Roland Vinyard,

"The Bard Rocks"


Great Hits of the 1600's


Here is where we store the knights and damsels, along with the now-dusty snow white steeds and the deeds of daring, the days of old when men were bold and the sheep were all scared.... These were the popular songs of the centuries before radio and were learned by reading broadsides or by listening to the old folks at home. Most singers of these never heard any official version of how it  should sound and, like the game of “Post Office”, the words and tune changed a bit with each new person who learned them. Since the advent of radio and recorded music, this happens mu9ch less frequently  in our society and we are all poorer for that. Don’t expect much that is new in these ballads here. Just remember, they were new and exciting in the 1600’s,  not now. We seem to have gone on to  other sources of titillation.


This is The Bard's first solo CD.He joked for years about his "justly obscure" album, "Great Hits of the 1600's". Then he decided to make it a reality.


Barbry Allen (Child 84)

Cherry Tree Carol
The Cruel Mother (Child 20)
The Devil and the Farmer’s Wife
Earl Brand (Child 7)
Fair Ellender (Child 43, 260)

Fenario

Four Nights Drunk
Golden Vanity (Child 286)

Good King Wenceslas

The Gosport Tragedy
Greensleeves
Gypsy Davey
Henry Martin (Child 250)
House Carpenter (Child 243)
Johnson Jinkson

Lady of Carlisle

The Lily of the West

Lord Randall


Mary  Hamilton (The 4 Maries)
Matty Groves (Child 81)
Newlyn Town

Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel
Queen Jane (Child 170)
Planxty George Brabazon
Raggle Taggle Gypsies
Rake & Rambling Boy

Riu Riu Chiu

Sam Hall

Scarborough Fair

The Unquiet Grave
Variation on an Old English Theme

The Water is Wide
When First Unto this Country

Young Behan (Child 53)