Owld Grye & The Innocent Hare : 1-12-11

A seasonal medley, as featured at the Kit & Cutter gig in which Rachel persuades the Innocent Hare to scamper somewhat differently to how we've been doing it hitherto, though the Owld Grye lumbers along much as ever, albeit differently each time, especially shivering out in the winter fields, looking on wistfully as the cry goes up for the hunt. Or is the hunt a dream stirring deep in the heart of the old horse? Either way, Rapunzel & Sedayne folklore has us singing The Owld Grye at the Colpitts in Durham circa 1995 before we ever spoke to each other; before that Sedayne picked it up from the singing of the great Jim Eldon. The Innocent Hare comes from The Copper Family songbook, and The Young Tradition and innumerable floorsingers, though we'll always acknowledge the genius of John and Charlotte of the Durham City Folk Club who make one of the finest noises on the planet. Image from St. Alban's Cathedral, 3rd December 2011 - on our way to the Kit & Cutter gig for which this session was a rehearsal, entirely live in the Barley Temple, as ever, with thanks to the more random elements of The Folk Process. We'll be recording The Innocent Hare for the Weirdlore CD to tie in with the Weirdlore event in June; so think of this as a demo. http://www.weirdlore.com/

We'd like to dedicate this recording to our friend 'Dancing' Jim Wetherspoon in the hope that he'll be up and dancing again soon enough.

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Rachel : electro acoustic guitar & singing
Sean : kaossilator, black sea fiddle & singing

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Once he was a young horse
He was a young horse in his prime
And his master used to ride him
And he thought he was very fine

But he's still my own bonny sweet
Who rode so many's the mile
Over hedges, ditches, brooks and bridges
Gates and cleared many the stile

Poor old horse, poor old horse,
Oh cherry old grye

And his legs and his irons
Have all gone to decay
Likewise his poor old body
It's all withered away

Poor old horse, poor old horse,
Oh cherry old grye

Out from the warm stable
To the fields he has to go
Let it rain hail or sun shine
Or the winds blow high and low

Poor old horse, poor old horse,
Oh cherry old grye

Once he wore the clothing
Of the lindsay oh so fine
And his eyes they did sparkle
And his mane it did shine

Poor old horse, poor old horse,
Oh cherry old grye

He's stealing all my hay
Spoiling all my corn
He's ripping at the short grass
That grows against the wall

Poor old horse, poor old horse,
Oh cherry old grye

They'll beat him,
Whip him
Cut him
Til the huntsman let him go

Poor old horse, poor old horse,
Oh cherry old grye

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Sportsmen arouse, the morning is clear
The larks are singing all in the air

Go tell your sweet lover, the hounds are out
Go tell your sweet lover the hounds are out
Saddle your horses, your saddles prepare
We'll away to cover to seek for a hare

We searched the woods the groves all around
The trail being over, the game being found...

Then up she springs, through brake she flies...
Then up she springs, through brake she flies...
Follow, follow the musical horn
Sing follow, hark follow, the innocent hare

The huntsman blows his joyful sound
Tally ho, me boys, all over the downs

From the woods to the valleys, see how she creeps
From the woods to the valleys, see how she creeps
Follow, follow the musical horn
Sing follow, hark follow, the innocent hare

All along the green turf she pants for breath
The huntsman he cries out for death

Relope, relope, retiring hare
Relope, relope, retiring hare
Follow, follow the musical horn
Sing follow, hark follow, the innocent hare

This hare has led us a noble run
Success to sportsman, every one

Such a chase she has led us, four hours or more
Such a chase she has led us, four hours or more
Wine and beer we'll drink without fear
We'll drink a success to the innocent hare