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about

Words from the Penguin Book of Ballads, tune originally by Dr James Walters and used by Joan Baez for a different
set of words. This version doesn’t end the way you might expect. A silkie, in case it’s not obvious, is a
shape-shifting seal.

lyrics

I heard a mother lull her bairn
And aye she rockit and she sang
She took so hard upon the verse
That the heart within her body rang.
O row cradle and go cradle
And ay sleep thou my bairn within
O little ken I my bairn’s father
Or yet the land that he lies in.
O up then spoke a grimly ghost
That lay so long at her bed feet
Saying here am I thy bairn’s father
Although I’m not your love so sweet.
Jo Immrannoe it is my name
Jo Immrannoe they do call me
And my lands they lie both broad and wide
Among the rocks of Sule Skerry.
And foster well my young young son
And for a twelve month and a day
And when the twelvemonth’s fairly done
I’ll come and pay the nurse’s fee.
But how shall I my young son ken
And how shall I my young son know
Mongst all the silkies in Sule Skerry
He will be midmost among them all.
My husband is a proud gunner
And aye a proud gunner is he
And the very first shot that he will fire
Will be at my young son and thee
I fear no living proud gunner
I fear no mortal man, quoth he
For powder will not burn in salt
So I and thy young son will go free.
Oh when that weary twelvemonth came
He came to pay the nurse’s fee
He had one coffer full of gold
And another full of white money.
Upon the Skerry is your young son
Upon the Skerry lieth he
Since thou will see thy own young son
Now is the time to speak with he.
The gunner lay behind a rock
Behind a tanglie rock lay he
And the very first shot the gunner fired
It struck his wife about the bree.
Jo Immrannoe and his young son
With heavy hearts took to the sea
Let all that live on mortal land
Ne’er mix with silkies of the sea.

credits

from Waiting for the Hero, released February 4, 2022
Anne - vocals and guitar. Steafan Hannigan - low whistle. Mike O'Connor - fiddle.

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Anne Lister Wales, UK

Anne is best known for her song "Icarus", recorded and performed by a number of different singers, including Martin Simpson and Nic Jones. "Astrolabe" is her ninth solo album.

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