マーティン・シンプスンのギターも歌も充実
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Martin Simpson, The Bramble Briar (Topic TSCD513, 2001)
2001年のブリティッシュ・フォーク最良の収穫の一つ。ギタリストとしてもシンガーとしても、非常に充実している。
収録曲――
- Polly On The Shore
- The Lover's Ghost
- Fair Annie
- Dives and Lazarus
- The Four Angels
- Betsy The Serving Maid
- The Bramble Briar
- Banks of Sweet Primroses
- Rounding The Horn
- The Princess Royal
- Sammy's Bar
- Leaves of Life
- Air For Maurice Ogg
参加アーティスト――
- Martin Simpson (g, vo)
- Martin Carthy (g)
- Chris Parkinson (accordion, harmonica)
- Jessica Radcliffe (backing vo)
- Barry Phillips (cello)
評価―― ★★★
ベスト・トラックは 'The Bramble Briar'。これも、数多い 'Bruton Town' と同系譜に属する歌で、兄弟により恋人を殺される女性の話。本盤には歌詞はついていないので、この歌の歌詞を、下に書取っておく。シンガー自身は、有名な The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs （絶版）によったと書いているが、実際に歌われている歌詞は少し違う。階級意識を冷徹に突いた歌とシンプスンは捉えている。
The Bramble Briar
In Bruton Town there lived a farmer,
Who had two sons and a daughter dear.
By day and night they were contriving
To fill their parents' heart with fear.
He told his secrets to no other,
Unto his brother this he said:
'I think our servant courts our sister.
I think they has a great mind to wed.
I'll put an end to all their courtship.
I'll send him silent to his grave.'
They asked him to go out a-hunting,
Without any fear or strife,
And these two bold and wicked villains
Took away this young man's life.
And in the ditch there was no water,
Where only bush and briars grew.
They could not hide the blood of slaughter,
So in the ditch his body they threw.
When they returnèd home from hunting,
She's asking for a serving man,
'I ask because I see you whisper,
Brothers, tell me if you can.'
'O sister, sister, you do offend me
Because you so examine me,
We lost him where we've been a-hunting
No more of him we could not see.'
As she lay dreaming on her pillow,
She thought she saw her heart's delight;
By her bed side as she lay weeping,
He was dressed all in his bloody coat.
'Don't weep for me, my dearest jewel,
Don't weep for me nor care nor pine,
For your two brothers killed me cruel--
In such a place you may me find.'
As she early rose the very next morning,
With a heavy sigh and a bitter groan,
The only love that she admired,
She found in the ditch where he was thrown.
The blood upon his lips was drying,
Her tears was salt as any brine.
She sometimes kissed him, sometimes crying:
'Here lies the dearest friend of mine.'
Three days and nights she did sit by him,
And her poor heart was filled with woe,
And cruel hunger crept upon her,
And home she was obliged to go.
'Sister, sister, why do you whisper,
And won't you tell me where you've been?'
'Stand off, stand off, you bloody butchers,
My love and I you have both slain.'
As sung by Martin Simpson (transcribed by Micheál H).
*1:評価は五つ星を最高とする尺度によっており、星の数による意味は、「★ 良い点をさがすのが困難」 「★★ かなり良い」 「★★★ 第一級（年間ベスト・アルバム・クラス）」 「★★★★ 群を抜いてすばらしい、すごい、数年に一枚出るか出ないかのクラス」 「★★★★★ 大傑作、不朽の名盤、その分野の古典と呼ばれるに値する」です。つまり、通常、「最高」と呼ばれるようなものは三つ星です。
