Down by Blackwaterside
Encyclopedia
Down by Blackwaterside is a traditional folk song, provenance and author unknown, although it is likely to have originated near the River Blackwater, Northern Ireland
. The song has been covered by numerous artists including Anne Briggs
, Bert Jansch
, Sandy Denny
, Show of Hands
, Oysterband
, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
, particularly during the folk music
boom in Britain
in the 1960s. It tells the story of a woman has her heart broken "down by Blackwaterside," when a suitor breaks his promise of marriage, although she still has hopes the suitor will change their mind one day.
The best-known version is a 1952 BBC Archive recording by an Irish Traveller
, Mary Doran. Belfast singer Winnie Ryan also performed a version, and was recorded by folklorists Peter Kennedy and Sean O'Boyle in 1952. Doran's version was taught to the singer Anne Briggs by A.L. Lloyd.; Anne Briggs in turn taught it to singer/guitarist Bert Jansch. It appears on Jansch's 1966 album Jack Orion
as "Black Water Side."
Early in 1965, Briggs and Jansch were performing regularly together in folk clubs and spent most of the daytime at a friend's flat, collaborating on new songs and the development of complex guitar accompaniments for traditional songs. Anne Briggs has noted that "Everybody up to that point was accompanying traditional songs in a very [...] three-chord way. [...] It was why I always sang unaccompanied [...] but seeing Bert's freedom from chords, I suddenly realised—this chord stuff, you don't need it." "Blackwaterside" was one of the first songs that they worked on. Briggs belatedly recorded the song on her eponymous 1971 album (by which time she was playing a guitar accompaniment) and Jansch recorded it 5 years earlier on his 1966 Jack Orion album. It is not known when Jansch started singing the song in the folk clubs, but certainly before the recording of Jack Orion. The story of Jansch learning the tune from Briggs is retold in Ralph McTell
's "A Kiss in the Rain."
Comparisons with "Black Mountain Side
Al Stewart
, who had arrived in London in early 1965, followed Jansch's gigs closely and learnt what he thought was Jansch's version of "Black Water Side." However, he believed mistakenly that Jansch was using DADGAD
tuning whereas he was using in fact 'drop-D' tuning. At the time, Stewart was recording his own debut record and had engaged Jimmy Page
as a session musician. According to Stewart's account, it was he (Stewart) who taught Page "Blackwaterside" (the DADGAD version) during a tea-break. This may even have been Page's first acquaintance with DADGAD.
In spite of this difference, Jansch's record company sought legal advice in consultation with two eminent musicologists and John Mummery QC, who was one of the best-known copyright barristers in the United Kingdom, following the release of Led Zeppelin
. Ultimately, however, no legal action was ever taken against Led Zeppelin, because although it was likely that Page had borrowed from Jansch's piece, it could not be proved that the recording in itself constituted Jansch's own copyright, because the basic melody was traditional. Nevertheless, Jansch said that Page "ripped me off, didn't he? Or let's just say he learned from me."
River Blackwater, Northern Ireland
The River Blackwater is a river in County Armagh and County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, as well as County Monaghan and County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, which has its source to the north of Fivemiletown, County Tyrone...
. The song has been covered by numerous artists including Anne Briggs
Anne Briggs
Anne Briggs is an English folk singer. Although she traveled widely in the 1960s and early 1970s, appearing at folk clubs and venues in England and Ireland, she never aspired to commercial success or to achieve widespread public acknowledgment of her music...
, Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
Herbert "Bert" Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s, as an acoustic guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter...
, Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny , born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny, was an English singer and songwriter, perhaps best known as the lead singer for the folk rock band Fairport Convention...
, Show of Hands
Show of Hands
Show of Hands is an English acoustic roots and folk duo comprising singer-songwriter Steve Knightley and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer. In recent years they have been accompanied on tour and in the studio by jazz double-bassist Miranda Sykes.-Origins:...
, Oysterband
Oysterband
Oysterband is a British electric folk or folk rock band formed in Canterbury in or around 1976.-Early history:...
, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem
Tommy Makem
Thomas "Tommy" Makem was an internationally celebrated Irish folk musician, artist, poet and storyteller. He was best known as a member of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He played the long-necked 5-string banjo, guitar, tin whistle, and bagpipes, and sang in a distinctive baritone...
, particularly during the folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
boom in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the 1960s. It tells the story of a woman has her heart broken "down by Blackwaterside," when a suitor breaks his promise of marriage, although she still has hopes the suitor will change their mind one day.
The best-known version is a 1952 BBC Archive recording by an Irish Traveller
Irish Traveller
Irish Travellers are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.-Etymology:...
, Mary Doran. Belfast singer Winnie Ryan also performed a version, and was recorded by folklorists Peter Kennedy and Sean O'Boyle in 1952. Doran's version was taught to the singer Anne Briggs by A.L. Lloyd.; Anne Briggs in turn taught it to singer/guitarist Bert Jansch. It appears on Jansch's 1966 album Jack Orion
Jack Orion
Jack Orion is the third album by Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch, released in 1966. It contains a number of traditional songs, including the epic "Jack Orion": a ten-minute adaptation of the Child ballad "Glasgerion" which tells of a court fiddler’s attempt to seduce a countess and his servant's...
as "Black Water Side."
Early in 1965, Briggs and Jansch were performing regularly together in folk clubs and spent most of the daytime at a friend's flat, collaborating on new songs and the development of complex guitar accompaniments for traditional songs. Anne Briggs has noted that "Everybody up to that point was accompanying traditional songs in a very [...] three-chord way. [...] It was why I always sang unaccompanied [...] but seeing Bert's freedom from chords, I suddenly realised—this chord stuff, you don't need it." "Blackwaterside" was one of the first songs that they worked on. Briggs belatedly recorded the song on her eponymous 1971 album (by which time she was playing a guitar accompaniment) and Jansch recorded it 5 years earlier on his 1966 Jack Orion album. It is not known when Jansch started singing the song in the folk clubs, but certainly before the recording of Jack Orion. The story of Jansch learning the tune from Briggs is retold in Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s....
's "A Kiss in the Rain."
Comparisons with "Black Mountain SideBlack Mountain Side"Black Mountain Side" is an instrumental by English rock band Led Zeppelin, featured on the band's 1969 début album Led Zeppelin. It was recorded at Olympic Studios, London during October 1968.-Song structure:...
"
Al StewartAl Stewart
Al Stewart is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician.Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s, and developed his own unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history.He is...
, who had arrived in London in early 1965, followed Jansch's gigs closely and learnt what he thought was Jansch's version of "Black Water Side." However, he believed mistakenly that Jansch was using DADGAD
DADGAD
DADGAD, D modal tuning or Celtic tuning is an alternative guitar tuning most associated with Celtic music, though it has also found use in rock and other genres. Instead of the standard EADGBE tuning, the six guitar strings are tuned, from low to high, DADGAD...
tuning whereas he was using in fact 'drop-D' tuning. At the time, Stewart was recording his own debut record and had engaged Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
as a session musician. According to Stewart's account, it was he (Stewart) who taught Page "Blackwaterside" (the DADGAD version) during a tea-break. This may even have been Page's first acquaintance with DADGAD.
In spite of this difference, Jansch's record company sought legal advice in consultation with two eminent musicologists and John Mummery QC, who was one of the best-known copyright barristers in the United Kingdom, following the release of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin (album)
Led Zeppelin is the debut album of the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded in October 1968 at Olympic Studios in London and released on Atlantic Records on 12 January 1969 in the United States and 31 March 1969 in the United Kingdom. The album featured integral contributions from each...
. Ultimately, however, no legal action was ever taken against Led Zeppelin, because although it was likely that Page had borrowed from Jansch's piece, it could not be proved that the recording in itself constituted Jansch's own copyright, because the basic melody was traditional. Nevertheless, Jansch said that Page "ripped me off, didn't he? Or let's just say he learned from me."