Claudy Banks
Twas on one summer's evening all in the month of May
Down by a flow'ry garden where Betsy did stray.
I overheard a damsel in sorrow to complain,
All for her absent lover that ploughs the raging main.
I stepped up to this fair maid and put her in surprise,
She owned she did not know me, I being all in disguise.
I said, My charming creature, my joy and heart's delight,
How far have you to travel this dark and rainy night?
Away, kind sir, to the Claudy banks if you will please to show,
Pity a poor girl distracted for there I have to go.
I am in search of a young man and Johnny is his name,
And on the banks of Claudy I'm told he does remain.
If Johnny he was here this night he would keep me from all harm
But he's in the field of battle all in his uniform,
He is in the field of battle his foes he will destroy,
Like a roaring King of honour all in the wars of Troy.
It was six months or better since my Johnny left the shore,
He's a-cruising the wide ocean where the foaming billows roar,
He's a-cruising the wide ocean for honour or for gain,
But I'm told his ship got wreck-ed all on the coast of Spain.
When Betsy heard this dreadful news she fell into despair,
In a-wringing of her hands and a-tearing of her hair.
Since Johnny has gone and left me no man on earth I'll take,
Down in some lonesome valley I'll wander for his sake.
Young Johnny hearing her say so he could no longer stand,
He fell into her arms crying, Betsy, I'm that man,
I am that faithful young man and whom you thought was slain,
And since we met on Claudy banks we'll never part again.
This song is on the first Coppersongs LP,
on the Coppersongs3 CD;
in The Copper Family Song Book,
and also in Bob Copper's book, A Song for Every Season.
The Young Tradition sing a version on their eponymous 1966 recording. Part of the unsigned note on the CD re-release reads: "Like 'The Innocent Hare' ['Sportsmen Arouse'] we adapted this for three voices from the singing of the Copper family of Rottingdean."
Coppersite
New: 5 November 1998 | Now: 6 November 2001 | Garry Gillard fecit