"Katie Cruel" is a traditional Americanfolksong, likely of Scottish origin. As a traditional song, it has been recorded by many performers, but the best known recording of the song is by Karen Dalton on the album In My Own Time. The American version of the song is said to date to the Revolutionary War period.[1] The song is Roud no. 1645.[2]
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The American lyrics appear to contain an oblique story of regret. As given in Eloise Hubbard Linscott's The Folk Songs of Old New England,[3] the full lyrics are:
When I first came to town, They called me the roving jewel; Now they've changed their tune, They call me Katy Cruel, Oh, diddle, lully day, Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus Oh that I was where I would be, Then I would be where I am not, Here am I where I must be, Go where I would, I can not, Oh, diddle, lully day, Oh, de little lioday.
When I first came to town, They brought me the bottles plenty; Now they've changed their tune, They bring me the bottles empty, Oh, diddle, lully day, Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
I know who I love, And I know who does love me; I know where I'm going, And I know who's going with me, Oh, diddle, lully day, Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Through the woods I go, And through the bogs and mire, Straightway down the road, And to my heart's desire, Oh, diddle, lully day, Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Eyes as bright as coal, Lips as bright as cherry, and 'tis her delight To make the young girls merry, Oh, diddle, lully day, Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
When I first came to town They called me the roving jewel Now they've changed their tune They call me Katy Cruel Oh, diddle, lully day, Oh, de little lioday.
Origins
The opening verse of the song bears a strong resemblance to the Scottish song, Licht Bob's Lassie, whose opening verses mirror the song in both notional content and form:[4]
First when I cam' tae the toon They ca'd me young and bonnie Noo they've changed my name Ca' me the licht bob's honey
First when I cam' tae the toon They ca'd me young and sonsie Noo they've changed my name They ca' me the licht bob's lassie
Dalton's performance of the song is perhaps the best known.[5] About her version, Stephen Thompson has written that "It's unsettling to hear Dalton, who died homeless and haunted, sing of bridges burned and backs turned."[6]
Agnes Obel did a version in 2011. The song also features on Raise Ravens, a 2011 release by Glasgow-based John Knox Sex Club who have brought together elements of both versions of the song. The song also features on Lady Maisery's second album, Mayday (released in 2013). Lisa LeBlanc recorded a version of the song on the album Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted in 2014. Rillian and the Doxie Chicks, a Los Angele-based, pirate-themed folk band, also released a version of the song on their second CD Left in the Longboat' in 2011.
The song "When I First Came to Town" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, from their 1992 album Henry's Dream, was adapted from Dalton's version of "Katy Cruel" though rewritten from the perspective of a male narrator. The song was also recorded by the Irish band Lankum on their 2019 album The Livelong Day.
^Ben Ratliff, "MUSIC: PLAYLIST; Resurrecting 'Katie Cruel' and That Old, Weird Trebly Sound", New York Times, Oct. 29, 2006, accessed Mar. 29, 2008.
^Stephen Thompson, Ruminations on Bridges Burned and Backs Turned. National Public Radio, Aug. 23, 2006, accessed Mar. 29, 2008.
January 06, 2023
katie, cruel, traditional, american, folksong, likely, scottish, origin, traditional, song, been, recorded, many, performers, best, known, recording, song, karen, dalton, album, time, american, version, song, said, date, revolutionary, period, song, roud, 1645. Katie Cruel is a traditional American folksong likely of Scottish origin As a traditional song it has been recorded by many performers but the best known recording of the song is by Karen Dalton on the album In My Own Time The American version of the song is said to date to the Revolutionary War period 1 The song is Roud no 1645 2 Contents 1 Lyrics 2 Origins 3 Performances 4 ReferencesLyrics EditThis page is a candidate to be copied to Wikisource If the page can be edited into an encyclopedic article rather than merely a copy of the source text please do so and remove this message Otherwise you can help by formatting it per the Wikisource guidelines in preparation for being imported to Wikisource by a Wikisource admin Note that if this source text is not in English it will have to be copied using the transwiki process The American lyrics appear to contain an oblique story of regret As given in Eloise Hubbard Linscott s The Folk Songs of Old New England 3 the full lyrics are When I first came to town They called me the roving jewel Now they ve changed their tune They call me Katy Cruel Oh diddle lully day Oh de little lioday Chorus Oh that I was where I would be Then I would be where I am not Here am I where I must be Go where I would I can not Oh diddle lully day Oh de little lioday When I first came to town They brought me the bottles plenty Now they ve changed their tune They bring me the bottles empty Oh diddle lully day Oh de little lioday Chorus I know who I love And I know who does love me I know where I m going And I know who s going with me Oh diddle lully day Oh de little lioday Chorus Through the woods I go And through the bogs and mire Straightway down the road And to my heart s desire Oh diddle lully day Oh de little lioday Chorus Eyes as bright as coal Lips as bright as cherry and tis her delight To make the young girls merry Oh diddle lully day Oh de little lioday Chorus When I first came to town They called me the roving jewel Now they ve changed their tune They call me Katy Cruel Oh diddle lully day Oh de little lioday Origins EditThe opening verse of the song bears a strong resemblance to the Scottish song Licht Bob s Lassie whose opening verses mirror the song in both notional content and form 4 First when I cam tae the toon They ca d me young and bonnie Noo they ve changed my name Ca me the licht bob s honey First when I cam tae the toon They ca d me young and sonsie Noo they ve changed my name They ca me the licht bob s lassie Licht Bob s Lassie would appear to tell a story about a camp follower or sex worker I ll die my petticoats red And face them wi the yellow I ll tell the dyser lad That the licht bob I m tae follow Feather beds are soft And painted rooms are bonnie I wad leave them a And jog along wi Johnny Oh my heart s been sair Shearin Craigie s corn I winnae see him the nicht But I ll see him the morn The imagery about dyeing petticoats is shared by the Irish Gaelic lament Siuil A Ruin Performances EditDalton s performance of the song is perhaps the best known 5 About her version Stephen Thompson has written that It s unsettling to hear Dalton who died homeless and haunted sing of bridges burned and backs turned 6 Jerry Garcia also performed the song as have a number of other performers including Peggy Seeger Sandy Paton the New Christy Minstrels Miss Katy Cruel 1965 Odetta Robin Pecknold Fleet Foxes Gingerthistle Linda Thompson Moira Smiley Allysen Callery Molly Tuttle The Tuttles and AJ Lee Joe Dassin and Bert Jansch with Beth Orton and Devendra Banhart Cordelia s Dad recorded the song on their 1995 release Comet The Demon Barbers also recorded the song on their 2002 album Uncut White Magic started covering the song live in 2004 and released it as a single in 2006 French singer and actress Marie Laforet recorded English and French versions of the song in the 1960s The Owl Service recorded a version of the song on their album A Garland of Song Agnes Obel did a version in 2011 The song also features on Raise Ravens a 2011 release by Glasgow based John Knox Sex Club who have brought together elements of both versions of the song The song also features on Lady Maisery s second album Mayday released in 2013 Lisa LeBlanc recorded a version of the song on the album Highways Heartaches and Time Well Wasted in 2014 Rillian and the Doxie Chicks a Los Angele based pirate themed folk band also released a version of the song on their second CD Left in the Longboat in 2011 The song When I First Came to Town by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds from their 1992 album Henry s Dream was adapted from Dalton s version of Katy Cruel though rewritten from the perspective of a male narrator The song was also recorded by the Irish band Lankum on their 2019 album The Livelong Day References Edit Ken Goldstein liner notes to Sandy Paton The Many Sides of Sandy Paton sound recording Elektra Records 1959 cat no 148 Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Retrieved June 3 2016 Dover 1993 ISBN 0 486 27827 1 Jean Redpath Scottish Ballad Book sound recording Elektra EKL 214 LP 1962 Ben Ratliff MUSIC PLAYLIST Resurrecting Katie Cruel and That Old Weird Trebly Sound New York Times Oct 29 2006 accessed Mar 29 2008 Stephen Thompson Ruminations on Bridges Burned and Backs Turned National Public Radio Aug 23 2006 accessed Mar 29 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Katie Cruel amp oldid 1099992001, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
