Horse of a different color.

Tom Lehrer made an astute observation lo these 64 years ago: "the reason that most folk songs are so atrocious is that they are written by the people." This was in the late 1950s, when the scourge of folk music was sickening the might of this great nation. Since then we're had a lot of other things to sicken us. 

But if there's one folk group I have a soft spot for, it's Britain's Steeleye Span. Their nation being much older than ours, they have a better excuse to sing folk songs, because Brits were around long before professional songwriters got into the business. Also, Span went electric in 1971 like Bob Dylan did at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, which probably offended the most annoying folk-loving people. And third, they had the angel-voiced Maddy Prior, who would have elevated any group of singers. 

Maddy did not sing lead vocals on the song I draw your attention to today, however, which I bring up on account of this being the Kentucky Derby day, the first leg of the Triple Crown. That song is "Skewball," a folk song of long and confusing lineage.

 

According to Dr. Wikipedia, "Skewball" was the name of a racehorse of the 1700s, and the song is about the animal's greatest challenge. Now of course, being a folk song, every damn thing about the story is completely folked up. "His name has been recorded as 'Squball', 'Sku-ball', or 'Stewball'" says Wiki, and I sure hope it was not Stewball, which sounds like a dish made with the leftover parts of a gelding. So the song is sometimes called "Stewball," which remains unappetizing. A skewbald horse is patchy white on a nonblack coat, so that name makes more sense. 

Like so.

Also, the name sounds like screwball, a more recent Americanism but one that sets our hero up as a zany character, and helps put the race in a kind of Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral, David vs. Goliath frame. 

You gallant sportsmen all, come listen to my story
It's of the bold Skewball, that noble racing pony

In the song, performed with gusto and tension by Steeleye Span (the late Tim Hart on lead vocals), Skewball has been brought to Ireland from England to race, and is the underdog against the great mare Griselda, whose very name is fearsome. Our hero has one advantage -- a delightful owner, a sportsman of a type vanishing today:

Arthur Marvel was the man that brought bold Skewball over
He's the diamond of the land and he rolls about in clover

A popular and lucky man, in other words, wealthy and cheerful, the kind to take losing and winning with the same grace, and nowadays you'd know he's the murderer in the first ten minutes of the movie. But back then, they knew even a rich white guy could be a decent sort. Was that the real name of the owner at that time? It hardly seems possible, Arthur being such an important English name and Marvel coming into the English language in the 14th century meaning something that causes astonishment. Seems very appropriate, certainly.

Soon heavy bets are placed and the race is on. Skewball quickly demonstrates another interesting and dare I say zany quality, by chatting with the jockey:

Then halfway 'round the course up spoke the noble rider
"I fear we must fall back for she's going like a tiger!"

Up spoke the noble horse, "Ride on my noble master!
For we're halfway round the course and now we'll see who's faster."

Well (spoiler alert!), Skewball wins the day, overtaking the mighty Griselda. Then he and the jockey order booze and toast their worthy opponent: 

Past the winning post, bold Skewball proved quite handy
And horse and rider both ordered sherry, wine, and brandy
And then they drank a health unto Miss Griselda
And all that lost their money on the sporting plains of Kildare

And that's the story, and it's a neat little song. If more folk songs were like this, there'd be more to love about them. But no, they were always about tools and jails and fights and sung by lily-handed middle-class communists, at least back when Tom Lehrer was turning his gimlet eye toward them. 

Just remember, kids, that hard liquor is not good for horses. If you actually have a talking horse, however, then he might be different. Just make sure you haven't been drinking before he starts talking, or the cause of his loquaciousness might be suspect.