Planxty 'Blacksmith' on Youtube

[JeffLester]

Andy Irvine and Planxty doing 'The Blacksmith'. Good stuff. I would venture to guess the Planxty version of Blacksmith probably had some influence on the NC arrangement of Jacksmith. In particular the closing part, I haven't heard that in other artists' versions (and it's not from Crooked Jack).

Planxty - The Blacksmith (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z3A5Tgy47M)

[QuoVadimus]

Wow. Thanks for posting that. Though I'm curious, I've looked up the lyrics to the song, and there are tons, many of which don't include the refrain. Anyone know where NC drew their version from?

[JeffLester]

What are you referring to as the refrain? The Blacksmith is really just verses and Chris follows what everybody else sings. My guess is that they got the Blacksmith part from Planxty and the Crooked Jack part from John Doyle.

But that's just a guess.

The Blacksmith (Traditional)
A blacksmith courted me nine months and better
He fairly won my heart, wrote me a letter
With his hammer in his hand he looked quite clever
And if I was with my love I'd live for ever

But where is my love gone with his cheeks like roses
And his good black billycock on decked round with primroses
I'm afraid the scorching sun will shine and burn his beauty
And if I was with my love I'd do my duty

Strange news is come to town, strange news is carried
Strange news flies up and down that my love is married
I wish them both much joy though they can't hear me
And may God reward him well for the slighting of me

Don't you remember when you lay beside me
And you said you'd marry me and not deny me
If I said I'd marry you, it was only for to try you
So bring your witness, love, and I'll not deny you

Oh witness have I none save God Almighty
And may He reward you well for the slighting of me
Her lips grew pale and wan, it made her poor heart to tremble
To think she loved the one and he'd proved deceitful


Sara sings the Crooked Jack verses inbetween, but leaves out the hydro dam one.

Crooked Jack (Words: Domic Behan / Music: Trad)
Come Irishmen both young and stern
With adventure in your soul
There are better ways to spend your days
Than in working down a hole

Chorus:
I was tall and true all of 6 foot 2
But they broke me across the back
By a name I'm known and it's not my own
They call me Crooked Jack

The ganger's blue-eyed boy
Big Jack could do no wrong
And the reason simply was because
I could work hard hours and long

I've seen men old before their time
Their faces drawn and gray
But I never thought so soon would mine
Be lined the self-same way

{Sara doesn't sing this verse}
[I curse the day I went away
To work on the hydro dams
Our sweat and tears, our hopes and fears
Bound up in shuttering jams]

They say that honest toil is good
For the spirit and the soul
But believe me boys it's for sweat and blood
That they want you down the hole

[QuoVadimus]

Holy cow, that's cool. I had no idea it was a hybrid of the two. Thanks a lot for the info.

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by QuoVadimus
Holy cow, that's cool. I had no idea it was a hybrid of the two. Thanks a lot for the info.

Yeah. When you're Nickel Creek, you can do ANYTHING.

[sarah]

I posted a vid of NC performing Jacksmith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98NzG6CM7y8

[QuoVadimus]

THANK YOU!! I've been looking for this for what seems like an eternity.

[JeffLester]

Crooked Jack is the first song in the Millenium Stage webcast:

Millennium Stage (http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=NIKELCREEK)