“Anachie Gordon”
Oil pencil and pastel
September 2023
I was, I think, 26 when I first went to Ireland. Most of the “work”/time was spent in the far west, but I always landed first, of course, in Dublin. On one night, there was a lovely cocktail party at the house on the Ring Road, and I found myself having a lovely conversation with a lovely woman. (everything was very lovely back then). I cornered her and made her listen to THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONG (!!!!!). I knew it only from pirated cassette tape. I babbled about how BEAUTIFUL Mary Black’s voice was……and she never told me that she actually WAS Mary Black (otherwise, why would she be at the Irish Institute’s party?).
It was only the next day that my friend, Scowcroft, asked me how I had liked Mary. That’s when I found out who she was (pirated tapes didn’t have the cover-photos). I’ve kept up with her and her recordings over the years. She’s very famous these days, of course.
As for this painting/drawing? I sold four pictures yesterday, got some new flannel shirts in the mail, bathed the dog, and feel that I can be as sentimental as I please….and, yes, I know when I’m edging into greeny-yallery, pre-raphaelite territory…..and, yes, I know when a picture’s as closet-queer as a box of birds. I loved Mary’s version of “Anachie Gordon” before I met her…..I played it for her, in fact (CRINGE). I used to play it for Herve (who was a quarter Irish, but knew diddly of the country/culture).
That said?…..it’s still a beautiful song…..which turns out to be on youtube, of course. Mary’s diction, like her voice, is clear as a bird’s or bell’s. The words are worth five hankies, at least. I still love this song. I also love her little, clasped-behind-her-back hands; Mary was raised to be proper on stage (the entire Black family has been in the business for decades). go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep6-6ZFk558
“Harking is bonnie
And there lives my love
My heart lies on him
And will not remove
It will not remove
Oh for all that I have done
Oh I never will forget my love anachie
For anachie gordon
He’s bonnie and he’s rough
He’d entice any woman that ever he saw
He’d entice any woman and so he has done me
Oh I never will forget my love anachie
Down came her father and he’s standing by the door
Saying jeannie you’re trying the tricks of a whore
You care nothing for a man who cares so very much for thee
You must marry lord sulton and leave anachie
For anachie gorden, he’s barely but a man
Although he may be pretty but where are his lands?
For the sulton’s lands are broad and his towers they run high
You must marry lord sulton and leave anachie
With anachie gordon I’d beg for my bread
And before I’ll marry sulton it’s gold to my head
With gold to my head and gowns fringed to the knee
And I’ll die if I don’t get me love anachie
And you that are my parents to church you may me bring
But unto lord sulton I’ll never bear a son.
To a son or a daughter, I’ll never bow my knee
And I’ll die if I don’t get me love anachie
Jeannie was married and from church she was brought home
And when she and her maidens so merry should have been
When she and her maidens so merry should have been
She went into her chambers and she cried all alone
Come to bed now jeannie me honey and my sweet
For to style you my mistress it would be so sweet
Be it mistress or jeannie it’s all the same to me
But in your bed lord sulton I never will lie
And down came her father and he’s spoken with reknown
Saying you that are her maidens go loosen off her gowns
But she fell down to the floor so close down by his knee
Saying father look I’m dying for me love anachie
The day that jeannie married was the day that jeannie died
And the day that young anachie came home on the tide
And down came her maidens all wringing of their hands
Saying oh it’s been so long you’ve spent so long on the sands
Oh so long on the sands, so long on the flood
They have married your jeannie and now she lies dead
You that are her maidens go take me by the hand
And take me to the chamber that me love she lies in
And he’s kissed her cold lips till his heart has turned to stone
And he’s died in the chamber that his love she lies in.”
………and THAT is a very-very sad song, ’tis’nt it?……
