Blackwaterside

from In a Folkier Vein by David A. Harley

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about

A traditional song (Roud 312) collected in several versions by Peter Kennedy in the 1950s and popularized by Anne Briggs and Bert Jansch both separately and together. Jimmy Page borrowed Jansch's arrangement and renamed it 'Black Mountain Side'. My version owes more stylistically to Davy Graham, though I don't remember ever hearing Davy play it. I'd never played it until I heard Atlantic Union's Sally Goddard sing it: while Sally and I did work up a version on which this recording is based, it's much freer than the Atlantic Union's very rhythmic version. We haven't performed it in public yet, but never say never.

I don't sing it on my own, as it just doesn't suit my voice. However, I recorded it as an instrumental when discussing arrangements with Andi Lee (The Ashen) who has also recorded it, though our arrangements are quite different.

The guitar here is a Martin D41 tuned DADGAD.

lyrics

I haven't included the lyrics of this song about a(nother) woman betrayed, since I don't sing them. There are, however, three versions of the lyric, a video of Bert singing it, and information on other versions, on the Mainly Norfolk page at https://mainlynorfolk.info/anne.briggs/songs/blackwaterside.html

credits

from In a Folkier Vein, released August 13, 2023
Traditional, arranged and adapted Harley. Acoustic guitar by David Harley.

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about

David A. Harley England, UK

David Harley is a former professional musician, administrator, IT security editor, author and researcher, and former much else that is even less impressive. He now lives in Cornwall. More info at whealalice.com