Planxty - The Well Below the Valley

Planxty is an Irish folk music band formed in the 1970s, consisting of Christy Moore (vocals, acoustic guitar, bodhrán), Dónal Lunny (bouzouki, guitars), Andy Irvine (mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, hurdy-gurdy, harmonica), and Liam O’Flynn (uilleann pipes, tin whistle).

01.Cunla
02.Pat Reilly
03.The Kid On On The Mountain, An Phis Fhliuch
04.As I Roved Out (Andy Irvine)
05.The Dogs Among The Bushes, Jenny's Wedding
06.The Well Below The Valley
07.Hewlett
08.Bean Phaidin
09.Fisherman's Lilt, Cronin's Hornpipe
10.As I Roved Out (Christy Moore)
11.Humours Of Ballyloughlin

http://www.mediafire.com/?0vbmsiqntvng725



"The Maid and the Palmer" or "The Well Below The Valley" is Child ballad 21 and a murder ballad. Because of its dark and sinister lyrics (implying murder and, in some versions, incest), the song was often avoided by folk singers. It is claimed that Tom Munnelly was largely responsible for preserving the song. Munnelly heard it sung by a member of the travelling community named John Reilly in County Roscommon in 1963.

A palmer begs a cup from a maid who is washing at the well, so that he could drink from. She says she has none. He says that she would have, if her lover came. She swore she had never had a lover. He says that she has borne nine babies and tells her where she buried the bodies. She begs some penance from him. He tells her that she will be transformed into a stepping-stone for seven years, a bell-clapper for seven, and spend seven years in hell.

In some variants, the children were incestously conceived.

This ballad combines themes from the Biblical stories of the Samaritan woman at the well, and Mary Magdalene.In several foreign variants, the palmer is in fact Jesus.

The ballad "The Cruel Mother", Child ballad 20, exists in a number of variants; one contains a number of verses that appear to stem from this one.



A gentleman was passing by
He asked for a drink as he got dry
At the well below below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

Me cup is full up to the brim
If I were to stoop I might fall in
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

If your true love was passing by
You'd fill him a drink as he got dry
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

She swore by grass, she swore by corn
That her true love had never been born
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

He said, Young maid, you're swearing wrong
For six fine children you had born
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

If you be a man of noble fame
You'll tell to me the father o' them
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

There's two of them by your Uncle Dan
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

Another two by your brother John
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

Another two by your Father dear
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

If you be a man of noble esteem
You'll tell to me what has happened to them
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

There's two buried 'neath the stable door
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

Another two near the kitchen door
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

Another two buried beneath the well
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

If you be a man of noble fame
You'll tell to me what'll happen mesel'
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

You'll be seven years a-ringing the bell
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

You'll be seven more a-portin' in Hell
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o

I'll be seven years a-ringing the bell
But the Lord above may save me soul
From portin' in Hell
At the well below the valley o
Green grows the lily o
Right among the bushes o.