FTX-041 - HOW DO YOU DO, SIR?

THE KENNEDY FAMILY

The two leaders of the First Folk Revival in England, disciples of Cecil Sharp, with a programme of their favourite songs and dances. In addition to English folksongs, Douglas Kennedy sings some of the Scots ballads handed down in his own family from David Kennedy, his famous "Singing Kennedys" grandfather. Further songs and instrumentals are provided by Helen Kennedy, on pipe and tabor, and English concertina. and by their son, Peter Kennedy, singing and playing fiddle, melodeon and guitar and leading the band. Eirlys Kennedy sings and plays banjo and their two children, David (6) and Jonathon (5) perform and both Eirlys and Beryl Kennedy take part in choruses.

1. HOW DO YOU DO SIR? (Morris Dance) - HK (conc), PK (mel) & family - 1.08

2. FRIED BREAD AND BRANDY - David & Jonathon - 0.58

3. I SENT HER FOR BUTTER (Edinburgh children's song) - DK - 1.02

4. CHEVY CHACE - PK (Northumbrian small-pipes) - 0.49

5. THE GOLDEN VANITIE (Child 286) - DNK (talk before) - 3.14

6. PRINCESS ROYAL/ THE BATTLE OF THE NILE - HK (conc) & PK (fid) - 2.28

7. BETTY AND HER DUCKS - DNK & HK with PK (mel) - 2.28

8. SHEPHERD'S HEY (Morris Dance) - HK (conc.) & PK (fid) - 0.54

9. THE FORLORN LOVER - PK (voc/ gtr) - 2.34

10. THE WINSTER GALOP (Derbyshire Country Dance) - HK (conc)/ EK (banjo)/ PK (melodeon) & DNK (drums) - 1.49

11. GEORDIE (Child #209) - EK (voc) with PK (gtr) - 2.30

12. LEAP FROG (Morris Dance) - HK (conc) talk before - 1.26

13. HAME CAM OOR GUDEMAN AT EEN (Child #274) - DNK (unacc) - 3.35

14. THE HOLE IN THE WALL (Playford Country Dance) - HK (conc) with PK (gtr) - 1.20

15. JACK HALL - DNK (with clappers) - 2.27

16. THE NUTTING GIRL/ COME LANDLORD (Song Airs) - PK & The Band - 2.02

17. ON ILKLA MOOR BA' T'AT (collected by DNK Yorkshire 1915) - DNK (unacc) - 2.28

18. THE ABBOTS BROMLEY HORN DANCE "The Old Tune" - HK (conc) with DNK (clappers) & PK triangle - 1.21

19. HARES ON THE MOUNTAINS - DNK with PK (gtr) - 1.30

20. BERWICK-ON-TWEED "SHOP TALK" - DNK (talk bef & aft) - 0.45

21. SEVEN GIPSIES (Child #200) - David & Jonathon with PK (gtr) - 1.08

22. THE AMPLEFORTH SWORD DANCE TUNE - HK (conc) talk bef - 1.23

23. THE JOLLY HERRING - DNK, HK, BK & PK (unacc) - 1.47

24. CUPID'S WALTZ - PK (mel) HK (conc) EK (banjo) & DNK (drums) - 1.44

25. THE DEATH OF QUEEN JANE (Child #170) - DNK (unaccomp) - 2.37

26 'BACCA PIPES (3 figs of solo Morris Dance) - PK (fid) with HK (conc) - 1.36

27. ON THE BANKS OF THE ROSES - PK (voc/ 12-str gtr) & EK - 2.05

28. BONNY GREEN GARTERS (Morris Dance) - PK (fid) with HK (conc) - 0.57

29. THE TREES THEY DO GROW HIGH - DNK (unaccomp) - 2.24

30. ISAAC'S MAGGOT (Playford Country Dance) - HK (conc) with PK (gtr) - 1.07

31. I'LL GO AND ENLIST FOR A SAILOR (Morris Dance) - HK (3 hole pipe & tabor) - 0.46

32. ROSIN THE BEAU/ LOVE, PORT AND SHERRY (Jigs) - The Haymaker's Band - 2.13

Recorded by Peter Kennedy, Waldringfield, Woodbridge, Suffolk, Christmas 1961. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published by Folktrax 1975.

DNK = DOUGLAS NEIL KENNEDY, MBE (1919) & OBE (1952) b.May 11th 1893 Edinburgh & d. 7th Jan 1988 Waldringfield, Suffolk. He was the grandson of the famous Edinburgh folksinger, David Kennedy (1825-1886), who travelled Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa performing to emigrant Scots families. One of David's daughters was Marjorie Kennedy-Fraser, who collected and performed THE SONGS OF THE HEBRIDES with her daughter playing Clarsach, the Scottish minstrel harp. She used an Edison-Bell phonograph to record the melodies of many of the now well- known Hebridean songs such as THE ROAD TO THE ISLES, the words of which were written by her collaborator, Kenneth McLeod.

Douglas's father, an Edinburgh lawyer who threw up law to become a singer and a well-known singing teacher, died in 1912 attending one of his pupils in Bristol. Douglas, dancer, singer, teacher, choreographer, dance caller, author, lecturer, broadcaster, became director of "The English Folk Dance Society", founded by Cecil Sharp in 1911, following the death of its founder in 1924, until he retired in 1961. He was Vice President 1964-1988.

In 1932, under his directorship, the EFDS amalgamated with The Folk-Song Society, founded in 1898, to become The English Folk Dance and Song Society. Its headquarters are at Cecil Sharp House, erected in Sharp's memory at 2 Regents Park Road, Camden Town. It contains Sharp's library, now re-named "The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library". Douglas was Squire of the Morris Ring 1938-47 and President of The Folklore Society 1964-5. Publications: "England's Dances" (Bell & Son 1949)

HK = HELEN MAY KENNEDY (1888-1976), was the first secretary of The English Folk Dance Society, founded by Cecil Sharp. in 1928 she was elected an Hon RCM in recognition of her services to Music and to the Royal College of Music in London.