March 09, 2006

Ballads! Get yer ballads here! The Bodleian Library in Oxford has put its tremendous collection of broadside ballads online. Searchable by title, first line, subject and a host of other criteria. There's a search thingy for illustrations, too, and many sound files available.

Scottish ballads also previously here on MoFi courtesy of Plegmund; see also Abiezer's awesome link. I'm posting this in atonement for yesterday's ill-conceived Prince William thing; hope it finds favour.

posted by Pallas Athena 18 years ago
  • This is great stuff, PA - I shall spend some browsing through this. It's a shame the sound files are mids rather than some folk singer belting out the words, but it's not really fair to complain.
  • Who knows how to cousin one Natty little woman-oh Who can tie a bussel on Clever little woman-oh She can ease an aching breast Of such a one were I possess'd I'd love her well, and guess the rest, Stunning little woman. Clearly Oscar Hammerstein based "There is Nothing Like a Dame" on this and didn';t credit E.M.A. Hodges. Bloody plaigarist. Absolutely charming site. Scanning old books ROCKS!
  • this is very, very cool. thanks. i wonder why they didn't use an ocr system. though maybe they did for the cataloging but decided to make the images available as interesting in themselves.
  • Can't get in. :( You buggers monkeyed it up!
  • Woebegotten chap was one, Davey was his name-oh Who could sometimes spin a yarn Inducing vertigo He sailed across the airy sea 'Gainst heedless toils and plights, He bravely trod the filter-land and wrote a shite ballad. (Hey cool post!)
  • The Jolly Toper With my pipe in one hand and my jug in the other I'll drink to my neighbour and friend; All cares in a whiff of Tobacco I'll smother, For Life I know shortly must end; But while Ceres kindly refills my brown jug With good liquor I'll make myself mellow, In an old wicker chair I'll seat myself snug, Like a jolly and true-hearted fellow. I'll ne'er trouble my head with the cares of the nation, I've enough of my own for to mind, For the cares of this life are but grief and vexation, To death we must all be confin'd; Then I'll laugh, drink and smoke, and leave nothing to pay, But drop like a pear that is mellow, And when cold in my coffin, I'll leave them to say, He's gone, what a hearty good fellow.
  • This one fell off the front page before I had a chance to comment -- over 130 ballads alone on horse-racing, 5 on horse dealing, 30 on horses. A fine reference, Pallas Athena, thank you.