"The Cruel Sister" ~ Bedlam

Vocals and guitar by Gregor Harvey and Grant Foster. I own nothing.

[@ibadetefetiu3341]

There lived a lady by the North Sea shore Lay the bend to the bonnie broom Two daughters were the babes she bore Fa la la la la la la la la la As one grew bright even like the sun Lay the bend to the bonnie broom So coal black grew the elder one. Fa la la la la la la la la la A knight came riding to the lady's door Lay the bend to the bonnie broom He'd travelled far to be their wooer Fa la la la la la la la la la He courted one with gloves and rings Lay the bend to the bonnie broom But he loved the other above all things Fa la la la la la la la la la Oh, sister will you go with me Lay the bend to the bonnie broom To watch the ships sail on the sea? Fa la la la la la la la la la She took her sister by the hand Lay the bend to the bonnie broom And she led her down to the North Sea strand. Fa la la la la la la la la la While they stood there on the shore Lay the bend to the bonnie broom The dark girl threw her sister o'er Fa la la la la la la la la la Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam Lay the bend to the bonnie broom Crying, «Sister, land to me your hand!» Fa la la la la la la la la la Oh, sister, sister, let me live Lay the bend to the bonnie broom And all that's mine I'll surely give Fa la la la la la la la la la Your own true love that I'll have and more Lay the bend to the bonnie broom But thou shalt never come ashore Fa la la la la la la la la la As she floated like a swan, Lay the bend to the bonnie broom The salt sea bore her body on Fa la la la la la la la la la Two minstrels walked upon the strand Lay the bend to the bonnie broom And they watched the maiden float to land Fa la la la la la la la la la And they've made a harp out of her breastbone Lay the bend to the bonnie broom Whose sound would melt a heart of stone Fa la la la la la la la la la They took three locks of her yellow hair Lay the bend to the bonnie broom And with them strung the harp so rare Fa la la la la la la la la la And they've gone into her father's hall Lay the bend to the bonnie broom To play the harp before them all Fa la la la la la la la la la But when they laid it on the stone Lay the bend to the bonnie broom The harp began to play alone Fa la la la la la la la la la The first string sang a doleful sound Lay the bend to the bonnie broom The bride her younger sister drowned Fa la la la la la la la la la The second string as that they tried Lay the bend to the bonnie broom In terror sits the black-haired bride Fa la la la la la la la la la The third string sang beneath their bow Lay the bend to the bonnie broom And surely now her tears will flow Fa la la la la la la la la la

[@tyrande95]

I heard this song at school and I fell in love with it!

[@alfredokorbyn4341]

Instablaster...

[@dxlfa_]

sameeeeee

[@lingueletteraturestraniere8637]

I've always loved this ballad and the music is perfect

[@daragildea7434]

I think the Pentangle and Old Blind Dogs versions are both better.

[@craigo1962]

Minorie is the version i know and prefer, but the art work of the black swans is gorgeous.

[@irishfield1]

Amazing so much adore this ever beautiful thank you

[@juliannahayes4274]

I love this song a lot. And I really enjoy this version, though my favorite is by Clandestine. I wish I could find their version, I have been seriously craving to hear it, they have a beautiful aria solo near the end of theirs. But thank you to the performers of this one it comes pretty close to Clandestine's.

[@emilyb5307]

This comment comes a bit late, but... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIGmg4ydeNBnhdU ?

[@pianissimo369]

It's on KZbin now. Was curious so just did a search and came up 👍

[@elderwolves]

Dark lyrics, excellent story, beautiful music. A great song, by all standards. Only one thing though: who the devil makes harps out of the breast bone of a dead lady?! And strings it with her hair?! That part I don't get.

[@LouysofMC]

In a short prose version of the story it is explained that the harper first saw the just drown beautiful girl; unable to forget her he came back later and found only her skeleton with the hair still on. The make a harp from her remains was a kind of homage, I suppose.

[@elderwolves]

LouysofMC Ah! Now that makes a little more sense. Thank you for the info, it makes that part of the song a little easier to swallow. :)

[@VitaGravecall]

long ago, bards were supposed to have magic - often ironic, poetic magic - and it is an old thing, to make something of the body of the murdered to call out the murderer. Fairytales. Myths.

[@BanjoNoob2]

I dunno, but you can find a variant of this folk song and story in basically every nordic, germanic, and slavic folklore. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twa_Sisters

[@pietrofabiano9422]

I would. Anyways jokes apart, I gave for granted it was decomposed and there were the skeleton

[@BryanCoxR]

Thank for upload that. I love your channel, greetings from Uruguay 😊

[@MustafaFKantemir]

thanks for the record Lindslay ☺ the rhtym really so good... btw i dont know english well! so, wish the record had lyrics... i mean i need to read of the story of song.... greetings from Cappadokia 🙋😉

[@Lindoriel]

Here are the lyrics. I found these on Google. Since the song is old, there are many versions of it. This one only has a few minor differences from the lyrics sung by the Bedlam Boys. Enjoy! There lived a lady by the North Sea shore (Lay the bent to the bonnie broom) Two daughters were the babes she bore (Fa la la la la la la la la la) alternating with each of the lines below> As one grew bright as is the sun, So coal black grew the elder one. A knight came riding to the lady's door, He'd travelled far to be their wooer. He courted one with gloves and rings, But he loved the other above all things. Oh sister will you go with me To watch the ships sail on the sea? She took her sister by the hand And led her down to the North Sea strand. And as they stood on the windy shore The dark girl threw her sister o'er. Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam, Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand! "Oh Sister, Sister, let me live, And all that's mine I'll surely give." "(It's) your own true love that I'll have and more, But thou shalt never come ashore." And there she floated like a swan, The salt sea bore her body on. Two minstrels walked along the strand And saw the maiden float to land. They made a harp of her breastbone, Whose sound would melt a heart of stone. They took three locks of her yellow hair, And with them strung the harp so rare. They went into her father's hall To play the harp before them all, But when they laid it on a stone The harp began to play alone. The first string sang a doleful sound: "The bride her younger sister drowned." The second string as that they tried, In terror sits the black-haired bride. The third string sang beneath their bow, "And surely now her tears will flow

[@MustafaFKantemir]

GREAT! :) thanks a lot... ı can not believe myself why ı did not ask to Google before LOL??? anyway thank you so much Lindsay :) these lyrics became great for me ;) btw ı can realize simple&little differences, no worry ;)

[@lsdmadman]

yay greg and i usedta sing this together a busking in new england...thanky for this

[@Lindoriel]

Hmm, interesting. Most, if not all folk songs have multiple versions, so it may not be technically incorrect, just different.

[@finnwolfhard8705]

Amazing

[@simonefacchin5140]

Yeah that it, my sis ily

[@1512purple]

actually i first heard this song sung thus: Emily Portman - Two Sisters. this is certainly a different version but same meaning.

[@rachelschaufeld392]

Wow!

[@kriss8459]

quite easy to understand like it

[@bocklinskitten4335]

such music was the beginning to falling in love with Great Brittain, thanx soooooooo much

[@soslothful]

You will probably like the song, "The Devil's Nine Questions" and "Twa Crobies" which is Scottish.

[@purplevisionary]

Great music

[@keithm5190]

This version is like the early 70s original, Cruel Sister by Pentangle

[@daragildea7434]

That's not "the original", it's a traditional song.

[@MustafaFKantemir]

lovely

[@player400_official]

That reminds me of a polish play called Balladyna, where one sister murdered the other one cuz of a man.

[@shanewickham9750]

Just good that's all i can say as a fisherman

[@willowbroaddus2753]

I wish I could find Bedlam Boys music available to buy online...

[@Lindoriel]

As far as I know, their music isn't available for sale anywhere. I got the CDs from my brother who bought them at a Renaissance festival back while The Bedlam Boys were still together.

[@wizkidgamer9942]

@@Lindoriel do you know if it all would be possible to put them up somewhere less scrupulous? I hate to ask but if they don't want to offer their music for sale and people still want to listen to it it's going to find it's way out someway or other

[@Lindoriel]

@@wizkidgamer9942 You can download the tracks from my KZbin videos. I haven't done it myself, but if you google "rip music from KZbin" you can get an app that allows you to do it. I have considered burning/mailing out CD's if people will reimburse me for the cost of the CD's, packaging, and shipping (no profit). Right now I'm not in a great situation to do it, but I'll keep you posted!

[@SouvikBiswas420]

medieval song modernized :D

[@Lindoriel]

@wardeleven1 Thank you! I found it on Deviantart or Google, I think. If you just search on black swan, it will probably pop up.

[@vanefreja86]

It's song/theme that truly transcends borders (and the North Sea) A Danish version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmqpgY2jfZqep7c A Swedish vesion: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZ2VpZukmb-BhZY

[@julietteandrews9918]

What a great song., not sure what the phrase mean, lay the bent to the bonnie broom, which is repeated in every verse Can anyone tell me what it means, as it meams no sense to me.

[@Piranhafish123]

It doesn't mean anything in this song. It's just the lyrics from another song that this one uses as a tune, so the phrase is repeated just to make the lyrics fit in the music. Common in mediaeval music like this, as the lyrics were often written without music.

[@daragildea7434]

It should be bairn, (which means child or baby) not bend/bent, which doesn't make any sense, it's meaningless gibberish.

[@user-ug2hk3go6i]

What is "lay the bend..."?

[@ernymc55]

like it ...but ....it s bairn (scots: baby) not bend.Still, better bent than broke.

[@okonos]

Have a listen to the version by Old Blind Dogs

[@daragildea7434]

Pentangle also did a great version.

[@jacopofallavena6748]

LAY THE BENT TO THE BONNIE BROOM

[@daragildea7434]

In this version, he definitely sings "bend", not bent. And I'm sure that in other versions it's "bairn", which means baby or child.

[@soslothful]

To be had on CD?

[@Theqila1242]

Could you tell me where you found that background image?

[@Lindoriel]

I found it on Deviantart. Here's a link: images.app.goo.gl/RkcTthT6FUfrBLXn8

[@ladylilith8855]

What is meant by "lay the bent to the bonny broom"?

[@noelkenny4577]

It is meant to be "Bairn" not "Bent" I think this is a case of a mondegreen that has been recorded as they heard it instead of checking what the actual words were.A bairn is the Scottish dialect for baby - and broom is a soft flowering plant like heather, which is where the word for the cleaning / sweeping device comes from.This line just means to lay the baby down in the soft bushes.

[@ladylilith8855]

Ah, okay. Thanks!

[@magenta6754]

From the original English version, bent is a dark wild grass and broom a yellow flower. This a metaphor for the dark haired and fair haired girl.

[@TheSadsham]

actually there's also another interpretation of this refrain, which alludes to the sexual act. among the many versions of this ballad of Scandinavian origins it seems that the pentangle one was the first to insert this refrain, taking it, along with the music, from another ballad, riddles wisely expounded. this would explain the reason why cruel sister, which is about, mostly, jealousy and rivalry between sisters, contains a refrain of a sexual nature: in fact the topic of riddles wisely expounded concerns more explicitly sex and seduction by the devil towards a not so unwary young woman .. here's the same refrain in a version of the riddles: There was a lady of the North Country, Lay the bent to the bonny broom And she had lovely daughters three. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. There came a stranger to the gate, Lay the bent to the bonny broom And he three nights and days did wait. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. He came unto the lady's door, Lay the bent to the bonny broom And asked where her three daughters here. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. "The eldest is to the washing gone, Lay the bent to the bonny broom The second's to the baking gone. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. "The youngest is to a wedding gone, Lay the bent to the bonny broom And it will be night before they're home." And you may beguile a fair maid soon. He sat him down upon a stone, Lay the bent to the bonny broom Till the three lasses came tripping home. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. The oldest one's to the bed making, Lay the bent to the bonny broom The second one's to the sheet spreading. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. But the youngest sister so bold and bright, Lay the bent to the bonny broom She lay abed with this uncouth knight. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. And in the morning when it was grey, Lay the bent to the bonny broom These words to her did the stranger say. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. Now answer me these questions three, Lay the bent to the bonny broom Or you shall surely go with me. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. Now answer me these questions six, Lay the bent to the bonny broom Or you shall surely be old Nick's. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. What is sharper than the thorn? Lay the bent to the bonny broom What is louder than the horn? And you may beguile a fair maid soon. What broader than the way? Lay the bent to the bonny broom What is colder than the clay? And you may beguile a fair maid soon. What is greener than the grass? Lay the bent to the bonny broom And what is worse than a woman was? And you may beguile a fair maid soon. Hunger is sharper then the thorn, Lay the bent to the bonny broom And thunder is louder than the horn. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. Love is broader than the way, Lay the bent to the bonny broom And death is colder than the clay. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. Envy's greener than the grass, Lay the bent to the bonny broom And the Devil's worse than a woman was. And you may beguile a fair maid soon. As soon as she the fiend did name, Lay the bent to the bonny broom He flew away in a blazing flame. And you may beguile a fair maid soon.

[@DreamyEmoChick1534]

I need to find printable lyrics for this song..anyone have an idea where i can find them for this version?

[@Lindoriel]

Here are the lyrics. I found these on Google. Since the song is old, there are many versions of it. This one only has a few minor differences from the lyrics sung by the Bedlam Boys. Enjoy! There lived a lady by the North Sea shore (Lay the bent to the bonnie broom) Two daughters were the babes she bore (Fa la la la la la la la la la) alternating with each of the lines below> As one grew bright as is the sun, So coal black grew the elder one. A knight came riding to the lady's door, He'd travelled far to be their wooer. He courted one with gloves and rings, But he loved the other above all things. Oh sister will you go with me To watch the ships sail on the sea? She took her sister by the hand And led her down to the North Sea strand. And as they stood on the windy shore The dark girl threw her sister o'er. Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam, Crying, "Sister, reach to me your hand! "Oh Sister, Sister, let me live, And all that's mine I'll surely give." "(It's) your own true love that I'll have and more, But thou shalt never come ashore." And there she floated like a swan, The salt sea bore her body on. Two minstrels walked along the strand And saw the maiden float to land. They made a harp of her breastbone, Whose sound would melt a heart of stone. They took three locks of her yellow hair, And with them strung the harp so rare. They went into her father's hall To play the harp before them all, But when they laid it on a stone The harp began to play alone. The first string sang a doleful sound: "The bride her younger sister drowned." The second string as that they tried, In terror sits the black-haired bride. The third string sang beneath their bow, "And surely now her tears will flow

[@periwinkleblue3416]

Imagine the hair color be reversed...

[@sebaceous]

its so dark

[@mutedpostalhorn]

Compare and contrast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2O2epV-Zt6Wjtk

[@normabeauregard1220]

Very pretty but almost copied from the Pentagle version

[@loridragon1118]

It is the same version. There are many versions of the same song, it's not plagiarized. It's an old song and therefore a.lot of people have covered it.

[@jordiforloni6461]

non mi è piaciuta e ho messo dislike