Nottamun Town, also known under other titles such as "Nottingham Fair" and "Fair Nottamon Town" (Roud # 1044) is an American folk song. Although sometimes suggested to be an English song of medieval origin brought to North America during the early colonial era and preserved in oral tradition, and still described as such in some popular works, it is more likely derived from popular 18th and 19th century printed broadsides, with the most likely immediate precursor being the 19th century "Paddy's Ramble to London".[1][2]
The British musicologist Cecil Sharp collected the best-known version of the song in 1917 in the area of the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield.[2] Josiah Combs had previously collected it in the same area, and other versions were found later in the century by Creighton in Nova Scotia, by Randolph in Missouri, and even in New Jersey.[1] However, very closely related songs, such as the stage comedy song "The Old Grey Mare", were in fact well known in print form in America during the 19th century. [3][4]
- ^ a b Randolph, V (1992) Unprintable Ozark Folksongs and Folklore: Roll me in your arms, Volume 1, University of Arkansas Press, pp.304
- ^ a b Hal Rammel (1990) Nowhere in America: The Big Rock Candy Mountain and Other Comic Utopias, University of Illinois Press, p. 84
- ^ The Old Grey Mare, Library of Congress, American Song Sheets Series 3 Volume 3
- ^ Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 52 (1939) p.66
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