For I'm a gypsy rover, love, and you'll not come with me

[rolanni]

Can anyone recommend a good non-fiction book on the history/tradition/culture of gypsies?

Comments

[kimuro.livejournal.com]

Don't know how good, but this is a book that I've seen on the library shelf.

Author Fonseca, Isabel.
Title Bury me standing : the Gypsies and their journey / Isabel Fonseca.
Published New York : Knopf, 1995.

[havocthecat]

I was just about to recommend that same one. I own it.

Also, in the way of LJ resources, there's [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com], which should be able to direct you to some good sources. (Also, there are links in the profile.)

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Aha. Good to have a second rec on the book -- and thank you for the link. I didn't think of looking for an LJ source at all. *whaps forehead*

[havocthecat]

Heh, no worries. It's a pain to find resources on the Romani anywhere. I'm just glad for LJ to make it slightly easier. When I was hunting stuff up at first - during my time in BtVS fandom when I was looking for background for writing fanfic about a Romany character that wasn't all "omg teh evol gypsies dun cursed Angel with a soul" - I had to do some serious googling to find anything decent.

Not that you needed to know all that. :) I just felt like sharing anyway.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[malkingrey.livejournal.com]

The Patrin Web (http://www.geocities.com/~patrin/) website has a lot of useful info, including a page of links and a page of recommended reading.

[kimuro.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was wondering if this site was still around.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Thank you!

[djonn]

[blink]

I recognize that song lyric....but the only recorded version I've ever been able to find was on a cassette done by a local folksinger. (If memory serves, he claimed he'd picked it up off of an Irish Rovers album -- but if so, it's not one I've ever been able to find.) If there's a less obscure source for this, I would be very happy to know what it is.

I'm a gypsy rover, love, and you'll not come with me.

[kimuro.livejournal.com]

http://bordellisonori.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!C47F822C0A87D6A9!148.entry

GO HOME GIRL

You say that you're in love with me, listen to what I say.
you're too young to come with me, I must be on me way.
And stop your silly crying now, how can i make you see
That I'm a gypsy rover, love, and you'll not come with me.
Go home, girl, go home, go home

And I met you at the market, when your mum was not with you
You like me long brown ringlets and me handkerchief of blue
And although I'm very fond of you, you asked me home for tea
but I'm a gypsy rover, love, and you'll not come with me.

And your brother is a peeller, and would lock me up in the jail
if he knew I was a poacher and I hunt your lord's best quail
Well your daddy is a gentle man, and your mammy just as grand
But I'm a gypsy rover, love and I'll not be your man

Now the hour's drawing on my love, your mum's expecting thee
Don't tell her that you met me here, or I'm a gypsy free
And let's get off me jacket now, your love will have to wait
For I am twenty-two years old, and you, you're only eight

Re: I'm a gypsy rover, love, and you'll not come with me.

[djonn]

Huh. That's fascinating; it's definitely the same root song -- and yet the version I know has some very marked differences, including a completely different (and contradictory) final verse:

"I watch her walk away from me, a teardrop in her eye,
A little girl just eight years old, can't really understand why;
She's my little daughter, and her mommy oh so fine
Once traveled in my caravan; she was a love of mine."

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I know it from Gaelic Storm -- it's on "Tree," song title, "Go Home, Girl." I think the liner notes say it's "traditional" but -- they're at home and I'm not.

[christymarx.livejournal.com]

Not exactly non-fiction, but you would probably love it and find it useful for context, language, attitudes, etc. It's collection of traditionally told stories from Rom around the world. It also has some wonderful photos.

Gypsy Folk Tales by Diane Tong
ISBN: 0-15-637989-9

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Right up my alley -- but you knew that. Thanks!

[barsukthom.livejournal.com]

"The Gypsies of Eastern Europe", ed. by Crowe & Kolsti. It's a good study of their interactions through history with their neighbors.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I am not help at all.

[noiseinmyhead.livejournal.com]

But I once asked on MudCat for the lyrics to a song about gypsies I had heard at a Westercon and the response from some of the members left me reluctant to research or ask or read or listen to anything about gypsies.

Re: I am not help at all.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

OK, now I've gotta ask. What did they say on Mudcat that gave you such an aversion to gypsies?

Re: I am not help at all.

[noiseinmyhead.livejournal.com]

oh, just, that song is so offensive, the rom aren't stereotypes, no one should ever sing the song I was interested in anyone who laughed at it was racist, that kind of thing. The song, _Mrs Stein Doesn't Rent to Gypsies Anymore_ ,made me laugh at Mrs. Stein, not think badly of Gypsies, it was a everything that could go wrong piled on and on to ridiculousness song.

I left mudcat after that first post, I had a very thin skin then but he whole thing has left a negative association with the entire race that wasn't there before I was called a racist repeatedly for asking for information.

[ramblin-phyl.livejournal.com]

Lace Gilligan is the expert. I think she still answers email
egilligan AT comcast DOT net

This arrived in my inbox this morning

[phil-boswell.livejournal.com]

Straight Dope Staff Report: Who are the Gypsies? (http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgypsies.htm)

What an interesting coincidence.