Wiltshire Folk Songs

The Downs from above

Early last century the great Alfred Williams cycled Swindon and the Marlborough Downs collecting local songs.  This is one of the best

Down in the lowlands low

by David ‘Phoebus’ Sawyer (Ogbourne St Andrew)

Collected by Alfred Williams

Young Emma was a servant maid and loved a sailor bold,

Who ploughed the main, much gold to gain, for his love, as I’ve been told.

On board the jolly merchantman he sailed up and down,

And went upon a man-o’-war a-fighting for the Crown.

Now seven long years were ended since he sailed on the foam,

And when seven years were ended young Edwin he came home;

He went unto his Emma’s house the gold to her to show,

That he gained upon the main and about the lowlands low.

Emma’s father kept a public inn that stood down by the sea,

Says Emma, “You can enter in and here this night can be:

I’ll meet you in the morning, don’t let my parents know,

That your name it is young Edwin that ploughs the lowlands low.”

Young Edwin he sat drinking till ‘twas time to go to bed,

But little was he thinking what sorrows crowned his head.

Said Emma’s cruel father – “This gold will make a show,

And we’ll send his body sinking down in the lowlands low.”

As Emma on her pillow lay she had a frightful dream,

She thought she saw his body laid down by a crystal stream.

Then she arose, put on her clothes, and to her friends did go,

Because she loved him dearly that ploughed the lowlands low.

“Oh mother! where is the stranger that came here last night to lay?”

“He’s dead and still, no tales to tell,” her father then did say.

“Oh father! cruel father! You’ll die a public show,

For murdering my Edwin down in the lowlands low.”

Squall over the Downs

More recently Wiltshire troubadour Ray Ward and his anarchic trio revised the song for today.  The lyrics below bare very little comparison to the historic performance at the Post Modern last September.

The Phone Lines Low (adapted from Down in the lowlands low) 

12-year-old Angela Pleasant
You lot could not know
How she loved the curious Dustin Broke
Who at 18 years sailed the phone lines low

At his workstation he fished and he coaxed
Bringing lonely house bounds to his call
Dredging the phone lines low

A whole seven months he sat and he talked
Our Broadband package will save you £1.35 per annum
To sail the phone lines low

Angela watched curious Dustin from her window
As he walked from South Marston to Swindon Town
To sail the phone lines low

Father always on guard
Angela in her pink room
Facebooks Curious Dustin from the phone lines low

Climb on the garage
Come to my window
My Father will never know
it is open for
Dustin Broke who sails the phone lines low

In the night tired with love
They both crept out to drink and eat
In the kitchen down below

But ice crashes and wrecks in a glass
And Father wakes and watches from the door
Promising himself
That boy will never again sail the phone lines low

Angela awoke from a frightful dream
And thought she saw a body in telesales yard
Down by the phone lines low

Then she arose, put on her clothes
And to her Father did go and ask
Of the boy who sailed the phone lines low

‘He’s still, no tales you tell’ her Father then did say
‘Dad, Dad what have you done to curious Dustin Broke
who sailed the phone lines low.

Oh he ain’t proper dead
But you should see his face
Two weeks off
Then he’ll have a job
No more
No more
Sailing the phone lines low

See it on you tube www.youtube.com/user/TheRayWardTrio?feature=mhum

Dustin Broke and Angela Pleasant are characters from the computer game Sims.