23 June 2025

Mild Monday - "Alison Gross" performed by Steeleye Span

I wanted something light-hearted for today, and my thoughts turned to the folk-rock group Steeleye Span. It was initially formed in 1969 by Ashley Hutchings (formerly of Fairport Convention), Tim Hart, and Maddy Prior, with an assortment of ever-changing additional members over the years. Hutchings left the band in 1971, and Tim Hart left in 1982. Maddy Prior left in 1997, but returned in 2002. She and Liam Genockey are the only current members (yes, the band is still playing!) who joined the band in the 20th century. They just released their 25th studio album last month.

Today’s song is from their 1973 album, Parcel of Rogues. I chose it because it makes an amusing bookend to the AFWL memes from Friday: the song “Alison Gross”—classified as Child ballad no. 35—describes the efforts of “the ugliest witch in the North Country” to persuade the singer to become her lover. It was first collected (in Scots dialect) in the late 18th century. The jumble of past and present tense in the singer’s recollection is true to the original—perhaps the incident really addled his mind!

Steeleye Span recorded the song in regular English and set it to the tune of the rather strange Christmas carol “Down in Yon Forest,” although I never would have realized it was the same tune without that being pointed out to me, since this folk-rock rendition completely changes the character of the tune. For some reason, they left off the last verse, in which the singer is eventually saved from his terrible transformation (into a worm) by a fairy queen passing by.

I always just take a page from Monty Python and comment, “I got better!”

Alison Gross

Alison Gross, that lives in yon tower,
The ugliest witch in the North Country,
Has trysted me one day up to her bower,
And many a fair speech she made to me.

She stroked my head, and she’s combed my hair.
She set me down softly on her knee,
Saying, “If you will be my lover so true
So many good things I would give to you.”

Away, away, you ugly witch!
Go far away and let me be!
I never will be your lover so true,
And I wish I were out of your company!

Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.
Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.

She showed me a mantle of red scarlet
With golden flowers and fringes fine;
Says, “If you will be my lover so true,
This goodly gift, it shall be thine.”

She showed me a shirt of the softest silk,
Well-wrought with pearls about the band,
Saying, “If you will be my lover so true,
This goodly gift you shall command.”

Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.
Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.

She showed me a cup of the good red gold,
Well-set with jewels so fair to see;
Says, “If you will be my lover so true,
This goodly gift I would give to thee.”

Away, away, you ugly witch!
Go far away and let me be!
I never would kiss your ugly mouth
For all of the gifts that you could give!

Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.
Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.

She’s turned her right and round about
And thrice she blew on a grass-green horn;
She swore by the moon and the stars up above
That she’d make me rue the day I was born.

Then out she has taken a silver wand;
She’s turned her three times ’round and ’round;
She’s muttered such words ’til my strength, it did fail,
And she’s turned me into an ugly worm!

Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.
Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.

Alison Gross, she must be
The ugliest witch in the North Country.
Alison Gross, she must be…

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Thoughts?