Today podcast examines the popular ballad Barbara Allen. I will look at the publishing history, sing samples of the songs and end on a complete performance of one of the songs.

A young man falls in love with Barbara Allen, but she does not return his love and makes scornful remarks about him. He pines away and dies. Barbara Allen realises that she loved him and she too pines away and dies.

Today I will look at the ballads which contain riddles within their central theme.  I will look at the publishing history, sing samples of the songs and end on a complete performance of one of the songs

Today I will look at the ballad known Lady Elspat 

Lady Elspat plans to elope with her love William, but her brother's page informs Elspat’s mother. The mother takes William to court on a charge of breaking into the castle stealing her jewels. 

In today’s podcast we’ll take a look at songs in which lovers are parted and eventually return after some years.  These are often referred to as broken token songs 

Today’s podcast looks at the ballad The Wife of Usher’s Well. 

A mother sends her sons across the sea to school, only to find later that they had died. She grieves their loss, cursing the winds and sea for their return. They do return, as physical ghosts, and convince her to let them rest in peace

Today I will look at the Victorian song British Man of War and its sequel Susan’s Adventures in a British Man of War. 

A sailor is walking with his true love Susan. When she asks him not to venture into danger; the sailor tells her he must go and fight the Chinese for the honour of the country. He tears his handkerchief into two and presents her with one of the halves as link to his love. As he is rowed off towards his ship she waves her handkerchief.

Today I will look at the song known as Three Ravens and the reworked version known as TheTwa Corbies. The ballad tells of a discussion between three ravens that see a dead knight whose body is protected from predators by his hounds and hawks

An American from Philadelphia is wandering around Europe; he wanders into England. He meets a young woman and falls in love with her, asks her father’s permission to marry her and settles down on the Green Mossy Banks of the Lea

Today I will look at the ballad known as The Lass of Roch Royal it is also known as Lord Gregory and The Maid of Aughrim. I will look at the songs and publishing history, sing samples of the songs and end on a complete performance of one of the songs

In today’s podcast I will look at the song Sweet William also known under several other titles including Father, Build Me A Boat, A Sailor’s Life, and Early, Early in the Spring.

I will look at the known background to the song, its printing history and development.

I will sing samples of the tune linked to the song and end with a full performance.