Polly Vaughan- Walter Pardon (Norfolk) 1978 REC
[From the recording Walter Pardon: Put a Bit of Powder on it, Father (MT CD 305-6).
A bio excerpt and liner notes follow.
R. Matteson 2016]
Walter Pardon:
Walter William Pardon lived all his life in the redbrick farm workers' cottage where he was born on 4th March 1914, in the village of Knapton, Norfolk. His parents were Thomas Pardon (1877-1957) and Emily, née Gee (1874-1953). All the male members of his family, on both sides, had been farm workers of one kind or another for as far back as anyone could remember, so young Walter was unusual in that he was apprenticed at fourteen to a carpenter in the village of Paston, and spent all his working life as a carpenter, interrupted by four years in the army (again as a carpenter, at Aldershot) during the Second World War.
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Like Seventeen Come Sunday this is another extremely popular song (122 instances) all over the British Isles and USA, with a few versions found in Canada and just Sally Sloane, again, in Australia. Given the supernatural elements in some versions, it could be a very old song indeed, yet it still has enormous appeal, so that there are some 25 sound recordings - most of the English ones being from East Anglia.
Polly Vaughan - sung by Walter Pardon
Come all you young sportsmen who carry a gun
I'd have you go home by the light of the sun
Young Jimmy was out fowling by the moon
When he shot his own true-love in room of a swan.
Then straight to his Uncle young Jimmy did run
Oh Uncle, dear Uncle, have you heard what I've done
Curse that old gunsmith who made me this gun
For I've shot my own true-love in room of a swan.
Then out come old Uncle with his locks hanging grey
Oh Jimmy boy, Jimmy, don't you run away
Don't you leave the old country 'til the trial comes on
For they never shall hang you for shooting a swan.