Reynardine

This week's song is Rob's masterly retelling of the classic ballad:

This is one of my all time favourite songs, originally learned from one of my all timefavourite albums, Liege & Lief by Fairport Convention. Since I first heard Sandy
Denny singing this, I must have heard a dozen or more different versions but hers tops
them all for me.

Among those different versions are different interpretations. Sometimes Reynardineis a handsome outlaw or sometimes a dashing young lord. It is usually a love song
or sometimes he is a magical sort of elvish type, or even a shape changer. Like most
great folk songs and stories it has prompted a wealth of academic analysis, and oceans
of ink have been spilled over it. Start with Mudcat, and you can spend days following
the links and reading the dissertations. To me though, the story is simple and dark,
very dark, and words like "serial" and "killer" spring to mind. Bluebeard rather than
Robin Hood.
I believe that Bert Lloyd is considered to be largely responsible for the Fairport
version, and if so I think it is one of his greatest works. I have hardly changed any
of the lyrics, though I can't help but make one alteration: Sandy Denny sings that he
leads the young woman "...over the mountains", I prefer "...into the mountains", as I'm
not sure that she makes it out again.

Rob
One evening, as I rode by among the leaves so green
I overheard a young woman converse with Reynardine.
Her hair was black, her eyes were blue
her lips as red as wine
and he smiled to gaze upon her
did that sly bold Reynardine.


She said "Kind sir, be civil, my company forsake
for in my low opinion, I fear you are some rake."
"Oh no" he said "no rake am I
brought up in Venus' train
but I'm seeking for concealment
all along the lonesome plain."


"Your beauty so enticed me I could not pass it by,
and its with my gun I'll guard you all across the mountains high.
And if by chance you should look for me
in a house you'll not me find
for I'll be in my castle
you must enquire for Reynardine."


The sun went dark.
She followed him.
His teeth did brightly shine.
And he led her into the mountains,
did that sly bold Reynardine.