Andrew Gant

Folk Songs Of The British Isles

Folksongs are a country's history told by the people themselves. They deal with everyday life and the perils of living in a particular age- of press-gangs and poachers, of the joys of a life at sea, and the sorrow of losing a husband to a foreign war.
This volume, then, is a record of a tradition which is still alive and still changing, and singers should feel free to use it how they wish; with guitar, piano or small band; with one voice or several; for singing, playing, dancing or all three.
In many cases the rhythm of the melody will have to be adapted to the underlay of the words in the second and subsequent verses- singers should use their discretion about how this may best be done.