Linstead Market
Encyclopedia
Linstead Market is a Jamaica
n folk song. Possibly the earliest publication of the tune with words occurs in Walter Jekyll's 1907 book, Jamaican Song and Story, as item 121, pages 219-220. In Jekyll, the lyrics are as follows:
In Helen H. Roberts' collection of folk song variants based on field work in Jamaica, published in 1925, the version in Jekyll is reproduced, followed by twelve variants. In some of these, "Sollas market" replaces "Linstead market". (Sollas market became Jubilee Market, located on West Queen Street in Kingston.)
For example, Roberts includes a version as sung in Christiana:
In 1975, Oxford University Press published "Linstead Market" in Olive Lewin
's collection of Jamaican folk-songs, with these words:
On page 14, Dr. Lewin explains that "Linstead Market still remains a picturesque small town market. The song is now often taken at a much faster pace for dancing but was originally sung slow and plaintively by a mother who couldn't sell enough at the market to feed her children. A quatty was a small copper coin of very small value."
In all the versions mentioned above except the earliest, the melody is written in 2/4 or 4/4 time, but in Jekyll, the time signature is 6/8.
The melody has been arranged for solo voice with piano. One of the earliest such publications was "Linstead Market: a Jamaican Folk-song," by Arthur Benjamin, Boosey & Hawkes, 1947 (5 pages). Among choral arrangements is one of the same title by A. H. Green, published by Oxford University Press in 1967 (8 pages). The song was included on the compact disc " The King's Singers
in 1992. The song was recorded by the English folk group The Spinners
, sung by their Caribbean singer Cliff Hall. The song is also published in modern collections, such as Songs of the Americas, arranged by Margery Hargest John, published by Boosey & Hawkes, London, 1993.
by Doreen Potter in Break Not the Circle, Hope Publishing Co., 1975. Here, the melody is found with a hymn text by Fred Kaan. This arrangement appears in at least five hymnals:
Presbyterian Hymnal (1990), no. 514
With One Voice (Lutheran, 2000), no. 754
Worship and Rejoice (2001), no. 698
Sing! A New Creation (CRC, 2002), no. 258
Singing the New Testament (2008), no. 166
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n folk song. Possibly the earliest publication of the tune with words occurs in Walter Jekyll's 1907 book, Jamaican Song and Story, as item 121, pages 219-220. In Jekyll, the lyrics are as follows:
- Carry me akee go a linstead market
- not a quatee wud sell
- cary me akee go a linstrad market not a quatee wud sell
- oh lawd! wat a night! wat a night! what a saturday night!
- etc...
In Helen H. Roberts' collection of folk song variants based on field work in Jamaica, published in 1925, the version in Jekyll is reproduced, followed by twelve variants. In some of these, "Sollas market" replaces "Linstead market". (Sollas market became Jubilee Market, located on West Queen Street in Kingston.)
For example, Roberts includes a version as sung in Christiana:
Sold me akee, go to Sollas market.
Not a quatty would sell.
Sold me akee, go to Sollas market.
Not a quatty would sell.
So whole o' Saturday night,
so not a light, not a bite.
So not a quatty would sell.
In 1975, Oxford University Press published "Linstead Market" in Olive Lewin
Olive Lewin
Dr. Olive Lewin is a Jamaican author, social anthropologist, musicologist, and teacher. Dr.Lewin is probably best known for her recorded anthologies of old Jamaica folk songs, researched and collected over her lifetime. Olive Lewin studied music and ethnomusicology in the United Kingdom...
's collection of Jamaican folk-songs, with these words:
Carry me ackee go a Linstead market,
Not a quatty wut sell,
Carry me ackee go a Linstead market,
Not a quatty wut sell.
Lawd wat a night, not a bite,
Wat a Satiday night.
Lawd wat a night, not a bite,
Wat a Satiday night.
On page 14, Dr. Lewin explains that "Linstead Market still remains a picturesque small town market. The song is now often taken at a much faster pace for dancing but was originally sung slow and plaintively by a mother who couldn't sell enough at the market to feed her children. A quatty was a small copper coin of very small value."
In all the versions mentioned above except the earliest, the melody is written in 2/4 or 4/4 time, but in Jekyll, the time signature is 6/8.
The melody has been arranged for solo voice with piano. One of the earliest such publications was "Linstead Market: a Jamaican Folk-song," by Arthur Benjamin, Boosey & Hawkes, 1947 (5 pages). Among choral arrangements is one of the same title by A. H. Green, published by Oxford University Press in 1967 (8 pages). The song was included on the compact disc " The King's Singers
King's Singers
The King's Singers is a British a cappella vocal ensemble who celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2008. Their name recalls King's College in Cambridge, England, where the group was formed by six choral scholars in 1968. In the United Kingdom, their popularity peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s...
in 1992. The song was recorded by the English folk group The Spinners
The Spinners (UK band)
The Spinners were a 1960s folk group from Liverpool, England formed in September 1958. They consisted of:* Hughie Jones...
, sung by their Caribbean singer Cliff Hall. The song is also published in modern collections, such as Songs of the Americas, arranged by Margery Hargest John, published by Boosey & Hawkes, London, 1993.
Hymn tune
Quite a different direction of development was the inclusion of "Linstead Market," as LINSTEAD, arranged as a hymn tuneHymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
by Doreen Potter in Break Not the Circle, Hope Publishing Co., 1975. Here, the melody is found with a hymn text by Fred Kaan. This arrangement appears in at least five hymnals:
Presbyterian Hymnal (1990), no. 514
With One Voice (Lutheran, 2000), no. 754
Worship and Rejoice (2001), no. 698
Sing! A New Creation (CRC, 2002), no. 258
Singing the New Testament (2008), no. 166