Archie Fisher was born in Glasgow on 23 October 1939. In 1960 he moved to Edinburgh and appeared regularly at a folk club called "The Howff" run by Roy Guest. In 1962 Ray & Archie Fisher released a single on the Topic label, "Far Over the Forth". They appeared on the BBC programme 'Hootenanny'. In 1965 the whole family released an album "Traditional and New Songs from Scotland" under the name The Fisher Family.
Bert Jansch visited The Howff in 1960 and received guitar lessons from another regular performer, Len Partridge. Archie met Robin Williamson, Clive Palmer and Mike Heron, later to become The Incredible String Band.
By 1964 the Edinburgh Fringe could boast a folk festival in its own right. An album of the participants was released on Decca. It was called "Edinburgh Folk Festival vol 2" and contained tracks by Ray Fisher, Archie Fisher, Anne Briggs, and the Ian Campbell Folk Group (including Dave Swarbrick). Jansch and Briggs performed together but this was never recorded. At an early stage Archie recognised the power of Barbara Dickson's singing and in 1969 invited her to guest on his albums. His live act included 'All Around My Hat', later to become a hit for Steeleye Span. His song "Witch of the Westmorland" was recorded by Barbara Dickson in 1971 on her album "From the Beggar's Mantle", by Archie on "The Man With a Rhyme" in 1976, by Stan Rogers in 1979 and by Golden Bough in 1983.
In 1983 he started hosting a folk programme on Radio Scotland, called Travelling Folk. It is still running. He appeared as the lead guitarist on Tom Paxton's 1986 album, The Very Best of Tom Paxton. After Barbara Dickson achieved fame as an easy listening singer it was many years before she sang folk songs again. When she did, Archie was invited back to join her. Archie has toured Canada and the USA. His style of singing is very gentle and he avoids all electronic instruments. "Dark-Eyed Molly" has been recorded by Fairport Convention, Eva Cassidy, Stan Rogers, and Sheena Wellington. He now lives in the north of England.
Discography:
Ray & Archie Fisher
* Far Over the Forth (1962)
The Fisher Family
* Traditional and New Songs From Scotland (1965)
Solo Recordings
* Archie Fisher (1968)
* Orfeo (1970)
* Will Ye Gang, Love (1976)
* The Man With A Rhyme (1976)
* Sunsets I've Galloped Into (1995)
* Windward Away (2010)
With Barbara Dickson
* The Fate o' Charlie (1969)
* Thro' The Recent Years (1970)
With Garnet Rogers
* Off the Map (1986)
Witch of the West-mer-lands
Archie Fisher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That bore the rowan shield,
And cruel were the raven's cries
That feasted on the field,
Saying, "Beck water, cold and clear,
Will never clean your wound.
There's none but the Maid of the Winding Mere
Can mak' thee hale and soond."
And fetch me the mountain hare
Whose coat is as gray as the Wastwater
Or as white as the lily fair."
Who said, "Green moss and heather bands
Will never staunch the flood.
There's none but the Witch of the West-mer-lands
Can save thy dear life's blood."
"So turn, turn your stallion's head
Till his red mane flies in the wind,
And the rider o' the moon goes by
And the bright star falls behind."
And clear was the paley moon
When his shadow passed him by;
Below the hill was the brightest star
When he heard the houlet cry,
Saying, "Why do you ride this way
And wharfore cam' you here?"
"I seek the Witch of the West-mer-lands
That dwells by the Winding mere."
"Then fly free your good grey hawk
To gather the goldenrod,
And face your horse intae the clouds
Above yon gay green wood."
And it's weary by the Ullswater
And the misty brake fern way
Till through the cleft o' the Kirkstane Pass
The winding water lay.
He said, "Lie down, my brindled hounds,
And rest, my good grey hawk,
And thee, my steed, may graze thy fill
For I must dismount and walk.
"But come when you hear my horn
And answer swift the call,
For I fear ere the sun will rise this morn
You may serve me best of all."
And it's down to the water's brim
He's borne the rowan shield,
And the goldenrod he has cast in
To see what the lake might yield.
And wet rose she from the lake
And fast and fleet gaed she,
One half the form of a maiden fair
With a jet-black mare's body.
And loud, long and shrill he blew,
Till his steed was by his side;
High overhead his grey hawk flew
And swiftly he did ride,
Saying, "Course well, my brindled hounds,
And fetch me the jet-black mare!
Stoop and strike, my good grey hawk,
And bring me the maiden fair!"
She said, "Pray sheath thy silvery sword,
Lay down thy rowan shield.
For I see by the briny blood that flows
You've been wounded in the field."
And she stood in a gown of the velvet blue,
Bound 'round with a silver chain,
She's kissed his pale lips aince and twice
And three times 'round again.
She's bound his wounds with the goldenrod,
Full fast in her arms he lay,
And he has risen, hale and sound,
With the sun high in the day.
She said, "Ride with your brindled hound at heel
And your good grey hawk in hand.
There's nane can harm the knight who's lain
With the Witch of the West-mer-land."
The song "Witch of the West-mer-lands" is a ballad telling a fantastical tale of a wounded knight who seeks the help of the eponymous witch to heal his injuries. He is urged to seek her out by a raven and a houlet (a type of owl), and is warned that no other remedies, such as green moss or heather bands, will save him. The knight sets off on a journey, accompanied by his brindled hounds and grey hawk, to find the Witch of the West-mer-lands, who dwells by the Winding Mere. On his way, he encounters the moon rider and the bright star falling behind, and finally reaches the Winding Mere. There, he throws goldenrod into the lake as an offering, and the Witch of the West-mer-lands appears, rising from the water in a half-maiden, half-mare form. She helps him to heal his wounds with the goldenrod, and the knight emerges hale and sound, able to ride with his brindled hound and good grey hawk by his side.
The lyrics of the song evoke a mystical and otherworldly atmosphere, with references to magical creatures such as ravens, houlets, and the shapeshifting witch. The themes of the song include the power of nature and its ability to heal, the importance of seeking help when needed, and the idea that magic exists in the world if we are willing to look for it. The ballad also highlights the importance of loyalty and trust, as the knight's companions - his hounds and hawk - are faithful throughout his journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Pale was the wounded knight
That bore the rowan shield,
The knight was badly injured and visibly pale, but determined to persevere with his shield made of rowan.
And cruel were the raven's cries
That feasted on the field,
The raven birds were causing distress due to their harsh cawing, while feasting on the aftermath of the battle.
Saying, "Beck water, cold and clear,
Will never clean your wound.
There's none but the Maid of the Winding Mere
Can mak' thee hale and soond."
The water of Beck (stream) will not heal the knight's wound, and only the woman known as the Maid of the Winding Mere can make him whole again.
"So course well, my brindled hounds,
And fetch me the mountain hare
Whose coat is as gray as the Wastwater
Or as white as the lily fair."
The knight instructed his dogs to chase after a hare - any hare that has a coat as gray as Wastwater or as white as a lily, to help him with his quest.
Who said, "Green moss and heather bands
Will never staunch the flood.
There's none but the Witch of the West-mer-lands
Can save thy dear life's blood."
Only the Witch of the West-mer-lands can cure the knight's wounds as neither moss nor heather have the ability to stop the bleeding.
"So turn, turn your stallion's head
Till his red mane flies in the wind,
And the rider o' the moon goes by
And the bright star falls behind."
The knight turned his horse and followed the path of the moon and the stars while letting his horse run wild.
And clear was the paley moon
When his shadow passed him by;
Below the hill was the brightest star
When he heard the houlet cry,
The moon was bright and clear when his shadow caught up with him, and he heard the owl's cry when he was near the hill where the brightest star lay.
Saying, "Why do you ride this way
And wharfore cam' you here?"
"I seek the Witch of the West-mer-lands
That dwells by the Winding mere."
The knight was asked why he was riding in that area, and he replied that he was seeking the Witch of the West-mer-lands who lived by the Winding Mere.
"Then fly free your good grey hawk
To gather the goldenrod,
And face your horse intae the clouds
Above yon gay green wood."
The witch suggested that the knight should let his hawk collect goldenrod, and he should ride his horse into the clouds that surrounded a green wood.
And it's weary by the Ullswater
And the misty brake fern way
Till through the cleft o' the Kirkstane Pass
The winding water lay.
The knight rode to Ullswater and took the misty path around the ferns until he reached the Kirkstane Pass where the stream was located.
He said, "Lie down, my brindled hounds,
And rest, my good grey hawk,
And thee, my steed, may graze thy fill
For I must dismount and walk.
The knight told his dogs and hawk to rest as he was going to disembark from his horse and walk on foot.
"But come when you hear my horn
And answer swift the call,
For I fear ere the sun will rise this morn
You may serve me best of all."
The knight asked the animals to respond to his horn when he called as he knew that he might require their assistance before sunrise.
And it's down to the water's brim
He's borne the rowan shield,
And the goldenrod he has cast in
To see what the lake might yield.
The knight went down to the brink of the water and tossed his rowan shield and goldenrod to find out what the lake could give him.
And wet rose she from the lake
And fast and fleet gaed she,
One half the form of a maiden fair
With a jet-black mare's body.
A woman rose from the water, and her body had a horse-like appearance that was black, except for the top half which was human and beautiful.
And loud, long and shrill he blew,
Till his steed was by his side;
High overhead his grey hawk flew
And swiftly he did ride,
The knight blew his horn in a loud, long, and high-pitched fashion until his horse came to his side, and his hawk flew high above him as he rode quickly.
Saying, "Course well, my brindled hounds,
And fetch me the jet-black mare!
Stoop and strike, my good grey hawk,
And bring me the maiden fair!"
The knight asked his dogs to chase after the black mare while requesting the hawk to catch and bring the enchanted, beautiful woman to him.
She said, "Pray sheath thy silvery sword,
Lay down thy rowan shield.
For I see by the briny blood that flows
You've been wounded in the field."
The witch asked the knight to put away his sword and shield as she could see from the salty blood that he had been harmed in combat.
And she stood in a gown of the velvet blue,
Bound 'round with a silver chain,
She's kissed his pale lips aince and twice
And three times 'round again.
The witch appeared before him in a blue velvet dress with a silver belt, kissed him on the lips thrice, and walked around him three times.
She's bound his wounds with the goldenrod,
Full fast in her arms he lay,
And he has risen, hale and sound,
With the sun high in the day.
The witch used the goldenrod to heal his wounds and treated him in her arms. The knight was able to rise again, and he was feeling healthy and well as the sun was high up above.
She said, "Ride with your brindled hound at heel
And your good grey hawk in hand.
There's nane can harm the knight who's lain
With the Witch of the West-mer-land."
The witch told him to keep his animals close as no one could harm a knight who had been tended to by the Witch of the West-mer-land.
Contributed by Alyssa H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.