Lyr Req: House Carpenter (#243, Martin Simpson)

Subject: Lyr Add: HOUSE CARPENTER (#243, Martin Simpson)
From: Roberto
Date: 28 Aug 05 - 02:16 PM

Main problems: in the 10th stanza, I can't get a couple of words;the same in the last stanza. Please, help. Thank you. R

House Carpenter
Martin Simpson, Kind Letters, Topic TSCD553, 2005. First learned from Joan Baez. Banjo inspired by Clarence Ashley.

Well met, well met - cried an old true love
Well met, well met - cried he
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
All for the love of thee

I could have married the King's daughter dear
She would have married me
But I forsook her crowns of gold
All for the love of thee

But if you could have married the king's daughter dear
I'm sure you are to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
I find him a nice young man

But if you would forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me
I would take you to where the grass grows green
On the banks of the salt, salt sea

But if I should forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee
Then what have you got to maintain me on
And keep me from poverty?

I got six ships, six ships all out on the sea
I got seven more upon dry land
And a hundred and ten all brave sailor men
They'll all be at your command

Oh, she picked up her own wee babe
Kisses has given him three
Saying - Stay right here with my house carpenter
Keep him good company

She put on her rich attire
So glorious to behold
And he's cast his glamour over her
And she shown like the glittering gold

As they come down to that sea-port town
A beautiful ship she did see
Her mast ... beaten gold
Her spars of ivory

And she has stepped on board that ship
With the flowing of the tide
As they passed the harbour bar
Not a sailor there she spied

Oh, they had not sailed a league, a league
An' I'm sure it was not three
When dismal grew his countenance
And cruel shone his eye

And they had not sailed a league, a league
An' I'm sure it was not three
She espied his cloven foot
And she wept most bitterly

Oh, why do you weep, my own true love?
Do you weep for your golden store?
Or do you weep for your house carpenter
That you'll never see anymore?

Oh, I do not weep for my house carpenter
Nor yet for any golden store
But I do weep for my own wee babe
That I'll never see anymore

What hills, what hills are those, my love
Hills so fair and high?
Those are the hills of heaven, my love
They're not for you or I

What hills, what hills are those, my love
Those hills so dark and low?
Those are the hills of hell, my love
Where you and I must go

And he's taken the foremast all in his hand
And the main mast by his knee
He broke the ship into two ...
And sank it to the bottom of the sea

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DEMON LOVER (from Martin Simpson)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 28 Aug 05 - 03:27 PM

Roberto

Here's his version from Special Agent. Apart from introductory words to lines it's almost identical, though with a few slight differences in a couple of lines. (Italy is the only word I had any doubt over).

The notes say only: "partially rewritten to the tune used by Joan Baez".

Mick

---

THE DEMON LOVER

It's well met, well met - my own true love
And it's well met, well met - cried he
I just returned from the salt, salt sea
All for the love of thee

I could have married the king's daughter dear
And she would have married me
I forsook her crowns of gold
All for the love of thee

Well if you could have married the king's daughter dear
Then I'm sure you are to blame
I'm married to a house carpenter
I find him a nice young man

But if you would forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me
I'd take you to where the grass grows green
On the banks of Italy

But if I should forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee
What have you got to maintain me on
Keep me from poverty?

I got six ships, six ships out upon the sea
I got seven more upon dry land
A hundred and ten all brave sailor men
They'll all be at your command

Well she picked up her own wee babe
And kisses given him three
Stay right here with my house carpenter
Keep him good company

And she's put on her rich attire
And it's so glorious to behold
As they trod their way along
She shone like the glittering gold

And as they come down and through that town
A beautiful ship she did see
The masts were trimmed with the beaten gold
The spars of ivory

And she has stepped on board that ship
With the flowing of the tide
As they passed the harbour bar
Not a sailor has she spied

And they had not sailed a league and a league
And I'm sure it was not three
Dismal grew his countenance
And evil shone his eye

And they had not sailed a league and a league
I'm sure it was not three
She espied his cloven foot
And she wept most bitterly

And it's why do you weep, my own true love?
Do you weep for your golden store?
Or do you weep for your house carpenter
That you'll never see anymore?

Well I do not weep for my house carpenter
Nor yet for any golden store
I do weep for my own wee babe
I'll never see anymore

And what hills, what hills are those, my love
Those hills so fair and high?
Those are the hills of heaven, my love
But they're not for you or I

And what hills, what hills are those, my love
Those hills so dark and low?
Those are the hills of hell, my love
Where you and I must go

And he's taken the foremast all in his hand
The main mast by his knee
He broke the ship into two clean halves
And sank it to the bottom of the sea


Source: Martin Simpson, LP Special Agent

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: martin simpson's house carpenter #243
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Aug 05 - 06:04 PM

Last line, verse 4 of Joan Baez version of "House Carpenter" -
"By the banks of the salt, salt sea."

The last part is entirely different; no evil eye or cloven hoof of breaking the ship in halves.

Arrangements for both piano and guitar are given in "The Joan Baez Songbook," pp. 66-67, but no tune is named.