"Bushes and Briars" (1)
Clare's father, Parker Clare, sang this text of the song which is fairly commonly encountered in the oral tradition. It is interesting to note how he imposed himself on the song in the third verse, changing the gender of the spurned suitor, despite the fact that this is essentially a song about a lovelorn maiden. The melody is that collected for "Bushes and Briars" by R. Vaughan Williams in 1903 from Mr Pottipher of Ingrave, Essex."Bushes and Briars" (2)
Once again we can juxtapose a song written by Clare with the text that inspired it. The two appear on the same page of his manuscripts without alteration. For John Clare this is still a song about a lovelorn maiden but he has extended the storyline until it almost parallels that of the rejected suitor in "The Week before Easter".
"The Maid of the Hall"
Since Clare almost certainly composed the song himself it is tempting to identify the central characters as John Clare and Mary Joyce. However the song is not dissimilar to a 19th-century broadside "The Maid of the Mill" in its structure and rhyme scheme and we might presume some connection. Our source for the melody is Mrs Russell of Upwey, Dorset, who sang it in 1907 as the melody for "The Cruel Mother".
"Dream Not of Love"
Both of Clare's parents sang this song though it is in truth no more than a collection of floating stanzas commonly encountered in a variety of songs. Somehow the piling of image on image throughout the song seems to synthesise the essence of this recording and it came to supply our title. The melody was collected from Mrs Cox, High Ham, Dorset, in 1905 by Cecil Sharp.
"The Banks of Inverary"
This song was issued as a broadside during the 19th-century and Clare must have either known it or know of it. He gave it the title above noting that the unnamed man from whom he collected it knew it as "Banks of Ivory". The version of the song was collected in 1905 from Mr Robert Barrett in Dorset (Hammond manuscripts) and it is his melody we have used here.
"The Winter it is Past"
This text, sung by Clare's father follows the pattern of the 19th-century broadside versions - the young girl grieves for her absent lover having been forced to part from him by her rich parents. Though Mary Joyce's parents could not have been described as rich, this song must have struck a chord in Clare's mind - since it was they who forced them to part. The melody is taken from The Scottish Minstrel published in 1824.
"Here's As Sad Goodbye"
Clare described this as Scraps from my father & mother & completed. It occurs earlier on this recording in a variant form as the "True Lovers Farewell" and in comparing the two it is clear to what extent Clare amended the song. What is described as "Red Red Rose (Old Set)" in the Scots Musical Museum 1787 - 1803 has been used as a melody here.
"The Maiden's Welcome"
Since this song is almost certainly the work of John Clare we might suggest that here is a bit of wishful thinking. Here a girl defies her parents wishes and pledges her love to a shepherd lad. With the material bought for the bridal dress and True Love returned it provides a happy note to end on. The verse structure and rhythm lend themselves beautifully to the melody "High Germany" the version used here are being that collected from Mrs Locke, Muchelny Ham, in 1904 by Cecil Sharp.
