Babylon (ballad)
"Babylon", also called "The Bonnie Banks o' Fordie" or "The Banks o' Airdrie" is an English-language folk song.
Synopsis
An outlaw comes upon three sisters in the woods. He threatens each one in turn to make her marry him. The first two refuse and are killed. The third threatens him with her brother or brothers. He asks after them and discovers that he is the brother. He commits suicide.Parallels
Forms of this ballad are known throughout all of Scandinavia.Recordings
Traditional recordings
Betsy Miller of Scotland sang a traditional version of the song, presumably learnt from her Scottish family or community, with her famous son Ewan MacColl on the 1960 album A Garland Of Scots Folksong; only three other Scottish recordings were made. Helen Hartness Fladers recorded several traditional versions in the New England region of the United States, and Kenneth Peacock recorded two Canadian versions.Popular recordings
Following are some of the notable recordings of the ballad, including the artists, titles, albums, and years:| Artist | Title | Album | Year |
| Dick Gaughan | "The Bonnie Banks o Fordie" | No More Forever | 1972 |
| Malinky | "The Bonnie Banks o Fordie: Pennknivsmördaren" | The Unseen Hours | 2005 |
| Nic Jones | "The Bonnie Banks of Fordie" | Landmarks | 2006 |
| John Jacob Niles | "Bonnie Farday" | My Precarious Life in the Public Domain | 2006 |
| Old Blind Dogs | "The Bonnie Banks o' Fordie" | New Tricks | 1997 |
| Alastair Roberts | "Babylon" | What News | 2018 |