Editing Lord Randall

{{short description|Traditional song}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Lord Randall
| cover      = Lord_Randal.jpg
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| caption    = Illustration by [[Arthur Rackham]] in ''Some British Ballads'', ca. 1919
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| written    = 17th century (earliest known)
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| genre      = [[Border ballad]], [[Folk music|folk song]]
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| writer     = Unknown
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"'''Lord Randall'''", or "'''Lord Randal'''", ({{English folk song|roud=10|child=12}}) is an [[England|Anglo]]-[[Scotland|Scottish]] [[border ballad]]<ref>''Border Ballads'' By William Beattie, Compiled by William Beattie, Published by Penguin Books, 1952, p. 17</ref> consisting of dialogue between a young Lord and his mother.<ref>[[Francis James Child]], ''English and Scottish Popular Ballads'', [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch012.htm "Lord Randal"]</ref>  Similar ballads can be found across [[Europe]] in many languages, including [[Danish language|Danish]], [[German language|German]], [[Hungarian language|Magyar]], [[Irish language|Irish]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]], and [[Sorbian languages|Wendish]].<ref>{{cite journal|title = Spin Magazine article on Finding Folk Songs|last1=Leonhardt|first1=Luise|journal=Spin Magazine|date=1968|volume=6|issue=4|page=17}}</ref>
<ref>Francis James Child, ''The English and Scottish Popular Ballads'', v. 1, pp. 153–55, Dover Publications, New York 1965</ref> [[Italian language|Italian]] variants are usually titled "{{Ill|L'avvelenato|it}}" ("The Poisoned Man") or "Il testamento dell'avvelenato" ("The Poisoned Man's Will"), the earliest known version being a 1629 setting by Camillo il Bianchino, in [[Verona]].<ref>[[Alessandro D'Ancona]], ''La poesia popolare italiana'' Livorno, 1878, cf. {{Ill|L'avvelenato|it}}</ref> Under the title "Croodlin Doo" [[Robert Chambers (publisher, born 1802)|Robert Chambers]] published a version in his "Scottish Ballads" (1829) page 324.<ref name="The Croodlin doo">{{cite web |last1=Vaugan Williams |first1=Ralph |title=Mr |url=https://www.vwml.org/search?q=whaur%20hae%20ye%20been&is=1 |website=Vaughan Williams Memorial Library |publisher=Cecil Sharp House |access-date=13 November 2022}}</ref><ref name="Bluegrass Lyrics">{{cite web |last1=Matteson jnr |first1=Richard |title=Mr |url=http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/croodlin-doo--scot-1826-chambers-child-k.aspx |website=Bluegrassmessengers |publisher=www.bluegrassmessengers |access-date=13 November 2022}}</ref>

==Summary==
Lord Randall returns home to his mother after visiting his lover. Randall explains that his lover gave him a dinner of eels boiled in broo and that his hunting dogs died after eating the scraps of the meal, leading his mother to realize that he has been poisoned.<ref>Francis James Child, ''The English and Scottish Popular Ballads'', v. 1, p. 153, Dover Publications, New York 1965</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Venomous woman: fear of the female in literature|last=Hallissy|first=Margaret|date=1987|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=0313259194|location=New York|pages=24|oclc=15790392}}</ref> In some variants, Randall dictates his [[Last Will and Testament|last will and testament]] in readiness for his impending death, dividing his possessions among family members and wishing damnation on his lover. Her motive for poisoning him is never discussed.<ref name=":0" />

== Traditional recordings ==
Many traditional versions of the ballad survived long enough to be recorded by [[Folklore studies|folklorists]] and [[Ethnomusicology|ethnomusicologists]].

Most traditional English versions are called "Henry, My Son". Dorset traveller Caroline Hughes sang a version to [[Peter Kennedy (folklorist)|Peter Kennedy]] in 1968<ref>{{Cite web|title=Henry My Son (Roud Folksong Index S208024)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S208024|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> and another to [[Ewan MacColl]] and [[Peggy Seeger]] in the early 1960s which can be heard online on the [[Vaughan Williams Memorial Library]] website.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Henry My Son (Roud Folksong Index S370306)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S370306|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> [[Fred Jordan (singer)|Fred Jordan]] of [[Ludlow]], [[Shropshire]] also sang "Henry, My Son" to Mike Yates in 1964<ref>{{Cite web|title=Henry My Son (Roud Folksong Index S302186)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S302186|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> and Gwilym Davies in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Henry My Son (Roud Folksong Index S237686)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S237686|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> Louisa Hooper of [[Somerset]], [[England]] (sister of the traditional singer [[Lucy White]]) was recorded singing a version entitled "Lord Rendal" by the [[BBC]] and [[Douglas Cleverdon]] in 1942.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Rendal (Roud Folksong Index S182618)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S182618|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref>

James Madison Carpenter recorded many Scottish versions between 1929 and 1935, which can also be heard on the [[Vaughan Williams Memorial Library]] website.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randal (VWML Song Index SN17894)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/VWMLSongIndex/SN17894|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randle (VWML Song Index SN17099)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/VWMLSongIndex/SN17099|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Roland (VWML Song Index SN19385)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/VWMLSongIndex/SN19385|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randle (VWML Song Index SN17133)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/VWMLSongIndex/SN17133|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> Russian tenor [[Vladimir Rosing]] recorded "Lord Rendal", the Somerset version arranged by [[Cecil Sharp]], on Vocalion A-0167 in the early 1920s. [[Scotland|Scottish]] singer Betsy Miller sang her traditional version with her famous son [[Ewan MacColl]] to [[Alan Lomax]] in 1953<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randall (Roud Folksong Index S341570)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S341570|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> and on the 1960 album ''A Garland Of Scots Folksong''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randal (Roud Folksong Index S346064)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S346064|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Betsy Miller and Ewan MacColl - A Garland Of Scots Folksong|url=http://ewan-maccoll.info/AlbumInfo.aspx?ID=96|access-date=2020-11-20|website=ewan-maccoll.info}}</ref> Scottish traveller [[Jeannie Robertson]] had her version entitled "Lord Donald" recorded by [[Peter Kennedy (folklorist)|Peter Kennedy]] in 1953<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Donald (Roud Folksong Index S213594)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S213594|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> and again by the [[BBC]] in 1963,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Donald (Roud Folksong Index S182538)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S182538|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> and her nephew [[Stanley Robertson (folk singer)|Stanley Robertson]] was later recorded singing the same version,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Donald (Roud Folksong Index S433874)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S433874|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Donald (Roud Folksong Index S433873)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S433873|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> the audio of which is available on the [[Tobar an Dualchais – Kist o Riches|Tobar an Dualchais]] website.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tobar an Dualchais Kist O Riches|url=http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/82998?l=en|access-date=2020-11-20|website=www.tobarandualchais.co.uk}}</ref>

The Irish traditional singer [[Elizabeth Cronin]] was recorded several times singing a version called Lord Rendal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Rendal (Roud Folksong Index S182619)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S182619|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randal (Roud Folksong Index S448301)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S448301|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randal (Roud Folksong Index S243505)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S243505|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> The Irish [[Sean-nós singing|sean nós]] singer [[Joe Heaney]] sang an Irish language version titled ''Amhrán na hEascainne'' (''Song of the Eel'').<ref>{{cite web | url=http://bluegrassmessengers.com/the-song-of-the-eel--heaney-ireland-pre1964.aspx | title=Bluegrass Messengers - the Song of the Eel- Heaney (Ireland) pre-1964 }}</ref>

Several [[Appalachian music|Appalachian]] musicians recorded the ballad; [[Jean Ritchie]] sang the Ritchie family version on the album ''Jean Ritchie: Ballads from her Appalachian Family Tradition,''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jean Ritchie: Ballads from her Appalachian Family Tradition|url=https://folkways.si.edu/jean-ritchie/ballads-from-her-appalachian-family-tradition/american-folk/music/album/smithsonian|access-date=2020-11-20|website=Smithsonian Folkways Recordings|language=en-US}}</ref> whilst [[Frank Proffitt]] was recorded singing another traditional version in 1961.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Randall (Roud Folksong Index S213866)|url=https://www.vwml.org/record/RoudFS/S213866|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library|language=en-gb}}</ref> The ballad was also collected extensively throughout the rest of America.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Search: RN10 sound USA|url=https://www.vwml.org/search?q=rn10%20sound%20usa&is=1|access-date=2020-11-20|website=www.vwml.org}}</ref>

Modern traditional artists continue to tell the Lord Randall story. Examples include [[Martin Carthy]], [[Steeleye Span]] and [[June Tabor]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mainlynorfolk.info/martin.carthy/songs/lordrandall.html|title=Lord Randall / Henry My Son / What Had You for Supper / Buried in Kilkenny|website=Mainly Norfolk|accessdate=14 April 2025}}</ref> and [[Faun (band)|Faun]] included a traditional version on their 2022 album ''Pagan''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Faun – Pagan (2022) – Review|url=https://www.rockmusicraider.com/faun-pagan-review/|website=Rock Music Raider|date=20 September 2022|accessdate=12 April 2025}}</ref>

==Cultural uses==
Dorothy L. Sayers' 1930 novel ''[[Strong Poison]]'' uses part of the ballad for a title, and has it as epigraph.

In 1962, [[Bob Dylan]] modeled his song "[[A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall]]" on "Lord Randall", introducing each verse with variants of the introductory lines to each verse of "Lord Randall". Dylan's ballad is often interpreted as a reaction to the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]]. Dylan himself disclaimed this as an [[oversimplification]], and in reality, Dylan first publicly performed the song a month before the crisis.<ref>{{cite book|first=Mike|last=Marqusee|title=Wicked messenger: Bob Dylan and the 1960s|publisher=Seven Stories Press|date=2005|pages=64ff|isbn=978-1583226865}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Robert|last=Shelton|title=No direction home: the life and music of Bob Dylan|publisher=Da Capo Press|date=2003|page=152|isbn=978-0140102963}}</ref>

The song features prominently in ''The Proof of My Innocence'', a novel by [[Jonathan Coe]] published in 2024.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|first=Justine|last=Jordan|date=8 November 2024|title=The Proof of My Innocence by Jonathan Coe review – ingenious cosy crime spoof|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/nov/08/the-proof-of-my-innocence-by-jonathan-coe-review-ingenious-cosy-spoof}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of the Child Ballads]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource|Child's Ballads/12}}
* {{Commonscatinline}}
*Digitised copy of [http://digital.nls.uk/87742141 Lord Randal] in James Johnson's [[Scots Musical Museum]], printed between 1787 and 1803, from [[National Library of Scotland]]. JPEG, PDF, XML versions.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UooMssjjci0 Traditional English Lute Songs - Lord Randall]
* A painting of the poisoning of Jimmy Randall appears on Kentucky artist and ballad singer Daniel Dutton's web site: [https://web.archive.org/web/20061127180923/http://www.dandutton.com/ballad_events.html "Ballads of the Barefoot Mind"]
* Italian version [http://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=L%27Avvelenato "L'avvelenato"]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmAHIMbzccc Appalachian mountains version] by [[John Jacob Niles]] (1892-1980)
{{Francis James Child}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:English poems]]
[[Category:Scottish poems]]
[[Category:Child Ballads]]
[[Category:Murder ballads]]
[[Category:Burl Ives songs]]
[[Category:Northumbrian folklore]]
[[Category:Characters in poems]]
[[Category:Middle Scots poems]]
[[Category:Songs with unknown songwriters]]
[[Category:17th-century songs]]
[[Category:Border ballads]]