“The Manchester Angel”
Description
The singer meets a girl in Manchester and promises to marry her. She sleeps with him; his regiment prepares to march. She begs to go with him; he refuses. She offers to buy his discharge; he refuses. She vows to enter a nunnery until he returns.
Notes
[According to A.L. Lloyd,] "The Angel Inn is said to have stood in the Market Place adjoining Market Sted Lane, Manchester."
Given the large number of ballads with this plot, I was tempted to lump this with one of the others. However, it has enough unique elements, in my judgment, to warrant a separate listing. -PJS
Although most of the elements of this song are duplicated elsewhere, the combination is unique. So is the (frequently Dorian) tune. So I agree with Paul: This piece is unique. There is another song with this title in Sam Henry, but it is distinct (and fragmentary). - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Girl Volunteer (The Cruel War Is Raging)" [Laws O33]
- cf. "Jack Monroe (Jackie Frazer; The Wars of Germany)" [Laws N7]
- cf. "William and Nancy (I) (Lisbon; Men's Clothing I'll Put On I)" [Laws N8]
- cf. "The Banks of the Nile (Men's Clothing I'll Put On II)" [Laws N9]
- cf. "High Germany"
- cf. "The Jacket So Blue (The Bonnet o' Blue)" (theme)
- cf. "Oh! No, No" (lyrics)
Broadsides
- Bodleian, Harding B 28(14), "In Coming Down to Manchester," W. Armstrong (Liverpool), 1820-1824; also Harding B 11(2306), Harding B 25(1206), "The Manchester Girl"; Harding B 28(249), Harding B 25(1801), Firth c.14(196), Harding B 11(2388), Harding B 11(3575), Harding B 15(301a), Harding B 15(301b), Harding B 16(254a), "Soldier's Farewell to Manchester"
Recordings
- Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, "The Manchester Angel" (on ENMacCollSeeger02)
References
- Vaughan Williams/Lloyd, pp. 66-67, "The Manchester Angel" (1 text, 1 tune)
- DT, MNCHESTR*
- Roud #2741
- BI, VWL066