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Sheep-Crook and Black Dog / Flora

[ Roud 948 ; Ballad Index HHH030a ; trad.]

Ewan MacColl sang Sheep-Crook and Black Dog in 1966 on his album The Manchester Angel; this track was later reissued on the CD The Real MacColl). In 1972, Steeleye Span recorded Sheep-Crook and Black Dog for their fourth LP, Below the Salt. The album's sleeve notes commented somewhat cryptic:

With you I would share my position as clerk in the accounts department;
With you I would share my desk, pens and ledgers;
With you I would share my luncheon vouchers and season ticket—
But since you became an “exotic dancer” in that Soho club we seem to have grown apart.

The Irish day labourer Eddie Butcher sang this as Flora on his 1976 Free Reed album I Once Was a Daysman. The album notes comment:

Another song Sam Henry found in north Co. Derry, although it is now probably better known in southern English versions. Lucy Broadwood printed a Surrey set in English Country Songs and more recently it has been recorded [by Ewan MacColl; ed.] from a West Country traveller, the late Queen Caroline Hughes. It also crossed the Atlantic and has been found in Newfoundland (as Floro) and in Nova Scotia.

Queen Caroline Hughes's version was learnt by Norma Waterson who recorded Sheep-Crook and Black Dog in 2000 for her third solo album, Bright Shiny Morning. Sheep-Crook and Black Dog is also on Brian Peters' album Sharper Than the Thorn with Norma's daughter Eliza Carthy playing fiddle.

Rubus sang Sheep Crook and Black Dog in 2008 on their CD Nine Witch Knots. Emily Portman commented in their liner notes:

A story of love-gone wrong, again. For a change the heart-breaker is a woman who, being upwardly mobile, soon forgets the promise she made to a lowly shepherd. Ewan MacColl evidently developed Queen Caroline Hughes’ superb version, but I like what he did with it, so I nicked it (with a little help from Sandra Kerr!).

Former Witch of Elswick, Fay Hield sang Sheepcrook and Black Dog in 2010 on her first solo CD, Looking Glass.

Lyrics

Steeleye Span sing Sheep-Crook and Black Dog

Chorus (x2):

Here's my sheep-crook and my black dog, I give it to you.
Here's my bag and my budget, I bid it adieu.
Here's my sheep-crook and my black dog, I leave them behind.
Fine laurel, fine floral, you've proved all unkind.

All to my dear Dinah these words I did say,
“Tomorrow we'll be married love, tomorrow is the days.”
“'Tis too soon dear Willy my age is too young,
One day to our wedding is one day too soon.”

“I'll go into service if the day ain't too late,
Oh, to wait on a fine lady it is my intent,
And when into service a year or two bound,
It's then we'll get married and both settle down.”

A little time after a letter was wrote,
For to see if my dear Dinah had changed her mind.
But she wrote that she'd lived such a contrary life,
She said that she'd never be a young shepherd's wife.

(Chorus)

Norma Waterson sings Sheep-Crook and Black Dog

I'll lay o'er the green branches although I am young,
How dearly I loved my love, how sweetly she sang.
Was there ever a young man in such a sorry state
As me with my Flora, my laurel of late.

All to my dear Flora these words I did say,
“Tomorrow we'll be married love, tomorrow is our day.”
“Oh no dearest William my age it is too young,
One day to our wedding is one day too soon.

“For I'll go into service if the day ain't too late;
I'll be apprenticed to a fine lady it is my intent.
And when into service for a year or two bound
It's then we'll get married, love, and I'll settle down.”

But a little while after a letter was wrote,
All a-saying that Flora had changed her mind.
And she said that she lived such a contrary life,
She'd never be, she couldn't ever be a young shepherd's wife.

Here's me black dog, here's me sheep crook, I'll will give unto you.
Here's me bag and me budget, I will bid 'em all adieu.
Here's me black dog and me sheep crook, I'll will leave 'em all behind
Since Flora, my laurel, you've proved so unkind.

Fay Hield sings Sheepcrook and Black Dog

Oh spread the green branches over while I am young,
So well did I like my love, so sweetly she sang.
Was ever a man in such happy a state
As me with my Flora, my Flora so brave?

I went to my Flora and this I did say,
“Tomorrow we’ll be married, love, it wants but one day.”
“One day,” said fair Flora, “that day is to come,
I’ll not marry so early, my age is too young.

“I’ll go for a service and a service I’ll get,
And perhaps in a few years might substance and reap.”
“Don’t go for a service, leaving me here behind.”
“Oh yes, my lovely shepherd, I’ll return by and by.”

She got her a service and to service she went
To wait on a lady which was her intent;
To wait on a lady and a rich lady gay
Who clothed fair Flora, my Flora so brave.

A little while after and a letter he sent
With three or four short lines to gain her intent.
She wrote that she lived such a contented life,
That she never would intend to be a young shepherd’s wife.

These words she had written, they appeared like a dart.
I must draw all my courage and show a brave heart.
Oh being that, she will never write unto me any more,
Her answer so convinced me quite over and o’er.

My ewes and my lambs, I will bid them adieu,
My bottle and budget I’ll leave here with you;
My sheepcrook and my black dog I will leave here behind,
Since Flora, fair Flora, so changed her mind.

Acknowledgements

Steeleye Span's version transcribed by Reinhard Zierke with the help of Patrick Montague. Norma Waterson's version transcribed by Garry Gillard.