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Lyr ADD: He Moved through the Fair

DigiTrad:
SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR

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(origins) Origin: She Moved Through the Fair (83)
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purrplevoice 29 Aug 06 - 03:49 PM
Peace 29 Aug 06 - 04:06 PM
Peace 29 Aug 06 - 04:10 PM
purrplevoice 29 Aug 06 - 04:11 PM
Artful Codger 29 Aug 06 - 08:58 PM
katlaughing 29 Aug 06 - 09:04 PM
Barry Finn 30 Aug 06 - 12:19 AM
Peace 30 Aug 06 - 12:21 AM
Peace 30 Aug 06 - 12:24 AM
Peace 30 Aug 06 - 12:29 AM
melodeonboy 30 Aug 06 - 06:46 AM
Mr Fox 30 Aug 06 - 07:25 AM
GUEST,purrplevoice 31 Aug 06 - 04:04 PM
Barry Finn 31 Aug 06 - 04:40 PM
Herga Kitty 31 Aug 06 - 05:32 PM
Richard Bridge 31 Aug 06 - 05:36 PM
MuddleC 31 Aug 06 - 07:23 PM
MuddleC 31 Aug 06 - 07:35 PM
Old Grizzly 31 Aug 06 - 07:47 PM
Bonecruncher 31 Aug 06 - 07:56 PM
Old Grizzly 31 Aug 06 - 08:18 PM
Charley Noble 31 Aug 06 - 09:46 PM
Herga Kitty 01 Sep 06 - 03:51 AM
Kevin Sheils 01 Sep 06 - 03:57 AM
Cllr 01 Sep 06 - 04:05 AM
Cllr 01 Sep 06 - 04:08 AM
Cllr 01 Sep 06 - 04:33 AM
Mr Fox 01 Sep 06 - 07:36 AM
Mr Happy 01 Sep 06 - 11:28 AM
GUEST,JTT 01 Sep 06 - 02:36 PM
Barry Finn 01 Sep 06 - 03:25 PM
Mrs.Duck 01 Sep 06 - 04:08 PM
Dave'sWife 01 Sep 06 - 04:46 PM
MuddleC 02 Sep 06 - 03:47 PM
Rumncoke 02 Sep 06 - 04:59 PM
Mo the caller 19 Oct 20 - 02:42 PM
Gordon Jackson 20 Oct 20 - 04:45 AM
Thompson 20 Oct 20 - 08:41 AM
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Subject: He Moved through the fair
From: purrplevoice
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 03:49 PM

Hi all, can anybody give me the lyrics for the version of Moves / Moved Through the Fair that is sung from the girls point of view?
It is HE who moved away from her, and she sees him through her window with someone else.
I have heard this sung, but can't find the lyrics. It is the usual tune.
I love singing different versions of songs to same tune or the same song to a different tune and this would make an excellent addition to my collection.
Can anyone help, please
thank you.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Peace
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 04:06 PM

Here.
SINEAD O'CONNOR
HE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Peace
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 04:10 PM

Here is a bunch more from other people.

Sarah Brightman - He moved through the fair

My young love said to me
My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you
For your lack of kind
And he went away from me
And this he did say
It will not be long now
Till our wedding day
It will not be long now
Till our wedding day
It will not be long now
Till our wedding day

Lyrics copy-pasted from the link cited above.
-Joe Offer-

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: purrplevoice
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 04:11 PM

thank you Peace, but the version I am looking for has him going off with another. The girl singing the song sees him through her window.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Artful Codger
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:58 PM

"He moved through the fair" is the kind of gratuitous mucking that should be avoided like a Pauly Shore film.

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Subject: Lyr Add: HE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR (S O'Connor)
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 09:04 PM

purplevoice, don't mind the shirty comments. Here is Sinead O'Connor's version, mayhap it will suffice?:

My own love said to me
"My mother won't mind.
And my daughters won't slight you
for your lack of kind".
He went away from me
and this he did say
"It will not be long, Love,
till our wedding day"
He went away from me
And he moved through the fair
And slowly I watched him
Move here and move there
He went his way homeward
with one star awake
As this swan in the evening
moves over the lake
I dreamed last night
that my own love came in
He came in so sweetly
his feet made no din
He came close beside me
And this he did say
"It will not be long Love
till our wedding day"
It will not be long love
long love
long love
love

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Barry Finn
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 12:19 AM

How bout "She Fell Through/From/Down The Stairs". Ive asked about this parody before but I've never been able to find it.

Barry

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Peace
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 12:21 AM

The first link I gave is Sinead O'Connor's version.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Peace
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 12:24 AM

PF:

Do you have any words from the version you seek? (My apologies for the incorrect links.)

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Subject: Lyr Add: SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR
From: Peace
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 12:29 AM

?????

SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR

My young love said to me "My parents won't mind"
And my brothers won't slight you for your lack of kind.
Then he stepped away from me and this he did say
"It will not be long, love, until our wedding day".

Then he stepped away from me and he moved through the fair.
So fondly I watched him move here and move there.
He stepped away from me with one star awake,
As the swan in the evening moves over the lake.

I dreamed it last night that my young love came in.
He enteed so softly, his feet made no din.
Then he sat down beside me and this he did say
"It will not be long, love, until our wedding day".

The people were saying no two were ever wed
but one had a sorrow that never was said.
But I smiled as he passed me with his goods and his gear
and that was the last that I saw of my dear.

source: http://www.bardofavalon.pilgrimsall.org/Singer/SheMoved.html

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: melodeonboy
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 06:46 AM

Shouldn't it be "lack of kine" (i.e. cattle), not "lack of kind"?

That's what I and many others sing - and it does make more sense!

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Mr Fox
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 07:25 AM

[quote]Shouldn't it be "lack of kine" (i.e. cattle), not "lack of kind"?

Not according to Padraic Colum, the author. He wrote 'kind'.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: GUEST,purrplevoice
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 04:04 PM

thank you everyone for your comments, but the song I am trying to find, clearly states that she sees him through her window with someone else.
It is more than just changing the 'she' to 'he'.
The more difficult this is proving to find the harder I will search for it. Got to be a copy of the words somewhere.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Barry Finn
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 04:40 PM

I think that the a line from the parody I was thinking above went
"She turned away from me & she fell through the floor"
Anyone?

Barry

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 05:32 PM

Barry - it's Les Barker, innit? The singer before me at the Sidmouth Doom and Gloom competition sang it (just before I sang Villikins and his Dinah to the same tune).

Kitty

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 05:36 PM

I assume that the "kind" is the bride price. Is this agreed?

To translate the song into earthly infidelity would be to rob it of its major dimension (hackneyed though it may be) of the ghostly visitor - as, for example, Lowlands.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: MuddleC
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 07:23 PM

yes, it was I wot sung the Les Barker version at Sidmuff, and apollogise most profusely for nicking your tune.... you must have been peeved!... I know I would!
-and it was a composite of the Les Barker version and Sid Kipper versions...... only sung when I know I won't get the folk police dogs set on me!!!
-I thought it were Kine ('cattle') too.... but would love to know what the 'one star awake' refers to,..

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: MuddleC
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 07:35 PM

SHE MOVES THROUGH THE FAIR -parody 1
(Les Barker)


My young love said to me, "My mother won't mind,
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind."
Then she put her arms around me and this she did say,
"It will not be long, love, till our wedding day."

She stepped away from me, and she moved through the fair,
She won some old goldfish and one teddy bear.
Then she made her way homeward, with one star awake,
It was too dark to see, and she fell in the lake.

Last night she came to me, my wet love came in.
And sadly she told me that Teddy had gone.
The she put her arms around me, and this she did say.
"It's goldfish and chips for your dinner today."

SHE MOVED THROUGH THE BAR - parody 2
(kipper family)

My young love she says to me, "my mother won't mind,
And my father won't care, for with drink he is blind."
Then she leaned herself on me and she sang this refrain:
"It will not be long, love, till they open again."

She leaned away from me and she fell down the stairs.
And dimly I heard her crash here and crash there.
Then homeward she staggered just one over the eight,
And like the swan in the evening she fell into the lake.

Last night she come to me. Dead drunk she come in,
And so softly she belched I could scarce smell the gin.
Then she staggered against me and slurred this refrain:
"It will not be long, love, till they open again."

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Old Grizzly
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 07:47 PM

Hi MuddleC,

The 'evening Star' will be a reference to Venus probably because although it is a planet it appears to be the by far the brightest "star" in the sky.

It is usually the first 'Star' to become visible at dusk

Dave

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 07:56 PM

Oxford English Dictionary definition of "kind" = Of gentle and benevolent nature, affectionate.
"One star awake" refers to the morning star (Venus, or other star or planet, seen in the East before daybreak).
Colyn

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Old Grizzly
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 08:18 PM

Hi Bonecruncher,

seems Venus is known as both the morning and evening star so we are still no wiser as to whether he/she stopped the night :o)

Dave

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Aug 06 - 09:46 PM

Muddle-

LOL

Well, thanks for the parodies!

However, haven't you left out the verse where her dog dies as he's run over by the train?

Cheerily,
Charley Ignoble

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 03:51 AM

MuddleC - don't worry! Having "my" tune nicked by the immediately preceding singer just added to the general air of gloom (and was quite a coincidence since Alanww picked singers from the list at random.) Probably bumped up my doom and gloom ratings to help me reach 3rd place!

Thanks for posting Barker / Kipper words.

Kitty

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 03:57 AM

Barry Finn asked about She Fell Through/From/Down The Stairs

IIRC this was a short parody I recall Billy Connolly singing at a Humblebums gig (posibly at the Peelers Club in London) in the 60's

From the recesses of memory he referred to it as the Glasgow Tenement version and all he sang was

Oh she stepped away from me
And she fell through the flair (floor)
And she fell through the kitchen
Of the people doonstairs
As as she fell from me
These words she did say
Ohhhhhhhh (long extended cry gradually fading)

I'd forgotten all that but it came back in a flash, although some of my memory may be mistaken

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Cllr
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 04:05 AM

I thought it was lack of kine it makes more sense if the phrase is translated as "my father wont dislike you because you are poor" rather than "my father wont dislike you even though you are not very nice!"
also I thought the sorrow mentioned is tuberculosis which was refered to as "the sorrow" which was shameful because mainly poor people got it! hence the reason for for the death of one and the soon to be demise of the second.

The sorrows are great traditional irish tales in which there is cursing and transformation into swans but while the allusion is there
i believe in the case of the song it refers to the illness.

Cllr

(sorry for the scrappy post but imoff to wareham FF)

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Cllr
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 04:08 AM

oh and Padraic collum did not write it, is a tradtional irish song picked up around 1910

Collum re-wrote/reworded it in modern language!!!

Cllr

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Cllr
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 04:33 AM

sorry *Colum

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Mr Fox
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 07:36 AM

Cllr, that's what I thought - That Padriac Colum merely translated the song from the original Gaelic.

But I have seen several books and a couple of websites that give him credit for actually writing it - and without any supernatural element. Strange.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Mr Happy
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 11:28 AM

Muddle C,

This is the version for the last verse of the L.Barker song that I've heard the band do & its also the one I sign from time to time.


Last night she came to me, my wet love came round
And sadly she told me that Teddy had drowned
Then she threw her arms around me, and this she did say.
"It's goldfish and chips for your dinner today."

thanks for the Kipper version.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 02:36 PM

"Kind" means goods. Padraic Colum did write it; as is common with songwriters, he wove in elements of traditional songs.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Barry Finn
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 03:25 PM

Thanks to both MuddleC & Kevin Sheils for the parodies. It's been a worthy wait. Kevin thanks for the PM, bringing back here. An interesting and informative thread.
Thanks to all
Barry

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 04:08 PM

The song was already in existence long before Padraic Colum was.

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 01 Sep 06 - 04:46 PM

Mrs.Duck, I was thinking the same thing might be true but don't know for sure how old the song is. it sounds older than him, but...I don't know and don't have time today to scan for old threads that argue the point. I don't doubt he collected it, but wrote it? Surely not.


FYI:
Padraic Colum (8 December 1881 - 11 January 1972)
Irish poet and collector of folklore

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: MuddleC
Date: 02 Sep 06 - 03:47 PM

well, I always sing the version where her ghost comes back at the end, despite some of the other people moaning about my songs are too doom& gloom & disaster..... I look at like this, in the 'old' days when one was happy, there was no time to write because they were too busy enjoying the moment, whereas when the bad & sad times come, seems like there is more 'time' to write/compose to exorcise the demons.... hence more 'sad' songs!... and they have such good tunes!
..'happy' folk songs are called 'ceilidhs' or 'dances' !!!
Thanks for the 'one star awake' info,

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Subject: RE: He Moved through the fair
From: Rumncoke
Date: 02 Sep 06 - 04:59 PM

To be paid 'in kind, not cash' means you get goods or are fed and sheltered.

To lack kind would imply that the person had few posessions or perhaps the family had no house or estate of their own so he had no expectations of an inheritance.

It would not be uncommon to leave a fair in the early morning - I can't remember the title or author of the book (I never can these days) where I read the description now, but a young man staggers away from the beer tent, stepping over those who have slept out on the grass all night in a drunken stupor, looking for his father in order to get him back onto the cart and home - when found, neither of them has a penny left from the produce they have sold in the market which was held the previous morning, the closing bell of which marked the opening of the fair. I think the father is found without hat or boots and the son has lost his jacket.

The book was a novelisation of a diary.

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Moved through the Fair
From: Mo the caller
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 02:42 PM

I've always thought that kind referred to family. No highborn connections.

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Moved through the Fair
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 04:45 AM

I agree with those who believe it to be 'kind', in the sense of goods or possessions.

Incidentally, there is a BBC radio programme about the song here. In it,
Sinéad O'Connor says '... nowadays I wouldn't actually change the gender at all; I don't think it's appropriate'. She's right, of course.

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Moved through the Fair
From: Thompson
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 08:41 AM

Kind can mean either wealth or family lineage, in this context. Sorry, haven't heard the song referenced.

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