Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands - online songbook

Southern Appalachians songs with lyrics, commentary & some sheet music.

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King Henry Fifth's Conquest of France
olated, a visit was comtemplated by the writer to their new abode during the summer of 1930 for the purpose of recording a promised version of "The Gypsy Laddie." Then the unexpected happened. On the writer's return from a camping trip to Thunderhead the entire family suddenly appeared in Cade's Cove for a visit. "Uncle" Sam Harmon and his wife, "Aunt" Polly, spent the best part of two days singing at the mountain cabin of the writer. Twenty-four songs were recorded, many of them traditional ballads from England. Some of the songs recorded are: "The Lass of Roch Royal", "The Gypsy Laddie", "The Farmer's Curst Wife", "The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin", "The Yorkshire Bite", "The Cruel Mother", "The Two Sisters" (two texts), "The Goodman", "The Mermaid", "Sweet Trinity", "Lady Alice", "Broomfield Hill", "The Bamboo Brier", "Home, Daughter, Home", "I Loved a Lass", "Two Little White Babes", "The Lexington Girl", "The Butcher Boy", and "King Henry the Fifth's Con­quest of France", the ballad below.
{A is the text, as written down by Mrs. Harmon.)
A
i. The tribute due from the king in France Had not been paid for so long time. Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
2.  He called to him his trusty page: "Trusty page," lo he called he, "Now away to the King in France,
Ay, to the King in France now speed-lee." Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
3. He come unto the King in France And fell down on his bending knees:
"My master here for the tribute due that was due to him, That had not been paid for so long a time." Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
J 07