Katie Cruel
Encyclopedia
Katie Cruel is a traditional American folksong, likely of Scottish
origin. As a traditional song, it has been recorded by many performers, but the best known recording of the song is by Karen Dalton
on the album In My Own Time
. The American version of the song is said to date to the Revolutionary War
period.
When I first came to town,
They called me the roving jewel;
Now they've changed their tune,
They call me Katy Cruel,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
When I first came to town,
They brought me the bottles plenty;
Now they've changed their tune,
They bring me the bottles empty,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
I know who I love,
And I know who does love me;
I know where I'm going,
And I know who's going with me,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Through the woods I go,
And through the bogs and mire,
Straightway down the road,
And to my heart's desire,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Eyes as bright as coal,
Lips as bright as cherry,
and 'tis her delight
To make the young girls merry,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
When I first came to town
They called me the roving jewel
Now they've changed their tune
They call me Katy Cruel
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
First when I cam' tae the toon
They ca'd me young and bonnie
Noo they've changed my name
Ca' me the licht bob's honey
First when I cam' tae the toon
They ca'd me young and sonsie
Noo they've changed my name
They ca' me the licht bob's lassie
Licht Bob's Lassie would appear to tell a story about a camp follower
or prostitute:
I'll die my petticoats red
And face them wi' the yellow
I'll tell the dyser lad
That the licht bob I'm tae follow
Feather beds are soft
And painted rooms are bonnie
I wad leave them a'
And jog along wi' Johnny
Oh my heart's been sair
Shearin' Craigie's corn
I winnae see him the nicht
But I'll see him the morn
The imagery about dyeing petticoats is shared by the Irish Gaelic lament Siúil A Rúin
.
has written that "It's unsettling to hear Dalton, who died homeless and haunted, sing of bridges burned and backs turned." Jerry Garcia
also performed the song, as have a number of other performers, including Peggy Seeger
, Sandy Paton, the New Christy Minstrels (Miss Katy Cruel, 1965), Robin Pecknold
(Fleet Foxes
), Gingerthistle, Linda Thompson
, Moira Smiley, Joe Dassin
and Bert Jansch
(with Beth Orton
and Devendra Banhart
). Cordelia's Dad
recorded the song on their 1995 release, Comet. The Demon Barbers also recorded the song on their 2005 album Waxed. New York based White Magic
started covering the song live in 2004, and released it as a single in September 2006 through the Drag City imprint. Marie LaForet, a french singer, has also done an english version and a french version of the song.
Agnes Obel did a version in 2011. The song also features on Raise Ravens, a 2011 release by Glasgow-based John Knox Sex Club who have brought together elements of both versions of the song.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
origin. As a traditional song, it has been recorded by many performers, but the best known recording of the song is by Karen Dalton
Karen Dalton
Karen J. Dalton was an American folk blues singer and banjo player associated with the early 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, particularly with Fred Neil and the Holy Modal Rounders as well as Bob Dylan.-Biography:Dalton, whose heritage was Cherokee, was born Karen J. Cariker in Enid,...
on the album In My Own Time
In My Own Time
-Track listing:#"Something on Your Mind" - 3:23#"When a Man Loves a Woman" - 2:59#"In My Own Dream" - 4:18#"Katie Cruel" - 2:22...
. The American version of the song is said to date to the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
period.
Lyrics
The American lyrics appear to contain an oblique story of regret. As given in Eloise Hubbard Linscott's The Folk Songs of Old New England, the full lyrics are:When I first came to town,
They called me the roving jewel;
Now they've changed their tune,
They call me Katy Cruel,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
When I first came to town,
They brought me the bottles plenty;
Now they've changed their tune,
They bring me the bottles empty,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
I know who I love,
And I know who does love me;
I know where I'm going,
And I know who's going with me,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Through the woods I go,
And through the bogs and mire,
Straightway down the road,
And to my heart's desire,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
Eyes as bright as coal,
Lips as bright as cherry,
and 'tis her delight
To make the young girls merry,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Chorus
When I first came to town
They called me the roving jewel
Now they've changed their tune
They call me Katy Cruel
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.
Origins
The opening verse of the song bears a strong resemblance to the Scottish song, Licht Bob's Lassie, whose opening verses mirror the song in both notional content and form:They ca'd me young and bonnie
Noo they've changed my name
Ca' me the licht bob's honey
First when I cam' tae the toon
They ca'd me young and sonsie
Noo they've changed my name
They ca' me the licht bob's lassie
Licht Bob's Lassie would appear to tell a story about a camp follower
Camp follower
Camp-follower is a term used to identify civilians and their children who follow armies. There are two common types of camp followers; first, the wives and children of soldiers, who follow their spouse or parent's army from place to place; the second type of camp followers have historically been...
or prostitute:
And face them wi' the yellow
I'll tell the dyser lad
That the licht bob I'm tae follow
Feather beds are soft
And painted rooms are bonnie
I wad leave them a'
And jog along wi' Johnny
Oh my heart's been sair
Shearin' Craigie's corn
I winnae see him the nicht
But I'll see him the morn
The imagery about dyeing petticoats is shared by the Irish Gaelic lament Siúil A Rúin
Siúil A Rúin
"Siúil a Rúin" is a tradtional Irish song, sung from the point of view of a woman lamenting a lover who has embarked on a military career, and indicating her willingness to support him...
.
Performances
Dalton's performance of the song is perhaps the best known. About her version, Stephen ThompsonStephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson is an online music producer for NPR and editor of several music-related columns for NPR.org, including Song Of The Day and Shadow Classics...
has written that "It's unsettling to hear Dalton, who died homeless and haunted, sing of bridges burned and backs turned." Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
also performed the song, as have a number of other performers, including Peggy Seeger
Peggy Seeger
Margaret "Peggy" Seeger is an American folksinger. She is also well known in Britain, where she lived for more than 30 years with her husband, singer and songwriter Ewan MacColl.- The first American period :...
, Sandy Paton, the New Christy Minstrels (Miss Katy Cruel, 1965), Robin Pecknold
Robin Pecknold
Robin Noel Pecknold is an American singer, guitarist and principal songwriter for the band Fleet Foxes.-Biography:He formed Fleet Foxes with guitarist and friend Skyler Skjelset while the two were at school...
(Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...
), Gingerthistle, Linda Thompson
Linda Thompson
Linda Diane Thompson is an American actress, lyricist and beauty pageant winner who rose to international fame as Elvis Presley's long time girlfriend after he separated from his wife.-Pageants:...
, Moira Smiley, Joe Dassin
Joe Dassin
Joseph Ira Dassin , more commonly known as Joe Dassin, was an American singer-songwriter best known for his French songs of the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
and 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...
(with Beth Orton
Beth Orton
Beth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first...
and Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart
Devendra Obi Banhart is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Houston, Texas and was raised by his mother in Venezuela, until he moved to California as a teenager. He began to study at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1998, but dropped out to perform music in Europe, San...
). Cordelia's Dad
Cordelia's Dad
Cordelia's Dad is a band from Northampton, Massachusetts that combines folk and punk rock influences and was instrumental in the creation of the genre later to be dubbed "No Depression". The band formed in 1987 and was active until 1998, when the members relocated to different parts of the country...
recorded the song on their 1995 release, Comet. The Demon Barbers also recorded the song on their 2005 album Waxed. New York based White Magic
White Magic
White Magic may refer to:* White magic, healing or "good," as opposed to Black magic; see also magic * White Magic , an American rock band* White Magic , album by Swedish musician ceo...
started covering the song live in 2004, and released it as a single in September 2006 through the Drag City imprint. Marie LaForet, a french singer, has also done an english version and a french version of the song.
Agnes Obel did a version in 2011. The song also features on Raise Ravens, a 2011 release by Glasgow-based John Knox Sex Club who have brought together elements of both versions of the song.