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(Bold) William Taylor

[ Roud 158 ; Laws N11 ; G/D 1:169 ; Henry 213 , 757 ; Ballad Index LN11 ; VWML PG/6/16 , CJS2/9/21 ; Bodleian Roud 158 ; Wiltshire 711 , 1027 ; Mudcat 7920 , 35281 ; trad.]

Joseph Taylor sang Bold William Taylor on a cylinder recorded in 1908 for Percy Grainger. This was published in 1972 on Taylor's Leader LP Unto Brigg Fair and in 1998 on the Topic anthology Tonight I'll Make You My Bride (The Voice of the People Series, Vol. 6). The Leader album's notes commented:

An extremely popular song in the English, Irish, Scottish and Anglo-American traditions, Bold William Taylor has appeared in a variety of forms, including the music-hall parody Billy Taylor that was printed in sheet form by Laurie and Whittle in London, c. 1811 with a large coloured engraving by George Cruikshank. For American sources one should consult G. Malcolm Laws' bibliographical index, American Ballads from British Broadsides, N. 11. Of English collections one might consult SFS, KP, AMS, GBF; Irish sources are JIFMS, PCI; Scottish versions in GNE, CTBA and broadsides by C, F, H. S, KY, FH, and MB. Sound recordings BBC 18483 (a) and (b), TC 1164, 12T196.

John Roberts & Tony Barrand's CD Heartoutbursts: English Folksongs collected by Percy Grainger contains William Taylor too, of course.

Harold Covill of March, Cambridgeshire sang William Taylor in a recording by Peter Kennedy on the anthology A Soldier's Life for Me (The Folk Songs of Britain Vol. 8, Caedmon 1961, Topic 1970).

Rob Watt of Fetterangus, Aberdeen, sang Billy Taylor in 1967 to to Bill Leader. This recording was included a year later on the Topic anthology of songs and ballads from the lowland east of Scotland, Back o' Benachie. Peter Hall commented in the album's sleeve notes:

The broadside press was responsible for the widespread dissemination of this song and the relative lack of variation in the text. Dean Christie found a version in the mid-nineteenth century with a tune which seems unsuitably sombre, as are many of the English sets. Perhaps the modern attitude to the ballad has helped to change the tune for those found this century are of a rattling gay type. Sometimes there is an additional verse which rubs in the feminist moral:

When the Captain did behold it,
And the deed that she has done,
He has made her chief commander
O'er a ship and a hundred men.

Hedy West sang Willie Taylor in 1967 on her Fontana album Serves 'Em Fine. She commented in the sleeve notes:

Willie Taylor (sometimes called The Female Lieutenant) is also an Anglo-American ballad. It was once, said Cecil Sharp, “a favourite song with folksingers all over England.” It's had its versions in Scotland, Newfoundland and all along the entire 1500-mile eastern coast of the USA. There was a comic Cockney version called Billy Taylor that was popular on the English stage from the last half of the 18^th century through the first half of the 19^th century.

I've learned Willie Taylor from Vance Randolph's Ozark Folksongs [Vol. I, no.67].

John Faulkner and Sandra Kerr sang William Taylor on their 1969 Argo album John & Sandra. They commented in their liner notes:

It is not difficult to think of reasons why the theme of the Maiden Warrior has been a popular one in folk balladry for centuries. To seamen on a long voyage, the thought that underneath the working apparel of one of his comrades there might be a handsome young female, would have afforded him some comfort or at least provided a source of interest to while away the time!.

William Taylor, however, provides a contrast to the usual theme of the devoted girl dressing in soldiers' or sailors' clothing in order to follow her pressed or enlisted sweetheart into battle. Here the reason for her masquerade is to seek revenge on her unfaithful sailor.

Tony Rose sang Bold William Taylor on the 1970 BBC record Folk on Friday. The sleeve notes comment:

One of the songs collected and phonographed by Percy Grainger from Joseph Taylor of Saxby-All Saints, Lincolnshire. The story of a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to follow her lover to war or to sea is a fairly familiar one in traditional English music. However, the outcome of this particular ballad is perhaps more realistic than many of the other tales of womanly devotion which end in happy reunion.

Dave Burland sang William Taylor with somewhat different verses—see below—on his 1971 Trailer album A Dalesman's Litany. He also sang it in a 1991 Barnsley recording that was published on the 1992 Fellside anthology of English traditional songs, Voices. Paul Adams commented in the latter album's notes:

This song appears in a variety of forms and can be found in the English, Scottish, Irish and American traditions. The story is a fairly familiar one, but the rather drastic measure employed by the heroine to prevent her true love being unfaithful to her, is perhaps a little closer to reality than is usually encountered in folk songs! Dave's version, sung in his characteristically relaxed style, was collected by Cecil Sharp in Somerset. Another version was collected by Percy Grainger, the first collector to use a recording machine, in 1908 from Joseph Taylor, of Saxby-All Saints, Lincolnshire.

Robin and Barry Dransfield sang Bold William Taylor in 1971 on their Trailer album Lord of All I Behold.

Martin Carthy recorded William Taylor for his 1972 album Shearwater. He wrote in the album's sleeve notes:

Of all the traditional singers I have listened to, I think my favourite is still Joseph Taylor of Saxby-all-Saints, Lincolnshire. A few years ago, Patrick O'Shaughnessy of the Lincolnshire Association gave me a copy of a tape of his singing, and it has proved the steadiest source of inspiration. The song William Taylor comes originally from him, although with thinking about it and singing to myself, a few little variations in the melody have come in. Some sets of the song have the last verse

If all young men in Wells and London
Used young girls like he use she
Then all young girls would never marry
Very scare young men would be

Frankie Armstrong sang William Taylor in 1973 on her LP Out of Love, Hope and Suffering and again in 2008 on her CD Encouragement. She commented in the first album's notes:

An Irish version of a song that was very popular both in the British Isles and in American tradition. It's always seemed unfair to me that the ballad should take its title from the male protagonist, who does nothing noteworthy. All the action is initiated by valiant Sara Jane.

Muckram Wakes sang William Taylor in 1976 on their eponymous Trailer LP Muckram Wakes.

Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise sang this song as Billy Taylor in 1978 on their Folk-Legacy album For Foul Day and Fair. They commented in the album's booklet:

Vic and Christine Smith from Brighton taught us this version of a very popular story in British Isles folklore. They learned it in turn from Jane and Cameron Turriff of Fetterangus. We've always enjoyed the twist in the last verse, an enjoyment that seems to be shared by U.S. audiences in particular.

Sophie Legg sang three verses of Young Billy Taylor in a recording made by Pete Coe in 1978 on the 2003 Veteran CD of songs from Cornish Travellers, Catch Me If You Can. Pete Coe sang William Taylor himself on his 1997 CD Long Company. Mike Yates commented in the first album's notes:

In this well-known broadside ballad, William Taylor is engaged to be married, but is taken by the press gang and sent to sea. His bride-to-be dresses up as a sailor and follows after in search of William/Billy. Eventually finding him, she discovers that he has a new girlfriend—or new wife in some versions—and so she shoots him dead. The ballad, surprisingly, concludes with the girl being made an officer:

And then our Captain was well pleased,
He was well pleased with what she had done.
Soon she became a bold Commander,
Over the Captain and his men.

Lucy Broadwood traced the ballad to a late 18^th century stage song, “as sung by Mr.Bannister, Junr., at Several Theatres with great applause,” although Cecil Sharp (who collected a dozen versions in England) felt that the final verse was only added towards the end of the 19^th century. Sophie’s version, as sometimes happens, is incomplete.

June Tabor learned Hedy West's version of Willie Taylor and sang it, accompanied by Martin Simpson on guitar, at Ormskirk Festival in March 1985. This live recording was included in 2005 on her Topic 4 CD anthology Always. She commented in the album's booklet:

This is the tale of the young girl who, when her true love is taken away to go and fight in the navy, dresses up as a man and sets off to find him. As is compulsory in theses set-ups she has an unfortunate accident with her clothing in the middle of the battle. Which rather exposes the fact that she's not a chap after all. After that everything goes to pieces.

Swan Arcade sang William Taylor on their 1990 CD Full Circle.

Jo Freya sang Bold William Taylor in 1992 on her Saydisc album Traditional Songs of England. The liner notes commented:

The composers Percy Grainger and George Butterworth numbered amongst several collectors who noted versions of this unlikely tale. The singer of the Butterworth version is unknown and that version forms the basis of the first eight verses. The last two verses are from a more infamous version as collected by Percy Grainger from Joseph Taylor in Ipswich in 1912.

Sue Brown and Lorraine Irwing sang William Taylor in 1997 on their WildGoose album Call & Cry. They noted:

One of many versions of this song on the well-known theme of a girl who dresses as a man to follow her true love to sea. As usual, he wishes she hadn’t. Based on the version collected by George Butterworth.

Bram Taylor sang William Taylor in 1997 on his CD Pick of the Grinner.

Hen Party—Heather Bradford, Sarah Morgan, Alison Muir—sang William Taylor on their 2002 CD The Heart Gallery. Sarah Morgan returned to the song in 2009 on Craig; Morgan; Robson's CD with the Askew Sisters, The Axford Five: Songs Collected from Five Hampshire Women.

Magpie Lane sang Bold William Taylor on their 2002 CD Six for Gold.

Malinky sang Billy Taylor in 2002 on their second CD, 3 Ravens. They commented in their liner notes:

Adultery, cross-dressing and murder in only five verses! Karine [Polwart] first heard this sung by Alistair Brown from London, Ontario, who got it from the Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise album For Foul Day and Fair. Karine liked the lyrics so much that she started singing them to a tune of her own before she could chase up Cilla and Artie's version. Thanks to Kris Drever for unwittingly helping with arrangement ideas.

Patterson Jordan Dipper sang Bold William Taylor on their 2002 CD Flat Earth.

The Cecil Sharp Centenary Collective sang William Taylor in 2003 on their CD As I Cycled Out on a May Morning.

Jim Moray sang William Taylor, accompanied by Eliza Carthy on fiddle and Saul Rose on melodeon, on his 2009 CD In Modern History.

Jon Boden sang Dave Burland's version of William Taylor as the 30 August 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Barbara Dymock sang Billy Taylor on her 2011 CD Hilbert's Hotel. She noted:

This song appears in Bothy Songs and Ballads by John Ord in the “Soldiers, Sailors and Adventure” section. There are many versions of this song including at least 13 American versions. At one Irish singing festival I also heard four different Irish versions in one day. Seems like a popular story—hell hath no fury…

Gordon Jackson sang William Taylor on his 2011 album It's Cold by the Door. He noted:

From Joseph Taylor (c.1833-c.1907) of Lincolnshire, via Martin Carthy

Hannah James and Sam Sweeney recorded William Taylor it in 2012 for their second duo CD, State and Ancientry, noting:

This song was collected by Cecil Sharp in [September] 1903 from two sisters, Lucy White and Louie Hooper. The tune, although based on this version, is Hannah's own interpretation. We also think it has one of the best last lines of any folk song!

This video shows Hannah James singing William Taylor in 2010 at an unknown venue:

Brian Peters sang William Taylor in 2013 on his and Jeff Davis' CD Sharp's Appalachian Harvest. He noted:

Sung by Rosie Hensley, Carmen, NC, 28 August 1916.
Sharp and Karpeles met the Hesley family—Rosie, husband Reuben and daughter Emma—early in their first trip, and returned several times, dining with them and being made very welcome. All three sang, and Reuben played fiddle. Sharp, having provided some financial assistance for Emma's education, was remarkably forgiving some weeks later when he met her running away from school, consoling himself with the thought that a Presbyterian education might have discouraged her from singing.

William Taylor is a broadside ballad collected many time in England and less often in Scotland, often providing the titillating detail of an embarrassing ‘wardrobe malfunction’ in the young woman's sailor uniform. Rosie Hensley sang a four-verse fragment from the latter part of the song; we've collated hers with two versions that Sharp found in Kentucky.

This video shows Brian Peters at the National Folk Festival, Canberra, 2016:

Danny Spooner sang William Taylor on his 2013 CD Gorgeous, Game Girls.

Iona Fyfe sang Billy Taylor in 2015 on her EP The First Sangs. She commented:

A very popular song in Scots, English and Irish song Tradition. Otherwise known as Willie Taylor, the song theme is found in English and Irish variants. Billy Taylor is said to be the “music hall parody” of Bold William Taylor. Billy Taylor can otherwise be found in the Greig Duncan Folk Song Collection Volume 1.

Alex Cumming and Nicola Beazley sang Billy Taylor on their 2016 CD Across the Water. They commented:

A popular song across UK and USA traditions, this song tells the tale of William Taylor and his love affair. His ‘onshore’ partner discovers Taylor with another, and she is not best pleased! This version was learnt from Scottish singer, Aaron Jones.

Fi Fraser recorded William Taylor with The Old Fashioned for their 2016 No Masters CD Strawberry Leaves. They commented:

One of Fi's favourites although on this occasion she has left out the last verse where the female protagonist is made a bold commander over a ship and all its men.

Rosie Hodgson sang Willy Taylor on her 2016 CD Rise Aurora. She noted:

We've set the words of Willy Taylor to a traditional tune transcribed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, but managed to preserve the chorus from the original tune in the form of a fiddle fill. Since then, we have found the same melody on Fay Hield's fantastic album Orfeo. Did someone say “living tradition” ?!

Rosie Hood sang William's Sweetheart on the BBC Folk Awards 2016 anthology and on her 2017 RootBeat CD The Beautiful & the Actual. She commented in her liner notes:

Based upon William Taylor collected from Henry ‘Wassail’ Harvey, Cricklade, by Alfred Williams. I rewrote this traditional song to be from the point of view of the girl who William Taylor leaves behind. Her name isn't mentioned in the original song, hence the new title.

The tune comes from Joseph Taylor's Bold William Taylor on The Voice of the People 06.

This video shows Rosie with her touring band of Emma Smith, Nicola Beazley and Ollie King at Shepley Spring Festival 2017:

Please note that William Taylor the Poacher as sung by George ‘Pop’ Maynard and by Martin Carthy on Crown of Horn is a completely different song that is also known as Keepers and Poachers.

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