flandyke Shore 𝄇 𝄆 Never to return to England no more. 𝄇
I went unto my love's chamber door Where I never had been before There I saw a light 𝄆 springing from her clothes 𝄇 𝄆 Just as the morning sun when first arose. 𝄇	I went unto my love's chamber door Where I never had been before I saw the light 𝄆 springing from her clothes 𝄇 𝄆 Just as the morning sun when first arose. 𝄇
As I was walking on the Flandyke Shore, Her own dear father I did meet. “My daughter 𝄆 she is dead,” he cried, 𝄇 “And she's broken her heart all for the love of thee.”	As I was walking on the Flandyke Shore, Her own dear father I did meet. “My daughter 𝄆 she is dead,” he cried, 𝄇 “And she's broken her heart all for the love of thee.”
So I hove a bullet 𝄆 on to fair England's shore 𝄇 Just where I thought that my own true love did lay.	So I hove a bullet 𝄆 on to fair England's shore 𝄇 Just where I thought that my own true love did lay. So I hove a dart that 𝄆 touch-ed my true love's heart 𝄇 And brought the light into her eyes again.