Blackwaterside

"Blackwaterside" is traditional, with an unknown author (Roud 312 and 564). Its subject is a woman deceived by a suitor who promised marriage, who realizes he will not return. Briggs's recording, titled "Blackwater Side", opens her 1971 album, with guitar, and was produced by A. L. Lloyd. No comment from her on its meaning was found.

Peter Kennedy suggested the lyrics are English and the tune was picked up in Ireland. The Roud 564 variant was popularized by a BBC recording of the Irish Traveller Mary Doran, made by Kennedy and Sean O'Boyle in 1952; Lloyd's note says Briggs's version came from the Doran recording, which Wikipedia and Mudcat posters doubt, one suggesting Winnie Ryan of Belfast. Briggs and Jansch worked on new songs in early 1965, with this among the first, and she taught it to Jansch, who recorded it on Jack Orion in 1966. Led Zeppelin's "Black Mountain Side" (recorded October 15, 1968) is adapted from Jansch's arrangement.

Other versions include Paddy Tunney (1966), the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (1967), Sandy Denny (1971), Altan (1996), Show of Hands (1998), Oysterband (2002), Cara Dillon (2017) and Bonny Light Horseman (2019). No chart history was found, and nothing is known about our upload.