Willow's song

## General Information

Gary Carpenter: "the scoring was quite interesting - harmonica, bassoon, violins, recorders, pulsating tom-toms, African thumb piano, multi-tracked Nordic lyre - the same Nordic lyre - not Celtic harp - you see me play at Burrowhead]. Britt's singing on the film was voiced by Rachel Verney but a version was recorded by Lesley Mackie [Daisy in the film] which was intended for LP release [the difference in tonal quality is minimal, but Lesley was the more secure" (Is on the CD.)

Uses one line from Martin Said To His Man (I saw a maid milk a bull, with every stroke a bucketful.")

From Nuada, Vol 3: “Fragments of Willow’s song, composed by Paul Giovanni, are actually gleaned from the fairy tale, ‘Three Heads In A Well.’ … based on George Peele's The Old Wives Tale, a beautiful girl “goes to the well to draw up a bucket full of water and instead hauls up a severed head which sings to her: Fair Maiden, white and red, Coombe me smooth and stroke my head, And thou shalt have some cockell bread.” (Cockell bread was made as a love charm or aphrodisiac.)

Lesley Mackie recorded her version of the song on Feb 15, 1973. She adds: "It was a recording by a music student, Rachel Verney, that Britt worked with (when they shot it) - at least I think so, and Rachel's recording was used on the original soundtrack as i imagine that it made sense for Britt's dance to be in time with the recording she worked with (Gary could confirm that!)

In an early script ("the Pitt script") the lyrics were for a traditional song called The Hostess's Daughter / I Sowed Some Seeds. It went:

*CHORUS*

*A land lord had one daughter*

*And a nice young girl too she was*

*Above her garters I dare not go*

*I being a stranger I fell in danger*

*For doing so, for doing so.*

*Howie starts blushing furiously, and looks round for a way of escape through the leering faces and waving beer mugs.*

*CHORUS*

*I sowed some seed, all in some grove*

*All in some grove, there grows no green*

*Now for to repeat I could not stir*

*I being a stranger, I fell in danger*

*For doing so, for doing so.*

*Howie practically fleeing from the laughing Willow works his way back to the bar.*

*CHORUS*

*When nine long months was gone and past*

*This pretty girl had a fine son at last*

*Now she must keep  it and  call it her own*

*And reap the seed that I have sown*

*For doing so, for doing so.*

*There is a final communal cheer as Willow goes back behind the bar, and walks off towards the kitchen.*

There is also an instrumental version of it done by the band available on the Silva Screen website at one point. Here it is on YouTube. It was thought that "this version was recorded in the 1970s for Giovanni's aborted album. This is, however, unconfirmed." (Declan McCafferty)

## Lyrics

(From the Creetown website revised 12/29/18)

Hey ho, who is there?

No one but me, my dear.

Please come, say "How do?"

The things I'll give to you.

A stroke as gentle as a feather

I'll catch a rainbow from the sky

And tie the ends together.

Hey ho, I am here.

Am I not young and fair?

Please come, say "How do?"

The things I'll show to you.

Would you have a wondrous sight

Mm, the midday sun at midnight?

Fair maid, white and red,

Comb you smooth and stroke your head

mm...

How a maid can milk a bull!

Mm, and every stroke a bucketful.

*solfegio/vocalise*

Words and music by Paul Giovanni.

## Versions

### Theatrical version and the Final Cut

Both omit the  "I'll catch a rainbow from the sky, And tie the ends together." and the "How a maid can milk a bull! And every stroke a bucketful." lines.

### Trunk Records

Omits the  "I'll catch a rainbow from the sky, And tie the ends together." and the "How a maid can milk a bull! And every stroke a bucketful." lines.