CRUEL MOTHER, THE

Created on 28/10/2003
Latest update on 11/02/2024

Artist: James Chisholm
Author: traditional
Year: 1918

Tune collected by Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles in Virginia, lyrics collected on the British isles as Child ballad #20. Northumbrian ballad The Cruel Sister is melodically related, at least Rachel Unthank & The Winterset's version is ('05). See: Two Sisters.

Covers:

1954:

Thomas Moran [Seamus Ennis recording in Co. Leitrim, Ireland, released on Caedmon album The Folk Songs Of Britain Vol. 4 in '61, reissued on Rounder in The Alan Lomax Collection in '00]

1954:

Cecilia Costello [Peter Kennedy recording in Birmingham, England, released in '75 on het Leader album Cecilia Costello]

1955:

Duncan Burke [as The Dry Well; Peter Kennedy & Hamish Henderson recording in Perth, Scotland]

1956:

Ewan MacColl

1959:

Shirley Collins

1964:

Ian & Sylvia [as The Greenwood Side]

1964:

Judy Collins

1964:

A.L. Lloyd

1965:

Ian Campbell

1967:

Hedy West

1970:

Dave & Toni Arthur

1971:

Martin Carthy

1989:

Steeleye Span

1997:

Maddy Prior

2003:

June Tabor

2023:

ØXN [on CYRM; vocal: Radie Peat (Lankum)]

Sinéad O'Connor shows the same feeling of guilt in her Three Babies on I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got ('89).

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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