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Without a Chaperone

by Reesha Dyer

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1.
Three gypsies stood at the castle gate. they sang so high, they sang so low The lady sat in her chamber late. her heart it melted away as snow They sang so sweet, they sang so shrill. that soon her tears began to flow And she lay down her silken gown, her golden rings and all her show And she took it off her high-heeled shoes, a-made of Spanish leather-o She would in the street in her bare, bare feet, all out in the wind and weather-o Saddle to me my milk white steed and go and fetch me my pony-o That I may ride and seek my bride who's gone with the wraggle taggle gypsies-o! Oh He rode high and he rode low, he rode through woods and copses too Until he came to a wide open field and there he espied his a-lady-o "What makes you leave your house and land, your golden treasures to forgo? What makes you leave your new wedded lord, to follow the wraggle taggle gypsies-o?" "Oh What care I for my house and land? what care I for my treasures-o? What care I for my new wedded lord? I'm off with the wraggle taggle gypsies-o!" "Last night you slept on a goose-feathered bed, with the sheet turned down so bravely-o Tonight you sleep in a cold open field along with the wraggle taggle gypsies-o!" "Oh What care I for the goose-feathered bed with the sheet turned down so bravely-o? Tonight I shall sleep in a cold open field along with the wraggle taggle gypsies-o!"
2.
Come all ye young frolicksome jilts of the town, Whose trade like yourselves is uncertain, Since whoring and other professions goes down, I'll show you new way to good fortune, Cheer up your hearts, be merry prepare, Execute a little preamble, I'll sing you a song if you have not a care, Shall give you the Thorough-go-nimble. A lady well skilled in intrigues of the town, Reduced to a slender condition, Who liv'd by the trade of shove-up-and-go-down, Which has so long time been in fashion, But money's so scarce, and taxes so grand, Poor Cully has grown quite unable, To pay half a crown for a bit of his cat, Or put up his nag in the stable. Resolving at last some new measures to try, To raise up her fortune to riches, She lays her profession and petticoats by, and boldly she puts on the breeches, Her carriage so pleasing and full of air, Her talk so delightful and witty, In masculine habit she now does appear, As gay as a beau in the city. She takes noble lodgings sets up for an heir, And passed for the same, of a certain, She baits with delusion her amorous snare, Desiring to bring in some fortune, A cunning old miser, full of design, Being blessed with a pretty young daughter, With whom our young heir did his project begin, And carefully manage the matter, The Father being eager to make up the match, Proposing a very good portion, Of money and plate which the miserly wretch, Had got by his cursed extortion, The lovers themselves, did quickly agree, The Father was also consenting, Expecting his daughter a Lady should be, And he without cause of repenting. The day was declared to consummate the match, With joy to the innocent creature, The miser being greedy and busy to catch, So hopeful a prize for his daughter, The Father provided plentiful feast, In grandeur they were to be wedded, The portion was paid but the cream of the thing, Was what they did when they were wedded. The bridegroom had prudently got a sheep's gut, Blown up very stiff as a bladder, But what she did with it or where it was put, I'll leave you good folks to consider, The innocent bride, no difference knew, And seemed to be greatly delighted, But ladies I'll warrant there's none among you, That would be so easily cheated. Now it's at this point that my tale I must end, My sources can take me no further, But for all our sakes I suggest we pretend, The lovers lived happy e'er after, The bride she did find, her lad was a lass, And she spoke to her, slow and steady, I've love for your brains and your smile and your laugh, Not whether you're John or a Jenny.
3.
As I walked out one May morning, One May morning betime, I met a maid, from home had strayed, Just as the sun she did rise. “What makes you rise so soon, my love, Your journey to pursue? Your pretty little feet they tread so neat, Strike off the morning dew.” “I'm off to feed my father's flocks, His young and tender lambs, That over hills and over dales Lie waiting for their dams.” “O stay, o stay, you handsome maid, And rest a moment here. For there is none that you alone That I do love so dear.” “How gloriously the sun doth shine, How pleasant is the air. I'd rather rest on a true love's breast Than any other where.” “For I am thine and thou art mine, No man shall uncomfort me. We'll join our hands in wedded bands And married we shall be.”
4.
It’s of a London ‘Prentice to a merchant he was bound, He had the crossest mistress that ever could be found, She oft times to the play-house goes her wanton tricks to try, Jack thought to himself to trick her one night with her to lie, He hired a suit of clothing, called rich or fine, For to trick his mistress it was his hearts design, All with his knotted wig, his sword beside and all, He goes down to the tavern and for a miss did call, Three pictures there were brought to jack all for to choose his miss, “Here is my own dear mistress” think’s jack I will have this, His mistress was sent along, so impudent and bold, She sat down by her prentice, not him did she behold, She’d not been there a little while when bow bells began to ring, She clasped his hand and said “Oh is this not a pleasant thing? Oh is this not a pleasant thing, for now the bow bells go, I love to hear them tolling and so do you I know” Now time being passed over, jack hastened home with speed, To take his suit of clothing to the right owner indeed, He’d not been home a little while when his mistress came in, But little did she think of where her jack and she had been, She’d not been home a little while, she began to storm and scold, She fixed Jack Parsons by the ears, he cried “Hold my mistress hold” Hold hold your tongue don’t scold no more, for now the Bow bells go, I love to hear them tolling, and so do you I know, “Oh fie, you naughty Jack, how could you, how could you trick me so, I would not for five thousand pounds your master he should know, If you will your counsel keep, and never tell at all, You shall have money whenever you please and I'll be at your call,
5.
Tall Trees 02:25
The trees are growing high, and the grass is growing green, The time has come to pass my love, that you and I have seen, Twas on a winters evening as I sat all alone, I saw a bonny boy, young but growing, Oh mother dear mother you've done me such wrong, You've married me to a bonny boy, his age it is so young, For he is only 12, myself barely 13, Saying your bonny boy is young but he’s growing, Oh daughter dear daughter I've done you no wrong, I've married you to a bonny boy, he is a rich lords son, A lady he will make of you if a lady you’ll be made, Oh your bonny boy is young, but he’s growing. Twas on a summers morning at the breaking of the day, They went into a corn field all for to sport and play, And what it is they did there, oh she never will say, But she never more complained at his growing, Oh mother dear mother, now if it pleases you, We’ll send him to the college for another year or two, And all around his arm we shall tie a ribbon blue, So all the other ladies know he’s married, And at the age of thirteen he was a married man, And at the age of fourteen a father to his son, And at the age of fifteen his grave was growing green, And that did put an end to his growing.
6.
Oh No John 01:51
On yonder hill there stands a creature,  Who she is I do not know I will court her for her beauty, She must answer yes or no Oh no John, No John, No John, No! Madam I am come for to court you, If your favor I can gain If you will but entertain me,  Perhaps then I might come again Oh no John, No John, No John, No! My husband was a Spanish captain, Went to sea a month ago The very last time we kissed and parted, Bid me always answer no. Oh no John, No John, No John, No! Madam in your face is beauty, In your bosom flowers grow In your bedroom there is pleasure, Shall I view it, yes or no Oh no John, No John, No John, No! Oh madam since you are so cruel, And that you do scorn me so If I may not be your lover, Madam will you let me go? Oh no John, No John, No John, No! Madam shall I tie your garter, Tie it a little above the knee If my hand should slip a little farther, Would you think it amiss of me Oh no John, No John, No John, No! My love and I went to bed together, There we lay till cocks did crow; Unclose your arms my dearest jewel, Unclose your arms and let me go Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
7.
The old baby farmer has been executed,  It's quite time that she was put out of the way,  She was a bad woman, it is not disputed,  Not a word in her favour can anyone say.  That old baby farmer the wretch Mrs Dyer,  At the Old Bailey her wages is paid,  In times long ago we'd have made a big fire,  And roasted so nicely that wicked old jade.  It seems rather hard to run down a woman,  But this one was hardly a woman at all,  To make a fine living in ways so inhuman,  Carousing in comfort on poor girls' downfall.  Poor girls who fell down from the straight path of virtue,  What could they do with a child in their arms?  The fault they committed they could not undo,  So the baby was sent to the cruel baby farm.  That old baby farmer the wretch Mrs Dyer,  At the Old Bailey her wages is paid,  In times long ago we'd have made a big fire,  And roasted so nicely that wicked old jade.  To all these sad crimes there must be an ending,  Secrets like these forever can't last,  Say as you like, there is no defending,  The horrible tales we have heard in the past.  It seems really awful how her heart could harden, For when the Bow Street Law Officers came, They found twenty little bodies a-buried in the garden, And one or two more down the old kitchen drain. What did she think as she stood on the gallows?  Poor little victims in front of her eyes,  Her heart, if she had one, must have been callous,  The rope round her neck - how quickly time flies.  That old baby farmer the wretch Mrs Dyer,  At the Old Bailey her wages is paid,  In times long ago we'd have made a big fire,  And roasted so nicely that wicked old jade.  Down through the trapdoor quick disappearing,  The old baby farmer has come to her harm,  The sound of her own death bell's toll she was hearing,  Maybe she went to the cruel baby farm! 
8.
I left my darling lying here, a lying here, a lying here, I left my darling lying here, To go and gather blaeberries. I've found the wee brown otter's track, the otter's track, the otter's track I've found the wee brown otter's track But ne'er a trace o' my baby, O! I found the track of the swan on the lake the swan on the lack, the swan on the lack I found the track of the swan on the lake, But not the track of baby, O! I found the track of the yellow fawn, the yellow fawn I found the track of the yellow fawn, But could not trace my baby, O! I found the trail of the mountain mist, the mountain mist, the mountain mist I found the trail of the mountain mist, But ne'er a trace of baby, O! O! Hovan, Hovan Gorry og O, Gorry og, O, Gorry og O, Hovan, Hovan Gorry og O I've lost my darling baby, O!
9.
There once was a man who was boasting on the quay, I have got a ship called the Golden Vanity, And I fear she will be taken by some pirate enemy, As she sails on the Low Lands Low, On the Low Lands Low, as she Sails on the Low Lands Low, Now the first one on deck, was a little cabin boy, Captain what'll you give me if the pirates I destroy? I'll give you gold and silver and my daughter on the shore, If you sink her in the Low Lands Low, In the Low, Lands Low, if you sink her in the Low Lands Low, So the Boy made ready, and overboard he swam, He swam until he came unto the pirate galleon, And with his august sharp, he bore two holes in one, For to sink her in the Low Lands Low, In the Low Lands Low, for to sink her in the Low Lands Low, Now some were at the cards, and some were at the dice, And some were standing round about and giving good advice, But then the salty water it came splashing in their eyes, And they sank into the Low Lands Low, In the Low lands Low, yes they sank into the Low Lands Low, So the boy swam back, unto the starboard side, Captain take me up for I'm drifting with the tide, I'll kill you if you come on board to claim my child as bride, I will kill you in the Low Lands Low, In the Low Lands Low, I will kill you in the Low Lands Low, So the boy swam around, unto the other side, He called to his messmates and so bitterly he cried, Messmates take me up for I'm drifting with the tide, And I'm sinking in the Low Lands Low, In the Low Lands Low, I'm sinking in the Low Lands Low, So his Messmates took him up, but on the deck he died. (Awwww), So they all gave a cheer and they chucked him o'er the side. Yes they all gave a cheer and they chucked him o'er the side, And he sank into the Low Lands Low, In the Low Lands Low, Yes he sank in the low lands, killed him in the low lands, drowned him in the Low Lands Low.

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An album of unaccompanied folk song. Contains: Pirates, baby-murdering, cross-dressing, prostitution, trickery, kidnap and 5/4 timing. Not for the faint hearted.

credits

released March 7, 2015

Big thanks to the following people: Mike Evans, for supporting me always. You the best. John Glanville for lots and lots of very good advice. My parents, for introducing me to folk music, and my sisters for singing with me all the time. Shooting Roots, for encouraging my creativity, and teaching me many songs, and the girls of the RHS folk club for being awesome, and helping me grow. Lastly, but by no means least, all the various people who have told me my music is good and believed in me and who buy this album.

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Reesha Dyer London, UK

Hello! I'm Reesha, I sing songs and accompany them on the guitar with dubious proficiency. Some of them are funny, some of them are depressing. It's a magical mood lottery!

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