The mind boggles — Urth Net

Nigel Price27 Feb 2002, 00:46original as archived

The mind boggles

I've been ever so self-disciplined and managed to hold myself back from entering the who-has-the-best-hymns debate (a bit of everything at

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Cirencester Baptist Church, from jazz to early music), but Nutria wrote: I wrote Wolfe a decade ago a list of questions, including what kinds of music he likes best... (I didn't bother to ask about rock; I'd read enough Wolfe already). He replied that he favors filk, and that was his hobby music. So, SF all the way when it comes to old Gene!

Peter Wright told me that when he stayed with GW, he discovered that our favourite author listens to rock music while he exercises on his exercise bike in the morning and that he, Peter, had been introducing him to the delights of Iron Maiden, whose music, he maintained, had made a favourable impression. I just found this all too mind boggling for words. GW is almost my father's age! (I think the only album of popular music my father owns is an Emmylou Harris record, but that's just an abberation and he never actually plays it.) I was interested in GW's use of the traditional folk song "Flash Company" in the story of that name, though, and wondered which version he had been listening to. The lyrics quoted in the story are slightly different from those I'm familiar with in the version sung by June Tabor. Any ideas, anyone? (I'm assuming that Iron Maiden have never recorded this particular ditty.) Nigel (bass, guitar, mandolin)

Andy Robertson27 Feb 2002, 00:40original as archived

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From: "Nigel Price" <nigel.a.price at virgin.net> I was interested in GW's use of the traditional folk song "Flash Company"

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the story of that name, though, and wondered which version he had been listening to. The lyrics quoted in the story are slightly different from those I'm familiar with in the version sung by June Tabor. Any ideas, anyone? (I'm assuming that Iron Maiden have never recorded this particular ditty.)

Also known a "The Yellow Handkerchief". These are the trad words as I hear tell For once I loved a young girl as I loved my life And I thought in my heart I would make her my wife. With her white cotton stockings, and her high ankle shoes And she wears a yellow handkerchief wherever she goes. cho: So take this yellow handkerchief in remembrance of me And tie it round your neck, my love, in flash companie. Flash companie, my boys, like a good many more If it hadn't a been for flash companie I should never a been so poor. For with fiddling and dancing 'twas all my delight In keeping such company it ruined me quite. It has ruined me quite, my boys, like a great many more If it hadn't a been for flash companie I should never a been so poor. cho: For once I had a color as red as the rose But now I'm as pale as the lily that grows. Like a flower in the garden all my color has gone So you see what I'm coming to from loving that one. (Note: Supplementary verses reported by Kennedy) First I loved Thomas and then I loved John And then I loved William, he's a clever young man With his white cotton stockings and his low ankle shoes And he wears a blue jacket wherever he goes. The rocks shall run to water and the sea shall run dry If ever I prove false, my love, to the girl that loves I In the middle of the ocean there shall grow a myrtle tree If ever I prove false, my love, to the girl that loves me. Come all you pretty flash girls take warning by me And never build your nest in the top of any tree For the leaves they will wither and the roots they will decay And the beauty of a young girl will soon fade away. Are they the ones Wolfe uses? Maybe he is a folkie as well as a filkie? hartshorn (finger in me ear)