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Banks of the Pontchartrain

KDM Broadside Continued …

The subject of race in the song was not meant

to be denigrating in any way. When our

traveler mentioned his falling in love with a

dark “Creole” girl it was with great respect for

her.

The term “creole” was actually developed in

France and Spain as the white populations

mixed with the blacks and others from north

Africa. This mix race was quite common in the

French dominant areas in Louisiana as well,

and creole women were considered to be

quite handsome and desirable.

Made public image from internet sources

showing various creole women and children

from the south.

The folk song is classified as an “Americana” and “seafaring” song, as it related to the

creole girl having a lover who was far out at sea. The folk tune was very popular by

sailors traveling to and from the Americas.

The language in the lyrics mentioned

“Bonny girl” and that may indicate the

traveler was Scots or possibly from Ireland.

As with many folk tunes and songs shared

by differing cultures the melody and song

quickly morphed in England, Scotland, and

Ireland with a theme about a man who fell

in love with a young girl, but her love was

fickle, and she betrayed him with another

rival.

A woman watching a ship in the distance. Made

public image of a painting by Daniel Eskridge.

The new variant became known as “Lily of the West” or “Molly-O, Lily of the West.”

In that variant, the young man killed his rival, but was let off by a “technicality,” and he

lived to tell the story. The new variant came back into America in around the 1870s,

into the Louisville, Kentucky area, and became known as “Flora,” or “Flora, Lily of

the West.” In that Kentucky variant, the man was hung.

“Shaun, That KelticDead Guy”

Patrick O. Young, KelticDead Music

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Made public image of painting by Brozik Vaclav

(Czech, 1851 – 1901).

KelticDead Music