Emily Portman, Rob Harbron and Jon Wilks discuss the traditional ballad, ‘The Trees They Do Grow High’ [Roud 31], a song that Emily and Rob have recorded for their new album, Time Was Away. Subjects covered include the duo’s first encounter with traditional folk music, their work with the English Folk Dance and Song Society, Emily’s interpretations of the song’s themes, its history, the source singer that Emily learned the song from, the modes and the melody, and how Rob goes about creating accompaniments for traditional songs. They also chat about the album itself and the forthcoming tour to support it. The Old Songs Podcast can be found on all decent streaming platforms.

The Old Songs Podcast is supported by the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

‘The Trees The Do Grow High’ podcast notes

Links

Over the course of the episode, Emily Portman, Rob Harbron and Jon Wilks mention the following things:

• The English Folk Dance and Song Society
• ‘The Trees They Do Grow High’ [Roud 31] on the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library website
• FolkWorks
• Monday Folk Singers Online
• The Vaughan William Memorial Library archive
• Find Emily Portman and Rob Harbron gigs on the Tradfolk Events Calendar
• The initial songs released from Time Was Away on Spotify

Track listing

1. ‘The Trees They Do Grow High’, as performed by Martin Carthy
2. ‘Long-A-Growing’, as performed by Steeleye Span
3. ‘Growing (The Trees They Do Grow High)’, as performed by Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr
4. ‘Long A-Growing’, as performed by Mary Ann Haynes
5. ‘Long a-Growing’, as performed by Emily Portman and Rob Harbron
6. ‘Long a-Growing’, as performed by Emily Portman exclusively for The Old Songs Podcast

Photo Credit: Camilla Greenwell