Old Bangum and the Boar (Child 18) - Michael Kline / Currence Hammonds / Gerry Milnes

Old Bangum and the Wild Boar / Wild Hog in the Woods / Blow Your Horn, Jovial Hunter / Sir Lionel (Child No. 18) - Sung by Michael Kline at a concert at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, WV, on July 31, 1987. Note by Kevin W.: Old Bangum and the Boar is an English folk song with roots in medieval romance. A heroic knight fights a wild boar. In America it survived as a lullaby, the knight now having a wooden sword. Here's one of my favourite versions of Old Bangum. Some years ago I first heard it on Michael & Carrie Kline's album "Eyes of a Painter" from 2006. I was so happy today when I discovered a recording of Currence Hammonds himself singing it. His tune is strangely sad and beautiful. 00:00:00 Michael Kline 00:03:25 Currence Hammonds 00:06:02 Currence Hammonds 2nd (Stereo) 00:08:29 Currence Hammonds 2nd (Mono) 00:10:56 Gerry Milnes Michael Kline learned the song from Gerry Milnes, who originally collected it from Currence and Minnie Hammonds of Huttonsville, WV. Song transcription: There are a wild boar in these woods, Dillo di, dillo dey, There are a wild boar in these woods, Dillo di, There are a wild boar in these woods, He'll eat your meat and suck your blood, Come away, quaddle down, quanzio. Bangum made him a wooden gun To shoot that wild boar as he run. Then Bangum got him a butcher knife He swore to take that wild boar's life. He tracked that wild boar to his den Where he found the bones of a thousand men. He raised his horn up to his mouth First he blowed it East, then West and South. That wild boar come with such a dash It splintered hickory, oak and ash. Then Bangum raised his wooden gun And he shot that wild boar as he run. Then Bangum raised his butcher knife Right there he took that wild boar's life. Old Bangum and the Wild Boar (Child 18) - Sung by Currence Corley Hammonds (1898–1984) and his wife Minnie A. Hammonds (1898–1987) of Huttonsville, West Virginia, USA. Recorded by the Augusta Heritage Center's (in Elkins, WV) former Folk Arts Coordinator, Gerald "Gerry" Milnes, on August 4, 1981 when Currence Hammonds was on a visit to Augusta where he sang and told stories. Currence Hammonds' cousins, the Hammons Family of Pocahontas County, were the subjects of a series of documentary recordings by the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress. Sherman Richmond Hammons (1903–1988) also sang Bangum and the Boar. Song transcription: Bangum made him a wooden gun Dillo di, dillo di, Bangum made him a wooden gun Dillo di, Bangum made him a wooden gun To shoot the wild boar as he comes. Get away, cuddle down, quanee. He followed this wild boar to his den Where he had bones of a thousand men. Bangum made him a wooden knife To rob this bold hog frae his life. This wild boar come with such a dash Come splitting his way through oak and ash. Old Bangum and the Wild Boar (Child 18) - Sung by Gerry Milnes at a concert at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, WV, on January 4, 1984. Note by Kevin W.: Unfortunately this recording is of poor quality. I wanted to include it for completeness sake.