They began playing together in 1999 and their first album as a duo was Through and Through (2001).
In 2002 they were both session musicians on Eliza Carthy's album Anglicana, and toured with her as part of her band The Ratcatchers.
However it was their second album, Bellow, in 2003 that drew attention. The tunes and songs were mostly traditional, grounded in the Morris tradition.
In the same year they won the "Horizon Award" in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards [1], followed by the "Best Duo" [2] category in 2004. A new album called simply Tunes came out in summer 2005 and another, and Songs followed in October of the same year.
Spiers and Boden were founding members of the folk band Bellowhead, which is a project that aims to combine traditional English folk music with a brass band sound.
Their new album, Vagabond, was released on Navigator Records on 26th May 2008.
Child Morris
Spiers & Boden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With red gold shined his weed.
By him stood a little page boy,
Dressing a milk-white steed.
"I fear for you my master,
For your fame it waxes wide.
It is not for your rich-rich gold,
Nor for your mickle pride,
That lives on the Ithan-side."
"Oh, here's to you my bonny-wee boy,
That I pay meat and fee.
Run you an errand to the Ithan-side,
And run straight home to me.
If you make me this errand run,
It's all against my will,
If you make me this errand run,
I shall do your errand ill.
But I fear no ill of you bonny-boy,
I fear no ill of you,
I fear no ill of my bonny-boy,
for a good bonny-boy are you!"
"Take you here this green mantle,
It's all... (um... sorry...)
Bid her come to the good green wood,
for to talk to Child Morris.
And take you here this shirt of silk,
her own hand sewed the sleeve,
bid her come to the good green wood,
and ask not Bernard's leave."
But when he got to the castle wall,
They were playing at the ball.
Four and twenty ladies gay,
Looked over the castle wall.
1God make you safe you ladies all,
God make you safe and sure,
But Bernard's lady among you all,
My errand is to her.
"Oh, take you here this green mantle
It's all lined with the freece,
Come you down to the good green wood,
For to talk to Child Morris.
Take you here this shirt of silk,
Your own hand sewed the sleeve.
Come you down to the good green wood,
And ask not Bernard's leave."
Well, up there spoke a little nurse,
She winked all with her eye.
"Oh welcome, welcome bonny-boy,
With love tidings to me."
"You lie, You lie, you false nurse,
So loud I hear you lie,
Bernard's lady among you all,
I'm sure you are not she!"
Well up there spoke Lord Bernard,
Behind the door stood he.
"Oh I shall go to the good green wood,
And I'll see who he might be.
Go fetch to me your gowns of silk,
And your petticoats so small!
I will ride to the good green wood,
And I'll try with him a fall."
Child Morris stood in the good green wood,
And he whistled and he sang.
"I think I see the lady come,
That I have loved so long."
He's ridden him through the good green wood,
For to help her from her horse,
"Oh no, Oh no," cried Child Morris
"No maid was ere so gross!"
"How now, How now, Child Morris?
How now and how do you?
How long have you my lady loved?
This night, come tell to me."
"When first that I your lady loved,
In green wood among the thyme,
Then she was my first fair love,
Before that she was thine.
When first that I your lady loved,
In green wood among the flowers,
Then she was my first fair love,
Before that she was yours."
Lord Bernard's taken a long broad-sword,
That he was used to wear.
And he's cut off Child Morris' head,
And he's put it on a spear.
He's cut off Child Morris' head,
And he's put it on a spear.
The soberest boy in all the court,
Child Morris' head did bear.
And he's put it in a broad basin,
And he's carried it through the hall.
He's taken it to his lady's bower,
Saying, "Lady play at ball,
Play you, Play you, my lady gay,
Play you from here to the bower.
Play you with Child Morris' head,
For he was your paramour."
"Oh, he was not my paramour,
He was my son indeed.
I got him in my mother's bower,
All in my maiden weed.
I got him in my mother's bower,
With mickle sin and shame,
I brought him up in the good green wood,
All beneath the wind and rain,
"Now I will kiss his bloody cheek,
And I will kiss his chin.
I'll make a vow and I'll keep it true,
I'll never kiss man again.
Oft times I by his cradle sat,
And fond to see him sleep,
Now I'll lie upon his grave,
The salt tears for to weep."
"Bring pillows for my lady,
She looks so pale and wan."
"Oh, none of your pillows Lord Bernard,
But lay me on the stone."
"A pox on you, my lady gay,
That would not tell it to me!
If I'd have known that he was your son,
He'd not have been killed by me!"
The lyrics to Spiers & Boden's Child Morris tell the story of a tragic love triangle. Child Morris and Lord Bernard both love the same woman, who is not named in the song. Child Morris sends a little page boy to the woman's castle to deliver a message and a green mantle and silk shirt. The woman's nurse tries to deceive the page boy, but Lord Bernard overhears the message and goes to confront Child Morris. When Lord Bernard arrives, Child Morris is waiting for him in the good green wood, where they have a fight. Lord Bernard kills Child Morris and takes his head to the woman's bower, where he forces her to play with it as a ball, until she reveals that Child Morris was actually her son, conceived in secret. The woman kisses Child Morris' bloody cheek, makes a vow to never kiss a man again and lays on his grave, weeping.
The song has a tragic ending, but it also highlights the role of women in a patriarchal society. The woman, whose name is never mentioned, is torn between her own desires, her love for her son, and the expectations placed on her by Lord Bernard and the society in which she lives. She is eventually forced to reveal the truth about Child Morris, but it is too late to save him.
Line by Line Meaning
Child Morris stood in the good green wood, With red gold shined his weed.
Child Morris was standing in the lush green forest, his clothes shining with gold.
By him stood a little page boy, Dressing a milk-white steed.
A young page boy stood near Child Morris, leading a white horse and taking care of it.
"I fear for you my master, For your fame it waxes wide. It is not for your rich-rich gold, Nor for your mickle pride, But all is for another Lord's lady, That lives on the Ithan-side."
The page expressed his concern for Child Morris, as his fame was spreading far and wide, yet he was known for more than just his wealth and pride. His reputation stemmed from his secret love for another Lord's lady, who lived on the other side of the Ithan river.
"Oh, here's to you my bonny-wee boy, That I pay meat and fee. Run you an errand to the Ithan-side, And run straight home to me. If you make me this errand run, It's all against my will, If you make me this errand run, I shall do your errand ill. But I fear no ill of you bonny-boy, I fear no ill of you, I fear no ill of my bonny-boy, for a good bonny-boy are you!"
Child Morris addressed the young page, acknowledging his loyalty and offered him a reward for completing a task. He relented that the errand was against his will and he would express his frustration in his response. Despite this, he trusted the page and felt no ill will towards him.
"Take you here this green mantle, It's all... (um... sorry...) Bid her come to the good green wood, for to talk to Child Morris. And take you here this shirt of silk, her own hand sewed the sleeve, bid her come to the good green wood, and ask not Bernard's leave."
Child Morris gave the young page two items - a green mantle and silk shirt - to offer to the Lord's lady on the other side of the Ithan river. He instructed the page to come to the good green wood for a private conversation and not to ask permission from Lord Bernard.
But when he got to the castle wall, They were playing at the ball. Four and twenty ladies gay, Looked over the castle wall. 1God make you safe you ladies all, God make you safe and sure, But Bernard's lady among you all, My errand is to her.
When the young page arrived at the castle, the ladies were playing ball and looked over the wall at him. He wished them safety and announced his errand was for the Lord's lady among them - to deliver the message and gifts from Child Morris.
"Oh, take you here this green mantle It's all lined with the freece, Come you down to the good green wood, For to talk to Child Morris. Take you here this shirt of silk, Your own hand sewed the sleeve. Come you down to the good green wood, And ask not Bernard's leave."
The young page repeated Child Morris' message to the Lady, urging her to come down to the good green wood to converse with him. He offered the gifts again and reinforced the request not to ask Lord Bernard for permission.
Well, up there spoke a little nurse, She winked all with her eye. "Oh welcome, welcome bonny-boy, With love tidings to me." "You lie, You lie, you false nurse, So loud I hear you lie, Bernard's lady among you all, I'm sure you are not she!"
When the young page reached the castle, a little nurse acknowledged him with a wink and welcomed him. However, he accused her of lying about being the Lord's lady and knew that she wasn't who she claimed to be.
Well up there spoke Lord Bernard, Behind the door stood he. "Oh I shall go to the good green wood, And I'll see who he might be. Go fetch to me your gowns of silk, And your petticoats so small! I will ride to the good green wood, And I'll try with him a fall."
Upon hearing the commotion, Lord Bernard announced he would personally go to the good green wood to confront Child Morris. He ordered his lady to change into her finest attire and prepare for the trip so he could challenge Child Morris to a fight.
Child Morris stood in the good green wood, And he whistled and he sang. "I think I see the lady come, That I have loved so long." He's ridden him through the good green wood, For to help her from her horse, "Oh no, Oh no," cried Child Morris "No maid was ere so gross!"
As Child Morris waited in the good green wood, he sang and whistled while keeping an eye out for the Lord's lady. When he saw her arrive, he rode to her to help her dismount her horse. However, upon seeing how pregnant she was, he was disappointed and upset at the lady's lie.
"How now, How now, Child Morris? How now and how do you? How long have you my lady loved? This night, come tell to me." "When first that I your lady loved, In green wood among the thyme, Then she was my first fair love, Before that she was thine. When first that I your lady loved, In green wood among the flowers, Then she was my first fair love, Before that she was yours."
Lord Bernard confronted Child Morris, asking him how long he had loved the lady. Child Morris confessed that he had loved her before Lord Bernard did, even before they were married. He explained that his love for her began when they were in the green woods among the flowers and thyme.
Lord Bernard's taken a long broad-sword, That he was used to wear. And he's cut off Child Morris' head, And he's put it on a spear. He's cut off Child Morris' head, And he's put it on a spear. The soberest boy in all the court, Child Morris' head did bear.
Enraged by Child Morris' confession, Lord Bernard killed him by decapitation with his sword and displayed his head on a spear. A young and serious boy in the court carried Child Morris' head.
And he's put it in a broad basin, And he's carried it through the hall. He's taken it to his lady's bower, Saying, "Lady play at ball, Play you, Play you, my lady gay, Play you from here to the bower. Play you with Child Morris' head, For he was your paramour."
Lord Bernard brought Child Morris' head to his lady's bower and commanded her to play ball up to the bower while carrying his head. He stated that Child Morris was her lover and deserved such treatment.
"Oh, he was not my paramour, He was my son indeed. I got him in my mother's bower, All in my maiden weed. I got him in my mother's bower, With mickle sin and shame, I brought him up in the good green wood, All beneath the wind and rain,"
The lady protested, revealing that Child Morris was actually her son whom she had conceived in sin with her own mother. She raised him in the good green wood alone while enduring harsh conditions.
"Now I will kiss his bloody cheek, And I will kiss his chin. I'll make a vow and I'll keep it true, I'll never kiss man again. Oft times I by his cradle sat, And fond to see him sleep, Now I'll lie upon his grave, The salt tears for to weep."
The Lady expressed her grief and sadness, stating that she would kiss Child Morris' face as a final act of love. She vowed never to kiss another man again and reminisced about the times she sat by his cradle watching him sleep. She declared that from now on, she would cry on his grave.
"Bring pillows for my lady, She looks so pale and wan." "Oh, none of your pillows Lord Bernard, But lay me on the stone." "A pox on you, my lady gay, That would not tell it to me! If I'd have known that he was your son, He'd not have been killed by me!"
The Lady was weak and needed pillows, but rejected Lord Bernard's offer and demanded to be laid on the stone. Lord Bernard berated her for not telling him the truth, stating that if he had known Child Morris was her son, he wouldn't have killed him.
Contributed by Claire M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.