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The Handweaver and the Factory Maid

from The Confluence by Stray Hens

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    The Confluence is a 12 track album featuring Sally Taylor, Richard Grace, Ryan Tews, Carmen O'Brien and Mandy Connell.

    Each artist leads a song (Vocals) and the CD features

    Tom Paine's Bones (Graham Moore
    Mad Tom of Bedlam (Arr Stray Hens. Tune by Nick Jones and Dave Moran)
    Diamantina Drover (Hugh McDonald)
    Song of the Inland Rain (Roger Montgomery / Jack Sorenson)
    (With Tune "The Confluence" by Ryan Tews
    The Dreadful End of Mariana For Sorcery (Karine Polwart)
    The Cruel Mother (Trad Arr Mandy Connell)
    Pot & Tinker (Mandy Connell)
    The Handweaver & THe factory Maid (Trad/ A L Lloyd)
    Riddles Wisely Expounded (Trad)
    Ballad Of Accounting (Ewan MacColl)
    The Recruited Collier (Trad Arr Mandy Stray Hens)

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Confluence via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ... more
    ships out within 12 days
    Purchasable with gift card

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about

(Roud 17771)
Lead vocals by Richard Grace - the song was put into the 5/8 by Richard- but developed by the band for each of our respective parts.

Richard did some research and found out that the lyrics to this one were dramatically adjusted by the famous A. L. Lloyd.

Further research and summary can be found at Mainly Norfolk- Here:

mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/theweaverandthefactorymaid.html

lyrics

Handweaver and the Factory Maid (Trad / A.L. Lloyd)

I am a hand weaver to my trade

Bm

I fell in love with a factory maid

Bm

And if I could but her favour win

Bm

I would stand beside her and weave by steam

Verse 2

My father to me scornful said

"How can you fancy a factory maid?

When you could have lovers fine and gay

Dressed like unto the Queen of May"

Verse 3

As for your fine girls I don't care

If I could but enjoy my dear

We'd stand in the factory all the day

And she and I'd keep our shuttles in play

Backing Vocal x4

Shuttle goes forth and the shuttle goes back

Verse 4

I went to my lover's bedroom door

Where I'd been often times before

But I could not speak nor yet get in

To the pleasant bed where my love lay in

Verse 5 - Hens sing in 6/4, back to 5/4 on "enjoys she"

Bm A/E Bm

How can you say it's a pleasant bed

Bm A/E Bm

When nowt lies there but a factory maid?

Bm A/E Bm

And a factory maid though ere she be

Bm A/E C Bm

Blest is the man who enjoys she

Verse 6

O pleasant thoughts all come to my mind

As I turn down the sheets so fine

And I seen her two breasts standing so

Just like two white hills all covered with snow

Verse 7 - stop on "rise at dawn", last line is spoken

Where are the fine girls, I'll tell you plain

They've all gone for to weave by steam

And if you'll find them you must rise at dawn

And trudge to the mill in the early morn

Handweaver Tune

“The Musical Priest”

| Bm A | Bm A | Bm A | E F# |

| D A | D A | D A | G F# |

| Bm A | Bm A | Bm A | E F# |

credits

from The Confluence, released December 2, 2016
Ryan Tews (Drums)
Mandy Connell (Vocal and Guitar)
Carmen O'Brien (Fiddle and Vocals)
Sally Taylor (Lead Vocals)
Richard Grace (Double Bass

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about

Stray Hens Melbourne, Australia

Three stunning frontwomen, on fiddles, vocal and guitar, backed by drums & double bass. No one in Australia is arranging folk revival songs with such passion. Complex harmonies, jazz & old-timey inspired rythms, & anceint anglo ballads create a theatrical show.
Formed in March 2013, & already booked for some of the country's Premier festivals, their debut EP has us anticipating the full album!
... more

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