music

[emgem]

does anyone know the title of a song from the 60's or 70's containing the lyrics "I am a free born man of the travelling people" and "no man is my keeper"

[geofbob]

You're probably thinking of a 1964 song written by folksinger Ewan MacColl, with first line "I'm a freeborn man of the travelling people"; but the lyrics do NOT appear to contain the words "no man is my keeper". The song is known by various titles, but was recorded by Liam Clancy as "I'm a Freeborn Man". The full lyrics can be found at http://www.dickalba.demon.co.uk/songs/texts/freebo
rn.html

[allen ives]

Lots of Ewan's lyrics got rewritten in people's heads. I think 'with nomads I am numbered' might be the origin of 'no man is my keeper'. The song (Travelling People) was recorded on a gypsy site in the late '60s, with the singer swearing it was an old song handed down from generation to generation. It wasn't, of course.

Another of his best, Shoals of Herring, has turned up in all sorts of guises, my favourite being 'Shores of Erin'.