More Gypsies

Following up yesterday's "Electrick Gypsies" post, here are three versions of the old British folk song telling the story of how Gypsy (or Black Jack) Davey lures a titled lady away from her husband, child and worldly possessions. There are many more versions of this knocking about, but three is probably enough to be getting on with. Here they are:

http://www.box.net/shared/3v9xpl74ez

The first two are perhaps not all that unexpected coming as they do from what might loosely be described as the UK folk-rock boom of the late 1960s and early 1970s: "Gypsy Davey" by Fotheringay, from their second album that was never completed at the time but had the final touches put to it and was finally released last year with the title "Two"; and "Black Jack Davy" by The Incredible String Band, from 1970's "I Looked Up" LP.

The third one came as more of a surprise to me when I found it on a Sun Records compilation, but I suppose it is just more proof, if proof were needed, that many of the American mountain ballads were originally brought over from the UK. It is Warren Smith - responsible for such gems as "Ubangi Stomp" and "Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache" - and his version is called "Black Jack David".

All good stuff, eh? And that is it from me for a few days - I'm off to Madrid tomorrow for a couple of days work followed by a bit of sightseeing over the weekend. I'm hoping to get down to El Rastro, the enormous flea market, on Sunday morning for a bit of what the young people call "crate-digging" before I fly home, so watch this space.

PS When I get home on Sunday I will be taking all the links for March down so this is your last chance to grab some of those goodies: http://www.box.net/shared/jy4te7pxka