> Folk Music > Songs > The Next Market Day

The Next Market Day / A Maid Went to Comber

[ Roud 6547 ; G/D 7:1428 ; Ballad Index FSWB158B ; Mudcat 9387 , 16989 ; trad.]

Sherburn, Bartley & Scott’s Last Night’s Fun sang Next Marked Day on their 2001 album Dubh, and Sherburn Bartley Sanders sang it on their 2018 album Beguile, on which they noted:

Versions of his song go back to 1920 sourced from the great tenor Irish singer, John McCormack, however, we originally learnt this from our great friend Alan Burke. We have since spiced up the chorus somewhat—she is no longer the naive maiden she was in the original version—and, we’ve also added a verse where she is guided by her mother in order to redress the balance.

Anna Tabbush sang Next Market Day on Meridian’s 2005 album Second. They noted:

Girl meets boy, learns tune, can’t remember the last bar and resolves to scour the earth for him. Must have been a good tune. Or was it the way he handled his instrument?

More Maids sang The Next Market Day on their 2011 album III. They noted:

A traditional song we first learned from the band Oisin, with additional verses from other sources. We think it very romantic to fall in love with somebody while sharing tunes, which is what happens to the two main characters here. There are other versions of this song where it is obvious that the main intent of the two young people is to have a roll in the hay rather than learn a tune. Nonetheless, we prefer to leave it open as to what it was that caused the young girl’s cheeks to turn red.

Ciarán Boyle sang Next Market Day in 2012 on his Hallamshire Traditions album Bright Flame. He noted:

I learned this from Denny Bartley, my friend from my time in ‘Last Night’s Fun’. He had it from Alan Burke. Denny felt that it wasn’t quite the whole story and so he wrote the last verse and added a chorus, giving the song a fair and just conclusion!

Damien O’Kane sang ’Til Next Market Day in 2015 on his Pure album Areas of High Traffic. This track was also included on the anthology BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2016. O’Kane noted on his album:

I got this Irish song about a girl sidetracked by a young man whilst on her way to market for her mother, from the singing of Laura Hockenhull, with whom I had the pleasure of doing some gigs a few years back. Laura learned it from wonderful singer and guitarist Denny Bartley. I like that there could be a number of meanings to the frequently mentioned ‘tune’ in this song.

Rowan Piggott, accompanied by Anna Tabbush and Georgia Lewis, sang A Maid Went to Comber on his 2018 album Mountscribe. He noted:

Also known as The Next Market Day. I have this version from another of my Dad’s groups; The Lonely Stranded Band—Joe Corcoran sang it on their 1996 album. The beautiful tune after it is written by the brilliant Swedish duo Algot (Magdalena Eriksson & Mattias Mårtensson) in memory of a woman called Viola Andersson.

Lyrics

More Maids sing The Next Market Day

A maid goin’ to Comber her markets to learn
To earn for her Mammy three hanks of fine yarn.
She met with a young man along the highway
Which caused this young damsel dally and stray.

Chorus (after every other verse):
“Sit down beside me, I mean you no harm,
Sit down beside me, this new tune to learn.
Here is three Guineas your mammy to pay
And I’ll teach ye a tune called The Next Market Day”

“O.” says she, “I have tunes and enough for to do
And my mother has warned me gainst strangers like you.
My mother has warned me, and her I must heed,
Besides I’ve my markets to make with all speed.”

“O your markets can wait, for the day it is young,
And the tune I will teach you is easily sung.”
“’Tis you are the coaxer, one moment I’ll stay,
I am longing to learn The Next Market Day.”

They sat down together, the grass it was green,
The day was the fairest that ever was seen.
“ One look in your eye beats a morning in May,
I could sit by your side till the next market day!”

This maid she went home and her cheeks they were red;
The tune that he played her still rang in her head.
When her mother asked questions, ‘tis this she would say.
“There was never a tune like The Next Market Day.”

Damien O’Kane sings ’Til Next Market Day

A maid goes to Comber, her markets to learn,
To sell for her mammy, three hemps of fine yarn.
She met with a young man, along the highway,
And he’s caused this young maid, to tarry astray.

Chorus (after each verse):
“Lay down beside me, I mean you no harm,
Lay down beside me, this new tune to learn.
Here are three guineas, your mammy to pay,
If you lay by your yarn, ’til Next Market Day.”

Well the maid she sat down and the grass it was green,
The day was the fairest that ever she’d seen.
“The look in your eye beats this morning in May
And I’ll lay by your yarn, ’til Next Market Day.”

The maid she went home and the tune that she’d learned,
Yet a week later still raggin’ her head.
She said, “ I’ll go find him by land or by sea
’Til he learns me a new tune for Next Market Day.”

Said the mammy, “O daughter why do you so fret,
The tune that you’ve learned is but new to you yet.
I’ve tunes a plenty that you’ll learn to play
And you’ll know all the best tunes ’til Next Market Day.”

Rowan Piggott sings A Maid Went to Comber

A maid going to Comber her market to learn
To sell for her mammy three hanks of fine yarn.
She met with a young lad along the highway
Which caused this young lady to ramble and stray.

“Sit down beside I mean you no harm,
Sit down beside me this new tune to learn.
Here are three guineas your mammy to pay,
So hang by your yarn till the next market day…”

They sat down together the grass was so green,
And the day was the fairest that ever was seen,
“The look in your eye would lead angels astray,
I could lie in your arms till the next market day…”

This girl she went home and the words that she said
Are, “The air that he played me rings round in my head.
I will go find him by land or by sea
Till he learns me the tune called The Next Market Day.”