What happens at night? North East Folk Songs after dark

In this blog post, Cathryn takes a look at more folk songs with links to the North East.

The first is Long Lankin (or Lamkin, Bo Lamkin etc.- there are a large variety of titles for the song). This murder ballad was first recorded in writing in 1775 in Kent, although like most folk song it probably dates back even further. There are two main versions of the song, one from Scotland and one from Northumbria. The basic premise of both is the same, a wealthy baby and his mother are killed by Lankin who is aided by the child’s nursemaid. What differs between the Scottish and Northumbrian versions of the song is the motive of the killer. In the Scottish version, Lankin is the mason who helped build the family’s castle, and his killings are revenge for not being paid. In the Northumbrian version, Lankin’s mason backstory is removed, and he becomes a sort of ‘bogeyman’ figure.

But are the killings in the Northumbrian version as really as motiveless as they first appear?  It has been suggested by several scholars and collectors of folk music that Lankin suffers from leprosy and this is what motivates his crimes. Let’s take a look at some of the lyrics which could be used to support this theory. Firstly, the opening verse,

Said my lord to my lady as he mounted his horse.

“Beware of Long Lankin who lives in the moss.”

Said my lord to my lady as he rode away

“Beware of Long Lankin who lives in the hay.”

As Lankin is described as living in the moss and the hay this suggests that he is living away from any larger population areas. In the past, people with leprosy were often required to live away from highly populated areas. The details of the murder of the baby again imply that Lankin is seeking a cure for his leprosy,

So they pricked him and pricked him all over with a pin.

And the false nurse held the basin for the blood to flow in.

One Medieval treatment for leprosy was bathing in the blood of an innocent that had been collected in a silver basin. This would explain why the baby’s blood is collected and in some versions of the ballad the basin used is silver. Finally, Lankin’s name also implies that he has leprosy. It is likely to refer to him having pale skin, akin to a lamb’s fleece. Patches of skin paler than the person’s normal skin tone is one symptom of leprosy. The ballad of Long Lankin along with the ballad of Little Sir Hugh (mentioned in the Medieval Pilgrimage blog post) were popular with lace makers, who were particularly fond of dark and macabre songs. (Perhaps the subject of another blog post)?

Moving from the macabre to the comical. The second song we’ll take a somewhat briefer look at is Keep yor Feet Still Geordie Hinny. This song, or rather its’ lyrics were written by Newcastle songwriter and performer Joe Wilson in the 1850s or 1860s. The tune for the song was taken from an existing American song Nelly Gray. It is common for folk songs to share the same tune with others. As well as Keep yor Feet Still Geordie Hinny, Nelly Gray also shares its’ tune with the Liverpool song Maggie May. Written in a music hall style, this comic song tells how one man is having trouble sleeping. At the time of the song’s writing, it was common for men working away from home, particularly those working in civil engineering or building to share accommodation and beds in order to save on costs. In the song, Bob is being constantly kicked by a fidgeting Geordie. This not only wakes him up, it also puts an end to his dreams which commonly feature the woman that Bob is in love with. Here we can see how Joe Wilson has taken the often comical music hall style and has adapted it to appeal to a North Eastern audience.

So there we are, two more songs with links to the North East depicting what happens after dark from the macabre to the comical.