"THE DAEMON LOVER"
在美國, 此曲最先普及是始於東部 "Appalachia 阿帕拉契亞山脈" 和南部的地域, 並改以 "The House Carpenter" 為曲名, 同是唱出丈夫被遺棄的悲情民謠。此曲有異於美國本土的民歌元素和風格, 使當時的民歌樂壇引起一番漣漪。
1865年英國的民謠歌集當中, "A Warning for Married Women" 是一首給已婚婦女勸告的作品, 並聲明全是真人真事, 故事主人是生於 Plymouth 的女子 Jane。之後, 在英國坊間亦有所謠傳, 據稱某些男子殉情後, 會變成厲鬼重返人間, 要找上不忠於他的女子作可怕的報復, 在當地的祖父母輩, 多把此曲描述得令人心怯。這樣的警世故事, 猶如粵港澳的【地水南音】在民間以說唱型式流傳, 還是把 "English Ballad" 類稱為【英國南音】好了!
像大多數民間歌謠, 經坊間不斷傳唱之後, 其歌詞、旋律、曲調有所改變和增減, 有文字記載的歌詞, 經不斷修訂之外, 歌曲在不同國家或地方,
有不同名字如 "Daemon Lover", "James Harris", "The Ship Carpenter", "The
Distressed Ship Carpenter", The House Carpenter" , "The Carpenter's
Wife" 等; 而歌曲亦有分男、女或以第三身敘事式的不同歌詞演譯。
這個民間傳唱的故事, 有聲頻記載最早是1928年十月, 三人組合 "Carolina Tar Heels" 成員有 Clarence Ashley, Garley Foster, Doc Walsh 的錄音, 取曲名 "Can't You Remember When Your Heart Was Mine?"
"Can't You Remember When Your Heart Was Mine?" - Carolina Tar Heels
Clarence Ashley (1895-1967) 1931年的個人錄音, 取曲名 "The House Carpenter", 而樂迷最認識的 Pete Seeger 和 Bob Dylan 亦有翻唱此曲, 相信民歌迷早不會放過,「和平使者」Joan Baez 當然亦有不同曲風的演譯 ....
The House Carpenter - Clarence Ashley
We'll met we'll met said an old true loveWe'll met we'll met said heI'm just returning from the salt salt sea And it's all for the love of thee
Climb in climb in my old true loveAnd have a seat with meIt's been three-fourths of a long long year Since together we have been
Well I can't come in or I can't sit downFor I haven't but a moment's timeThey say you're married to a house carpenter And your heart will never be mine
Now it's I coulda married a king's daughter hereI'm sure she'da married meBut I've forsaken her crowns of gold And it's all for the love of thee
Now will you forsaken your house carpenterAnd go along with meI'll take you where the grass grows green On the banks of the deep blue sea
She picked up here little babeAnd kisses gave him threeSays stay right here my darling little babe And keep your pappa company
Well they hadn't been on ship but about two weeksI'm sure it wasn't threeWell his true love began to weep and mourn And he weeped most bitterly
Says are you a-weepin' for my silver or my goldSays are you weeping for my storeAre you weeping for that house carpenter Whose face you'll never see any more
No it's I'm not a-weepin' for your silver or your goldOr neither for your storeI am weeping for my darling little babe Whose face I'll never see any more
Well they hadn't been on ship but about three weeksI'm sure it wasn't four'Til they sprung a leak in the bottom of the ship And they sunk for to rise no more
HOUSE CARPENTER - Bob Dylan
This a story about a ghost come back from out of the sea
Come to take his bride away from the house carpenter
Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried she
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee
I could have married a King's daughter there
She would have married me
But I have forsaken my King's daughter there
It's all for the love of thee
Well, if you could have married a King's daughter there
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man
Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come away with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy
So up she picked her babies three
And gave them kisses, one, two, three
Saying "take good care of your daddy while I'm gone
And keep him good company."
Well, they were sailing about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When the younger of the girls, she came on deck
Saying she wants company
"Well, are you weeping for your house and home?
Or are you weeping for your babies three?"
"Well, I'm not weeping for my house carpenter
I'm weeping for my babies three."
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as white as snow
Those are the hill of heaven, my love
You and I'll never know
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as dark as night
Those are the hills of hellfire my love
Where you and I will unite
Oh twice around went the gallant ship
I'm sure it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak
And it drifted to the bottom of the sea
NEXT ... THE HOUSE CARPENTER - Joan Baez