And you thought the Red Wedding was rough stuff. GRR Martin had to look no further than the traditional ballads of Scotland for inspiration for his grim and macabre tales.
Our compadre Wayne recommended that we check out High Strange Drifters for another take on the old ballads. I did, and I like. There’s a creepy edge to their thing, a little taste of the menace that The Doors slid into their music. I was particularly drawn to their version of “Matty Groves.”
It’s another one of those dark, mean British ballads where the way of the transgressor proves hard. Seems those English and Scottish lords of the 17th century had a hard time keeping their ladies in the marriage bed. Always running off with gypsies or inviting their lord’s retainers for a roll. In the case of Matty Groves, the lord comes home and finds his wife has seduced young Matty (in church no less!). He lets Matty get out of bed to defend himself with sword before running him through. In some versions, he beheads the wife and kicks her head against the wall. In some he merely pins her to the wall with his rapier or small sword. You may go all Freudian with that if you will…
Charles Owston describes it thus:
This tale of cuckolded husband, unfaithful wife and handsome young man about town, who comes to a grim and bloody end, has been a crowd pleaser since the days of yore. According to the sources, there is evidence that it came down to England from Scotland sometime before 1600. It was played in wayside inns and taverns by troubadours and rag-tag bands of minstrels, men who lived by their wits and their songs. It was first mentioned in a play published in 1611, the same year as the King James Bible, but was well known before that. Several versions had been in circulation for years.
Owston wrote a book of essays on the old ballads titled: “Murder, Betrayal and Death: Observations on Traditional Ballads.” Think I’m gonna track that down?
The High Strange Drifters go with the most macabre version.
Fairport Convention (of course) did a kick-ass version with an extended jam at the end.
“Matty Groves” sailed across the Atlantic and emigrated into the back country with the young cocksman’s name changed slightly to Mathie Grove. Who better to render the Appalachian version than Ralph Stanley? That voice… haunted and haunting. Oh, Death.
Owston notes that:
It even went to the West Indies with the buccaneers, privateers and pirates who called England their home. There it has surfaced as “Lord Barnaby.” Obviously it was a favorite of those wild swashbucklers. A good swordfight was always up their street.
Seduction! Swordplay! Slaughter! Arrrrrr!
UPDATE: Owston’s own version rocks hard. He’s a wildman. Waugh!
Matthew says
I have to wonder if these songs are meant as cautionary examples.
JimC says
Oh, I reckon so. I like to tell The Anvil Blasters’ audiences that our songs are not mere tales of renegades and outlaws, but sermons of “moral uplift and instruction.” 😉
Matthew says
And, of course, you really mean it 😉
john roberts says
My wife has a family song called “Fair Ellendor and the Brown Girl.” In it Lord Thomas breaks off hin engagement with Fair Ellendor and marries the Brown Girl for her house and lands. Unfortunately he invites Ellendor to the wedding, which ends badly.
“The Brown Girl she has a long pen knife,
It was both sharp and keen,
Between the short ribs and the long,
She thrust Fair Ellendor in.”
This was too much for Lord Thomas.
“With a two-edged sword he cut off her head,
And he kicked it against the wall.”
I’ve always found something almost comically graphic about that, “Between the short ribs and the long,”
JimC says
“I’ve always found something almost comically graphic about that, “Between the short ribs and the long.”
That’s an element of these ballads, for sure. There’s a bit of a nod and a wink you can imagine with the troubadours singing these in a tavern.
john roberts says
Incidentally, you’ll notice that an amazing amount of homicide is accomplished in these songs with small pen knives, seemingly an innocuous weapon. The reason is, in the Border country a dagger was called a “weapon knife”to distinguish it from a utility knife. In the North that was pronounced “weepin.” As the songs made their way south, people thought they were hearing “wee pen knife,” which became the “small pen knife”of the familiar ballads.
JimC says
Fantastic. Gawd I love this stuff!
Stephanie says
My father is Charles E. Owston, the author of the book you reference. I’ll pass this site along to him, I think he’ll appreciate your insights!
My father has preformed Matty Groves probably several hundred times. My sister and I have performed it with him as well. Imagine what an interesting childhood we had 🙂
JimC says
Thanks for stopping by Stephanie! great to hear from you — I look forward to reading your dad’s book. Got a link to one of those performances?
JimC says
BTW, I’d love to get a copy of the book if there’s one kicking around. I’ll pay a reasonable price…
Chuck Owston says
This is Chuck Owston, and here’s a video performance I did of “Matty Groves” about 10 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Ro8LjjCkg. The book was self-published in 1999. I don’t know where anyone could get a copy.
JimC says
Thanks for the link. Too bad about the book — that stuff is in my wheelhouse in so many ways.
Great to have you stop by the campfire.