> Folk Music > Songs > Chain of Gold

Chain of Gold / Young Ellender

[ Roud 1417 ; Master title: The Chain of Cold ; Ballad Index RcYoElle ; VWML CJS2/9/2152 , CJS2/10/2376 ; Wiltshire 563 ; trad]

Maud Karpeles: Cecil Sharp’s Collection of English Folk Songs Mike Yates: Traveller’s Joy

Cecil Sharp collected Chain of Gold from Charles Tanner (1845-1922) of Bampton, Oxfordshire on 7 September 1909 [VWML CJS2/9/2152, CJS2/10/2376] . Alfred Williams visited Tanner in the following decade, and the words of Chain of Gold as collected by him were printed in the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard on 11 March 1916.

Ernest Jeffrey (75) of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire sang My True Love (The Chain of Gold) to Peter Kennedy in 1956. This recording was included in 2002 on the Folktrax cassette of songs and customs of Cambridgeshire and the Fens, The Chain of Gold (Folktrax FTX-423).

Phoebe Smith sang Young Ellender to Paul Carter and Frank Purslow in her home in Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk in 1969. This recording was released in 1970 on her Topic album Once I Had a True Love. This track was also included in 1998 on the Topic anthology of ballads of true and false lovers, Tonight I’ll Make You My Bride (The Voice of the People Volume 6). Frank Purslow noted on the original album:

Another of Phoebe’s favourites “… she was a rich man’s daughter and, of course, the young man she falled in love with, he was just a commoner. Her father, he wanted to break them up, and she had no intention of giving him up whatever happened. She just went through fire and water for him. At last her Dad gave in, you know—I like those sort of songs.”

19^th century broadside texts exist, but most traditional versions seem to have an earlier origin. Noted versions are rather rare and the song appeared to have been passing out of traditional memory by the beginning of this century. Phoebe’s version—though incomplete—is therefore all the more surprising and welcome. A Hampshire version collected in 1908, with a note on two others, is printed in the Folk Music Journal, 1967 under the title Down in the Town of Marlborough. The tunes of noted versions differ widely.

Oak sang Young Ellender at Benfleet Folk Club at The Hoy and Helmet, Benfleet, Essex in 1972. This recording by Keith Summers was included in 2000 on their Musical Traditions anthology Country Songs and Music. Rod Stradling noted:

A song from Phoebe Smith, a Gypsy originally from Kent, later settled in Woodbridge, Suffolk, and one of England’s finest women singers. She is the only source of Roud’s four instances. Frank Purslow’s 1969 recording of Phoebe is available on TSCD656.

Mike Yates, who also recorded Phoebe singing it, wrote: “This would appear to be a version of a song that Cecil Sharp called The Chain of Gold. George Butterworth noted two versions, in 1907 and 1909, which he called ’Twas by the Town of Weddingmore, and George Gardiner noted a Hampshire version, under the title Down in the Town of Marlborough. There appear to be no known broadsides, and the only non-English version of the song was one sung by the Australian singer Sally Sloane, that can be found in Folk Songs of Australia by John Meredith and Hugh Anderson. (Sydney & London, 1967. p.167). Mrs Sloane had the song from her grandmother, Sarah Alexander, who came originally from Co Kerry in Ireland.”

Andy Turner sang Chain of Gold as the 16 June 2016 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.

Lyrics

Charles Tanner sings Chain of Gold

Abroad as I was walking in the fields all alone,
I heard two lovers talking, telling tender tales of love;
They proved to be constant, and, forever to behold,
Before this couple parted they broke a chain of gold.

And when this chain was broken, all around her neck it twined;
Up stepped her ancient father, who oftimes walked behind.
And he flew in such a passion with his daughter and her swain,
And he swore by all who made them they would never meet again.

“For I’ll send him to some Turkish seas, there for to roam,
He shall never come a-courting thee, nor to old England return;
And it’s madam I’ll confine thee to a closet in thy room,
I’ll feed thee on bread and water once a day, and that’s at noon.”

“I want none of thy bread and water, nor nothing will I take,
Since my true love has died for me, I’ll perish for his sake.”
Friends and neighbours fell a-weeping, but her life they could not save,
And now she lies a-sleeping in yonder shady grave.

Phoebe Smith sings Young Ellender

As a loving couple they were walking
Down by a running river stream,
Where she met her cruel old father
Where the loving couple they appeared.

He flew into such a passion,
Where the daughter and the man
And he swore, like the god that made them,
They should never, never meet again.

“That for him you call your sweetheart,
I will send him across the sea.
I will send him across the salt sea,
Where the loud cannons they roar.
He shall never turn to England,
For to court you, court you any more.

“That’s for you, my young Ellender,
I’ll confine you to your grave.
You shall have nothing else but bread and no water
Once a day, my love, alone it’s we’s.”

“I don’t want none your bread nor water
And no nothing what you’ve got.
I shall work night and day like horses,
And I’ll go with my love; I’ll take his part.”

Soon as that word was spoken
That gold ring were broke in two.
“There is one half for you, my Ellender.
There’s adieu, my pretty girl, adieu.” (×2)

Oak sing Young Ellender

Here’s a loving couple they were walking,
Down by a running river clear,
Where they met with her cruel old father,
Where this loving couple did repair.

He flew into such a passion,
With the daughter and her man,
That he has sworn by the Gods that made him,
They should never, never meet again.

“As for him you call your sweetheart,
I will send him across the sea,
I will send him across the salt sea,
Where the loud billows do roar,
He shall never return to England,
For to court you, court you any more.

“As for you, my young Ellender,
I’ll confine you to your bed,
You shall have nothing else but bread nor water,
Once a day my love, alone,” he said.

“I don’t want none, your bread nor water,
No nor nothing what you’ve got,
I shall work night and day, like horses,
I’ll go with my love, and take his part.”

Soon as the word was spoken,
That gold ring was broke in two,
“Here is one half for you, my Ellender,
Here’s adieu my pretty girl, adieu.”