The band originally consisted of Martin Carthy (vocals, guitar, mandolin), John Kirkpatrick (vocals, accordion, concertina), Howard Evans (trumpet), Roger Williams (trombone), and Martin Brinsford (born 17 August 1944, in Gloucester, Gloucestershire) (harmonica, percussion, saxophone).
Carthy was a well-established musician at the band's formation, having been a member of Steeleye Span and The Watersons, as well as having had a successful solo career. Kirkpatrick had also played with Steeleye Span for a time and worked with Carthy in the Albion Country Band. The two formed an occasional trio with Evans after all three appeared on Carthy's albums Because It's There (1979) and Out of the Cut (1982). Brass Monkey was formed with the addition of Williams and Brinsford after initially being billed as The Martin Carthy Band.
In 1984, after recording Brass Monkey's first album, Williams was replaced by Richard Cheetham (born 29 January 1957, in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire). The band recorded two albums: Brass Monkey (1983) and See How it Runs (1986). Both albums consisted primarily of traditional songs and tunes—later reissued on a single CD under the title The Complete Brass Monkey (1993). Unable to reconcile the schedules of its various members, the band reluctantly broke up in 1987.
In 1997 Brass Monkey reunited for a tour, then recorded a third album, Sound and Rumour. It was followed in 2001 by Going and Staying, on which both Williams and Cheetham appeared, and in 2004 by Flame of Fire, on which the band reverted to its original lineup. All five of Brass Monkey's albums were released on Topic Records.
Despite Evans's death in 2006, the band decided to continue to perform. Brass Monkey debuted its four-piece lineup with a short set at a Watersons family show at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 May 2007. Carthy, Evans, and Kirkpatrick were guests on Loudon Wainwright III's album "More Love Songs."
2) Motown group, also known as hot brass monkey.
Sweet Water
You Keep Me Hangin' On
3) For the funky New Orleans band see, brass monkey brass band.
The Maid And The Palmer
Brass Monkey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the dew fell down from her snow-white flesh,
The dew fell down from her snow-white flesh,
As the sun shone down so early.
And as she washed, as she wrung,
She hung them out on the hazel wand,
She hung them out on the hazel wand,
Oh, God speed you, Old Man, she cries,
God speed you, you pretty fair maid,
God speed you, you pretty fair maid,
As the sun shines down so early.
Have you got a cup, have you got a can?
Can you give a drink to a palmer man?
Can you give a drink to a palmer man?
As the sun shines down so early.
Oh, I've no cup and I've no can,
And I cannot give a drink to a palmer man,
And I cannot give a drink to a palmer man,
As the sun shines down so early.
You lie, you lie, you are forsworn,
For if your true love came from Rome,
Then a cup, a can you'd find for him,
As the sun shines down so early.
Now, she swore by God and the good St. John.
Truelover she had never a one,
Truelover she had never a one,
As the sun shines down so early.
You lie, you lie, you are forsworn,
For nine children you have born,
For nine children you have born,
As the sun shines down so early.
Oh, there's three of them lying under your bed-head,
Three of them under the hearth are laid,
Three of them under the hearth are laid,
As the sun shines down so early.
Three more laying on yonder green,
Count, fair maid, for that makes nine,
Count, fair maid, for that makes nine,
As the sun shines down so early.
Palmer, oh, Palmer, do tell me,
Penance that you will give to me,
Penance that you will give to me,
As the sun shines down so early.
Penance I will give thee none,
But seven years as a stepping stone,
But seven years as a stepping stone,
As the sun shines down so early.
Seven more as a clapper to ring in the bell,
Seven to run from the apes of hell,
Seven to run from the apes of hell,
As the sun shines down so early.
Welcome, welcome stepping stone,
Welcome clapper in the bell to ring,
Welcome clapper in the bell to ring,
As the sun shines down so early.
Welcome stone, welcome bell,
Christ, keep me from the apes of hell,
Christ, keep me from the apes of hell,
As the sun shines down so early.
The Maid and the Palmer is a traditional English folk song about a maid who goes down to the well to do laundry on a sunny morning. The maid is approached by a palmer, a pilgrim who has returned from a journey to the Holy Land, seeking for directions and a drink. To her dismay, she admits she has no cup or can, and he accuses her of lying about not having a lover, the palmer then reveals he knows she has nine children out of wedlock. Shocked, the maid begs for penance, and the palmer responds by telling her she must take Seven Years as a "stepping stone" and Seven Years as a "clapper to ring in the bell" to keep her from being "run by the apes of hell."
The meaning of the lyrics of this ancient song is open for interpretation. Some view it as a cautionary tale emphasizing the importance of honesty, while others regard it as a type of confession and a plea for forgiveness. The palmer's role in the narrative is also somewhat ambiguous, and he may be seen as either a representative of the church or a spiritually wise hermit. The song has a dark ending, with the palmer offering penitentiary, but the maid never receiving absolution.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the maid went down to the well for to wash,
A maid went down to the well to wash some clothes.
And the dew fell down from her snow-white flesh,
The dew fell down from her white skin.
The dew fell down from her snow-white flesh,
The dew fell down from her white skin.
As the sun shone down so early.
It was early in the morning when the sun was shining.
And as she washed, as she wrung,
She continued washing and wringing the clothes.
She hung them out on the hazel wand,
She placed the clothes on a hazel branch to dry.
She hung them out on the hazel wand,
She placed the clothes on a hazel branch to dry.
And by there came a palmer man.
A pilgrim man passed by.
Oh, God speed you, Old Man, she cries,
The maid greets the palmer man.
God speed you, you pretty fair maid,
The palmer man also greets the maid.
God speed you, you pretty fair maid,
The palmer man also greets the maid.
As the sun shines down so early.
It was still early in the morning when they met.
Have you got a cup, have you got a can?
The palmer man asks if the maid has anything to drink.
Can you give a drink to a palmer man?
The palmer man requests for a drink.
Can you give a drink to a palmer man?
The palmer man requests for a drink.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Oh, I've no cup and I've no can,
The maid tells the palmer man that she has nothing to give him.
And I cannot give a drink to a palmer man,
The maid cannot provide a drink for the palmer man.
And I cannot give a drink to a palmer man,
The maid cannot provide a drink for the palmer man.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
You lie, you lie, you are forsworn,
The palmer man accuses the maid of lying.
For if your true love came from Rome,
The palmer man says that if her true love came from Rome,
Then a cup, a can you'd find for him,
She would have a cup and a can for him.
As the sun shines down so early.
It was still early in the morning.
Now, she swore by God and the good St. John.
The maid swears by God and St. John that she has never had a true lover.
Truelover she had never a one,
The maid has never had a true lover.
Truelover she had never a one,
The maid has never had a true lover.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
You lie, you lie, you are forsworn,
The palmer man accuses the maid of lying again.
For nine children you have born,
The palmer man said she had nine children.
For nine children you have born,
The palmer man said she had nine children.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Oh, there's three of them lying under your bed-head,
The maid has three of her children under her bed-head.
Three of them under the hearth are laid,
Another three children are under the hearth.
Three of them under the hearth are laid,
Another three children are under the hearth.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Three more laying on yonder green,
The remaining three children were on the green field.
Count, fair maid, for that makes nine,
The palmer man reminds the maid that there were nine children.
Count, fair maid, for that makes nine,
The palmer man reminds the maid that there were nine children.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Palmer, oh, Palmer, do tell me,
The maid asks the palmer man to tell her.
Penance that you will give to me,
The maid asks for penance to be given to her.
Penance that you will give to me,
The maid asks for penance to be given to her.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Penance I will give thee none,
The palmer man refuses to give her penance.
But seven years as a stepping stone,
Instead, he gives her seven years as a 'stepping stone'.
But seven years as a stepping stone,
Instead, he gives her seven years as a 'stepping stone'.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Seven more as a clapper to ring in the bell,
He tells her that she needs to spend seven more years as a 'clapper to ring in the bell'.
Seven to run from the apes of hell,
She needs to run from the apes of hell for seven years.
Seven to run from the apes of hell,
She needs to run from the apes of hell for seven years.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Welcome, welcome stepping stone,
The maid welcomes the idea of a 'stepping stone'.
Welcome clapper in the bell to ring,
She also welcomes being a 'clapper to ring in the bell'.
Welcome clapper in the bell to ring,
She also welcomes being a 'clapper to ring in the bell'.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Welcome stone, welcome bell,
The maid welcomes everything that's been offered to her.
Christ, keep me from the apes of hell,
She prays to Christ to keep her safe from the apes of hell.
Christ, keep me from the apes of hell,
She prays to Christ to keep her safe from the apes of hell.
As the sun shines down so early.
The sun was still shining early in the morning.
Contributed by Christian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@interXventional
this song is beautiful -love the melodeon -
@class87srule
Got the Brass Monkey album when it first came out. Found Martin Carthy's tunes somewhat 'off the wall' but they strangely grow on you...like John Kirkpatrick's squeeze box playing! Bravo!
@marpymellow3805
Brass and riffing accordians fantastic!
@Gimmer3
In the Middle Ages, a palmer (Latin: palmarius or palmerius) was a Christian Pilgrim, normally from Western Europe, who had visited the holy places in Palestine and who, as a token of his visits to the Holy Land, brought back a palm leaf or a palm leaf folded into a cross. Palmers were often highly regarded as well natured holy men because of their devotion to Christ along the pilgrimage. (The word is frequently used as synonymous with "pilgrim").
@d.w.stratton4078
It was also popularly believed that Palmers had some degree of magic or holy power as a result of their pilgrimage, hence the suggestion in this song that the Palmer is clairvoyant and knows of the Maiden's infidelities and indiscretions.
@tomokra
isn't there also some catholic/protestant conflict poking out? " ... if your true love came from Rome, a cup or a can you'd find for him ..."
@thecelticchristiantraditio4750
@Tom King I don't think so.
@ronniecrilley4496
heard this years ago nice version
@mmx1237
Hello LGS
@davidpratt466
I wonder if the reference to the woman's "true love" coming from Rome suggests that she is Irish Catholic, working at a Magdalene asylum (this is a "Magdelene ballad"), taking unwed mothers' children from them and either allowing or causing those children to die. Hundreds of children's bodies have been unearthed from unmarked graves on the grounds of former Magdalene homes in Ireland.