Border ballad
Encyclopedia
The English/Scottish border has a long and bloody history of conquest and reconquest, raid and counter-raid (see Wars of Scottish Independence
). It also has a stellar tradition of ballad
ry, such that a whole group of songs exists that are often called "border ballads", because they were collected in that region.
Border ballads, like all traditional ballads, were traditionally sung unaccompanied. There may be a repeating motif, but there is no "chorus" as in most pop songs. The supernatural is a common theme in Border ballads, as are recountings of raids and battles.
Representative samples include "Thomas the Rhymer
" (aka "True Thomas", Thomas of Erceldoune"), which opens in the Scottish town of Erceldoune ( modern Earlston
, Berwickshire
); and the very famous "Tam Lin
".
The interested reader is referred to Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border by Sir Walter Scott
.
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
). It also has a stellar tradition of ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
ry, such that a whole group of songs exists that are often called "border ballads", because they were collected in that region.
Border ballads, like all traditional ballads, were traditionally sung unaccompanied. There may be a repeating motif, but there is no "chorus" as in most pop songs. The supernatural is a common theme in Border ballads, as are recountings of raids and battles.
Representative samples include "Thomas the Rhymer
Thomas the Rhymer
Thomas Learmonth , better known as Thomas the Rhymer or True Thomas, was a 13th century Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston . He is also the protagonist of the ballad "Thomas the Rhymer"...
" (aka "True Thomas", Thomas of Erceldoune"), which opens in the Scottish town of Erceldoune ( modern Earlston
Earlston
Earlston , formerly Ercildoune, is a civil parish and market town in the county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders. It is situated on the River Leader in Lauderdale, Scotland.-Early history:...
, Berwickshire
Berwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
); and the very famous "Tam Lin
Tam Lin
Tam Lin is the hero of a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. The story revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies...
".
The interested reader is referred to Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border by Sir Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
.