“Three Maidens to Milking Did Go”

Description

"The maidens to milking did go (x2), And the wind it did blow high and the wind it did blow low And it tossed the milking pails to and fro." The singer asks a friend to help him hunt "birds." The singer wishes luck to blackbird and thrush

Notes

Most printed versions of this are "clean," but clearly there is much going on beneath the surface.... - RBW

Indeed, there is. In fact, this is one of the few descriptions of group sex in traditional music -- unless, of course, you count "The Ball at Kerriemuir," and I'd be more inclined to describe that with the word "mob." - PJS

Cross references

• cf. "The Spotted Cow" (theme)
• cf. "Kitty of Coleraine" (theme)
• cf. "Blackberry Grove" (theme)
• cf. "Three Maidens to Milking Did Go" (theme)

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 11(3968), "Three Maids A Milking Would Go", W. Jackson and Son (Birmingham), 1842-1855; also Harding B 11(3815), "Three Maids A-milking Would Go"

Recordings

• Frankie Armstrong, "The Bird in the Bush" (on BirdBush1, BirdBush2)
• Fred Hewett, "Three Maidens To Milking Did Go" (on Voice10)

References

1. Kennedy 191, "Three Maidens to Milking Did Go" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Copper-SoBreeze, pp. 280-281, "Three Maidens" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. MacSeegTrav 50, "The Bird in the Bush" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Silber-FSWB, p. 160, "Two Maids Went A-Milking One Day" (1 text)
5. Roud #290
6. BI, K191