Why did Lord Randall have to die?!

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This blog is where I share resources from each Imaginary Song Hunt session, along with a Zoom video for anyone who wants to catch up. Feel free to use the ‘comments’ box below to share feedback, fun facts, or just to say hello! If you enjoyed the session and these resources, feel free to: drop some pennies into the tip jar

8th May 2024:

Why did Lord Randall have to die?

This session explored the ancient ballad commonly known (among 50+ other titles!) as ‘Lord Randall’ (Roud 10, Child 12). A young man (called ‘Randall’ in many versions of the song) is asked by his mother where he has been, who he was with, and what he has eaten. He answers the questions and sings a refrain that tells his mother he is very unwell. In some versions he has eaten eels; in others, snakes; in others, worms. The conclusion in almost all versions is that he has been poisoned, usually by a lover. In many other versions, he then dictates his will. It’s a creepy song with a big mystery at its heart: why was he murdered?!

Slides from the session

Video

Scores

You’re welcome to use this score for your own performances, but please just credit me if you do so (and let me know, in case I can come and listen 🙂). I am always grateful for feedback on my scores!

John Riley

Further listening

Here are the pieces of music I played during the session (which I’ve had to cut out of the catch-up video because of copyright):

And some others I did’t have time to play, but like very much:

From the Song Hunters…

There was some fun speculation in the chat (and by email) about why Lord Randall might have met his end in such a grisly way.

I loved Yvonne‘s idea that Randall’s mother and lover were in cahoots, or that the lover was in fact ‘hired by the mother’ to help her get her hands on the inheritance. Ooooh… nasty! 😬

And Pete rather rationally pointed out that ‘If he is Lord Randal, his father must have already died and he has inherited the title, lands, and the rest’, which makes ‘the theories that people (lovers, mothers, etc.) [are] after his money …reasonably plausible’! Eek! Life was more brutal in those olden days, I guess, and without a welfare state, this sort of cruelty was probably a bit more common than today. As Pete says, ‘No good waiting until he has a son of his own… – Get him to make a will, quick; under duress if necessary’!!

And Gry asked about the ballad of Olaf and the mermaid, which I briefly mentioned in relation to the archetype of the supernatural feminine death-bringer! 😈💀💋 Here’s a great blog on the song/story, and its many relatives: https://terreceltiche.altervista.org/lord-olaf-herr-olof-and-the-elves/