Our rendering of this ancient bittersweet song of love and loss dates back more than 45 years now. But each times the band plays it, it seems as new and fresh as a summer evening.
According to Flood lore, our version of this classic Appalachian folk song hearkens back to a hot summer’s night at the Bowen House in the early 1980s.
Over beers and sandwiches, Flood co-founders Roger Samples and Charlie Bowen sat at the kitchen table trading daydreams, lies and memories, interspersing them with songs, new and old.
At some point Rog started playing a melody that he was working out for a possible original song. But right after he laid out his chord sequence, Charlie started singing the lyrics of “Come All Ye Fair and Tender Maidens” as he remembered them from an old Jean Ritchie album.
“Huh!” Rog said with grin. “Who knew my new tune already had words!”
For more on the back story of this wonderful old folk song, see our earlier Flood Watch article by clicking here.
More Flood Yarns?
A band that has been around as long as ours has many stories and yarns that form Flood lore and legends. Often between the tunes at jam sessions, rehearsals and public performances, someone in the group feels compelled to tell a tale, and if there’s a recorder running, it is saved for the ages.
The “Stories” section of the band’s website contains a linked index to the stories we’ve saved this way, inviting you to click in and enjoy the ride. Some of the stories are about specific songs, and there are even dozens of jokes. Click here to check it all out.
