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Woody Nightshade

by Saro Lynch-Thomason

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about

"The Woody Nightshade," more popularly known as the "The Wild, Wild Berry," is a song about a man being poisoned by his sweetheart via the berries of the woody nightshade plant (Solanum dulcamara). Woody nightshade, also known as bittersweet, is native to Eurasia, but this plant has been introduced to North America as well. In the summer and fall, the berries of the plant turn a bright red. Every part of the plant is toxic to humans, and consumption can cause vomiting, convulsions and death.

This song only has one source: It comes from the singing of Ray Driscoll in 1993. Driscoll was from Ireland but lived much of his life in London and Shropshire. He said he learned the song from an itinerant farm laborer named Harry Civil. It's very probable that this powerful, short little ballad is a purposeful adaptation of the ballad classically known as Lord Randall, in which a man is poisoned by his sweetheart and proceeds to have a conversation with his mother (or sometimes, wife) about how he plans to will his estate. There are many variations of this ballad, leading to Randall being poisoned in a variety of ways. In addition to consuming poison berries, Randall also sometimes consumes a poisoned dish containing eels, and even snakes!

Though this song has a tragic ending for the maid, the refrain of "Lie low Rando!" seems to reflect her voice, giving her a sense of command and power throughout.

lyrics

Young man come from hunting faint and weary
“What doth ail my love, my dearie?”
“Oh mother dear let my bed be laid.
For I feel the gripe of the woody nightshade.”

Lie low sweet Rando, Rando low lie.

Now all young men that do eat full well
They that sup quite merry
Tis far better I entreat to have toads for your meat
Then to eat of the wild, wild berry
Oh, to eat of the wild, wild berry.

Now this young man he died full soon
By the light of the hunter’s moon.
Twas not by bone nor yet by blade
But the deathly gripe of the woody nightshade.

Now all young men that do eat full well
They that sup quite merry
Tis far better I entreat to have toads for your meat
Then to eat of the wild, wild berry
Oh, to eat of the wild, wild berry.

His lordship’s wench they hanged her high.
She was the cause of her lord to die.
And in her hair entwined a braid.
With the vine and the berry of the woody nightshade.

Lie low sweet Rando, Rando low lie.

Now all young that do eat full well
They that sup quite merry
Tis far better I entreat to have toads for your meat
Then to eat of the wild, wild berry
Oh, to eat of the wild, wild berry.

credits

released November 11, 2022
Sung and produced by Saro Lynch-Thomason

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Saro Lynch-Thomason North Carolina

Saro Lynch-Thomason is a ballad singer, song writer, folklorist, documentarian, and illustrator from Asheville, North Carolina. Her passion for traditional music, people’s struggles and Appalachian traditions calls her to perform, teach and produce media that tell the stories and songs of America’s social history. ... more

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