12-string Guitar: Henry Martin

This is another song I have found initially on the Songs of the Sea site and listened only to the music audio presented there. I worked out how to fit the first half of the verse OK, but had great difficulty with the rest, so then I listened to versions by Joan Baez and my friend from Hong Kong, Raymond Crooke. Having done so and seen how to fit in the second half, I set about creating an accompaniment for the 12-string and came up with this finger-picking style.
The site gives the following information about the song:
This ballad is sometimes confused with Andrew Bartin, because they are similar both in story and sometimes in tune. According to Sharp Henry Martin is probably the older ballad and was recomposed during the reign of James I. However, some scholars feel it is the other way around. Whichever is the case, Henry Martin dates to at least the 1700s.

This ballad is Child Ballad #250.

In the many versions the hero is variously Henry Martin (Martyn), Robin Hood, Sir Andrew Barton, Andrew Bodee, Andrew Bartin, Henry Burin and Roberton. Sharp feels Henry Martin is probably a corruption of the name Andrew Barton.

The ballad is based on a family that lived during the reign of Henry VIII. A Scottish officer, Sir Andrew Barton, was attacked by the Portuguese. Letters of marque were then issued to two of his sons. The brothers, not finding sufficient Portuguese ships, began harassing English merchants. King Henry VIII commissioned the Earl of Surrey to end their piracy. He was given two vessels which he put under the command of his sons, Sir Thomas and Sir Edward Howard. They attacked Barton's ships, The Lion and the Union, and captured them. They returned triumphant on August 2, 1511.

(One final thought, I think perhaps Sydney Carter was influenced by this tune when he wrote the song "Judas and Mary")

My apologies, when I came to put in the annotations I realised that I had omitted the final verse which should have been:


Bad news, bad news, to old England came,
Bad news to fair London Town,
There's been a rich vessel and she's cast away, cast away, cast away,
And all of the merry men drown'd.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Henry
• Martin
• threelegsoman
• Child
• Ballad
• #250
• Lyrics
• Chords
• 12-string
• Acoustic
• Guitar
• Finger-picking

[SiriuslyEz]

Thank You for sharing this wonderful old Folk Ballad. Specially my thanks for providing lyrics and chord diagrams.

Ez

[threelegsoman]

@SiriuslyEz Thank you for your comment. I am pleased that you enjoyed it.

[KasugaD400]

Hi Tony, wonderful playing and singing.

Best wishes

Werner

[threelegsoman]

@KasugaD400 Thanks Werner

[gdgest]

Excellent performance of this variant. I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for sharing.

[threelegsoman]

@gdgest Thanks Ger

[5mcarter]

Excellent performance.  Love the sound of a 12 string guitar. THUMBS UP.

[sublimeruca27]

Really nice word medieval is coming to mind for some reason love it

[pendzel95]

very nice ! :)