I hadn't sung "Carrion Crow" for some time
until Gordon came up with "Barbagal," which is
sung to the same tune. "carrion Crow" can be
interpreted as a whimsically sad little piece
in its own right, or as a thickly veiled reference to specific historical characters and
events unknown to me. In either interpretation,
it has a good chorus.
I learned the song from George Ward, he from
Michael Cooney, who, I believe, got it from
Dorothy and Derek Elliott. My · knowledge of
genealogy stops there, although other versions
are found in a variety of sources, including
Sharp's English Folk Songs from the Southern
Appalachians. Lynn Hickerson sings a version
from Lanax's Folk songs of North Jlmerica on
Folk-Legacy's Five Days Singing, Vol. II
(FSI-42) • (ET)
By the way, I omitted two verses that I
learned from George (they would be verses
5 and 6):
"Oh," said the tailor, "I -care not a mouse;
We'll have black pudding; chitterlings and
souse."
"Oh," said his wife, "You're a silly old
goose,
To kill your old sow and care not a mouse."
Mauro Quai, a friend from Italy whom we've
never met, has been trading tapes and albums
with me for many years. (He also writes very
flattering reviews of Folk-Legacy artists in
Italian Rock magazines, with undiminished
courage.) He encourages acoustic music in
many different ways; he's another bridgebuilder between cultures and their people,
and there's no adequate way to thank a person
'for' that.
It was because of Mauro that we heard the
fine Italian group "Canto Vivo" (from the
Piedmont) and learned this song. "Canto Vivo•
has this to say about this version:
"The meaning of this song, of whose text
we are the authors, resides in the old
proverb found in the last verse, a typical
example of ironic piemontese nonsense. We
believe it is possible to enjoy folk culture
without 'bowler hat and briefcase,' but
conceding ample_ space for simple amusements.
so Ed, Ann, and I, who knew we had sung this
song before, somewhere, set about tracking it
down with bowler and briefcase in hand.
Help was as close as the Patons.
OUr thanks to the great Italian painter,
Imero Gobbato (now of Camden), for his patience
in helping with translations and many other
guidings in many fields. (GB)
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
With a ling dong dilly dol ki row me,
Called for a tailor to make him a cloak,
With a ling dong dilly dol ki row me.
Hey fa lero, gil fin a gero
Hey fa lero, gil fin a gay,
Up jumped John, ringing on his bell,
With a ling dong dilly aol ki row me.
"Wife, oh wife, hand me my bow
That I may shoot yon carrion crow."
The tailor shot and he missed his mark;
Shot his old sow bang through the heart.
"Wife, of wife, bring me brandy in a spoon;
The old sow's fallen down in a swoon."
Well, the old sow died and the bells did toll;
The little pigs squealed for the old sow's
soul.
(Piemontese)
Barbagal l'e andait l'era ancora neuit
Dilidin don dilidon - povra mi!
co'l bonet an sj'euj l'e monta a caval
dilidin don dilidon - povra mi!
e folli folla follero
e follero 'llero 'lle
oh bon om, Barbagal povr om
dilidin don dilidon - povra mi!
con le braje curte e co'l pinton an man
a crijava a tuta forsa: "son un rabadan"
sel cioche la neuit a fasia 'n ciadel
a crijava fort: "i son mi '1 pi bel"
Quandi che 'l Monvis al 'ha 'l capel
o ch'a fa brut o ch'a fa bel
("Straight" Italian)
Barbagal e partito che era ancora notte
Dilidin don dilidon - povera me!
con is berretto sugle occhi e montato a cavallo
dilidin don dilidon - povera me!
e folli folla follero
e follero llero lle
oh buon uomo, Barbagal pover uomo
dilidin don dilidon - povera me!
con i calzone corti econ il bottiglione
in mano
urlava a tutta forza: -sono un "rabadan"
Sul campanile la notte faceva baccano
urlava forte: -sono io il piu bello!-
C)llando il Honviso ha il "cappello" {di
nuvole}
o fara brutto o fara bello
(Translation}
Barbagal has gone out and it's still night
Dilidin don dilidon, oh dear me!
With his hat down on his eyes, he's climbing
on a horse
Dilidin don dilidon, oh dear me!
E folli folla follero
E follero 'llero 'lle
Oh, good man, Barbagal , poor man,
Dilidin don dilidon, oh .dear me!
With only his shorts on and the great bottle
in his hand
Howling with all his might: "I'm a rascal!"
On the bell tower at night, he was making
an uproar
He was shouting loudly: "I'm the most .
beautiful I"
lfhen the Honviso has a hat (of clouds}
It will be bad or good (the weather}
(You can't tell what the weather will be)