FTX-045 - BALLADS OF BAWLENGRO -1-

FRED ROOKE'S GYPSY SONGS

Born in Norfolk in 1935, Fred is a farm-worker with an ability to make songs mainly about the countryside, and especially Romany gypsies. This has come about, first through his contact with them, while working on farms, but then later by reading up the scant literature he could find.

1. BARHAM GUR AND THE LURI (talk before about Persian origin) - 2'59"

2. CHARLIE FOX (talk bef about poaching origin of the story/ double tracked- 2'33"

3. THE GYPSY NAILSMITH (talk: religious origin relating to the Pope) - 4'02"

4. THE PARAFFIN MAN (talk: origin in W.I. childhood memories book) - 2'38"

5. PIPLATSCH or THE GYPSY'S DREAM (talk before about origin) - 5'02"

6. THE GYPSY BROTHERS (talk bef about farmer's stories/ d-tracked) - 2'38"

7. THE PRIZE-FIGHTERS or COROMENGRO (talk about chastity) - 2'32"

8. THE WANDERING FELLOW (talk: also from W.I. booklet/ d-t) - 2'22"

9. PIGLETS (talk before: another in Norfolk dialect) - 1'44"

10. ARCHIE MEAD (another Norfolk number but located in Hereforsdshire) - 2'38"

11. Talk about his song-making - 1'10"

12. THE GYPSY FIDDLER (no talk beforehand) - 3'40"

13. THE GYPSY AND THE FARMER (talk about origin/ double-tracked) - 2'59"

14. UNCLE AWRAM (talk about Austrian girl origin transposed) - 2'53"

15. THE DIDIKAI CARAVAN (talk bef about moving wagons) - 2'06"

16. LIQUID GOLD (talk before about the use of ferret's water) - 2'24"

17. SHE WHISTLED FOR THE WEASEL (talk before about folklore origin) - 5'52"

18. THE SCRAP-METAL MAN CALLED DAVIE (talk before) - 3'15"

19. THE SAPLING WILLOW (no talk before) - 1'08"

Recorded by Peter Kennedy and Chris Hardwidge October 1974. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published by Folktrax 1975.

Fred Rooke's first recording, FTX-044, featured his early Norfolk "dialect songs" about many different aspects of country life. His second album of gypsy ballads is on FTX-046.