Over Ocean and Pond
Listening Post 393. Though Matthew Byrne is one of Canada’s finest traditional singers, forces beyond music have in recent years challenged his rhythm. Covid had a cascading effect on gig and recording schedules, and becoming a father curbed his appetite for road trips that encroach on family time. Nearing fulfilment of a dream to have his fourth studio album produced in England by folk legend Martin Simpson, Byrne felt torn between his Newfoundland hearth and a South Yorkshire studio. Nonetheless, the only tension in Stealing Time, the long-awaited collection, is the creative kind. The 12 tracks spotlight assorted folk genres—romance ballad, rustic drama, drinking song, lullaby, music-hall ditty, sea shanty—all delivered by Byrne’s sterling voice and nimble guitar playing. One gem is Tickle Cove Pond, a tale of man and mare on thin ice and of neighbors who rush to their rescue (video 1). A short tale reflecting an enduring ethic, the song was written in the late nineteenth century and augurs the twenty-first: As the crow flies, Tickle Cove is 80 km (50 miles) from Gander, the town of 10,000 that in September 2001 sheltered 7,000 instant neighbors—trans-Atlantic passengers stranded when U.S. airspace shut down. The album also features songs that crossed the ocean twice, first with English migrants bound for North America and then with Byrne himself, carrying them back—steeped in more than a century of Newfoundland custom—to perform, accompanied by an elite lineup of English musicians. Among songs featuring sweethearts of different classes, the breathtaking Lovely MaryAnne stands out for its happy ending (video 2), while The Calton Weaver immortalizes a Scottish artisan community, albeit focusing on one of the trade’s more inebriated members (video 3). The album achieves perfect balance between home and studio with Dream for Me, a lullaby Byrne wrote and dedicated to his son Kyran. And it’s safe to file the prenuptial jingle Canoodle Doodle (video 5) under just-plain-fun. Both a feast and a universe, Stealing Time gives abundantly more than it takes.

Matthew Byrne: Stealing Time
Matthew Byrne: Vocals, guitars
Martin Simpson: Guitar, banjola, harmonies
Louis Campbell: Electric & acoustic guitars
Nancy Kerr: Fiddle, harmony vocals
Andy Cutting: Button accordion
Tom Wright: Percussion, electric guitar, harmonies
Ben Nicholl: Upright bass
Liz Hanks: Cello
James Fagan: Bouzouki, harmonies
The Ennis Sisters: Harmonies
Cory Tetford: Piano

Note: Stealing Time has earned Matthew Byrne nominations in the 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards, in the categories of Best Traditional Singer and Best Traditional Album. The award ceremonies will take place April 9-12, 2026, in Calgary. 

Tickle Cove Pond
Mark Walker

In cuttin’ and haulin’, in ice and in snow
We’re up against troubles that few people know
And it’s only by courage and patience and grit
And eatin’ plain food that we keep ourselves fit
The hard and the easy we take as it comes
And when ponds freeze over we shorten our runs
To hurry my haulin’ with spring coming on
Near lost me my mare out on Tickle Cove Pond 

I knew that the ice became weaker each day
But still took the risk and kept haulin’ away
One evening in April bound home with a load
The mare showed some halting against the ice road
She knew more than I did as matters turned out
Lucky for me had I joined her in doubt
When she turned ‘round her head with tears in her eyes
As if she was sayin “You’re risking our lives” 

All this I ignored with a whip handle blow
For man is too stupid, dumb creatures do know
When the very next minute the pond gave a sigh
And up to our necks went poor Kitty and I
For if I had taken wise Kitty’s advice
I ne’er would have made the shortcut on the ice
Poor creature she’s dead, poor creature she’s gone
I’ll ne’er get my mare out of Tickle Cove Pond 

Lay hold William Oldford, lay hold William White
Lay hold of the bowline and pull all your might
Lay hold of the bowline and pull all you can
And give me a lift with poor Kit on the pond

I raised an alarm you could hear for a mile
And the neighbors showed up in a very short while
You can always rely on the Oldfords and Whites
To render assistance in all your bad plights
To help a poor neighbor is part of their lives
The same I would say for their children and wives
When the bowline was fastened around the mare’s breast
William White for a shanty song made a request
There was no time for thinkin’, no time for delay
Straight from his head came the song right away 

Lay hold William Oldford, lay hold William White
Lay hold of the bowline and pull all your might
Lay hold of the bowline and pull all you can
And give me a lift with poor Kit on the pond
Lay hold William Oldford, lay hold William White
Lay hold of the cordage and pull all your might
Lay hold of the bowline and pull all you can
And with that, we brought Kit out of Tickle Cove Pond

Lovely MaryAnne
Traditional

Come all of ye young sailor lads wherever you may be
And all you jolly fishermen who’ve lately come from sea
I’ll tell you of a pretty girl, I’ll get her if I can
And I’m dearly doting on her, she’s my lovely Maryanne 

The first time I met my love t’was at a grand old spree
The very next glance I had of her, I knew she was for me
We both embraced each other and our courting it began
That’s how I was acquainted with my lovely Maryanne 

I stayed with her through all that night until the break of day
And when we both were parting, these words to her did say
“My fair and darling jewel, pray, when will we meet again?
“It will be on next Sunday evening “, cried my Lovely Maryanne 

A week went by and Sunday came, I thought it was high time
For to get ready and go see that charming girl of mine
So I washed my hands, my face likewise, clean clothes I did put on
And twas down the street, I went to meet my lovely Maryanne 

She asked me in her father’s house, I hadn’t long been there
When the old man asked me questions, I was very glad to hear
And I said “I’m a roving sailor lad as you may understand
And I’ve come to see if you’ll give me your daughter Maryanne” 

Will since ye love each other then such things will have to be
I’ll give you a little money if you’ll stay at home from sea
I’ll give you a little money and a house and farm of land
If you’ll stay on shore forever more, with my lovely Maryanne 

Now I being young and in my prime, as you can plainly see
If I refused a chance like this, what a foolish chap I’d be
So I thanked him for his money and his house and farm of land
And I fell into the arms of my lovely Maryanne

The Calton Weaver
Traditional
(Alternate song title: Nancy Whiskey)

I am a weaver, a Calton weaver
I am a rash and a roving blade
I’ve got silver in my pockets
I’m going to follow a roving trade 

Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy whiskey
Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy-o

Now as I rode into Galway city
Nancy Whiskey I chanced to smell
And I went in, sat down beside her
Seven long years I have loved her well 

Now the more I kissed her, the more I loved her
The more I kissed her, the more she smiled
And soon I forgot my Mother’s teaching
Nancy soon had me beguiled 

For I ‘rose early in the morning
To slack my thirst, it was my need
And I tried to rise but I was not able
Nancy had me by the knees 

Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy whiskey
Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy-o 

So I’m going back to the Calton weaving
I’m gonna make those shuttles fly
And I’ll make more of your Calton weaving
Than e’re I did as a roving boy 

So come all you weavers, you Calton weavers
Come all you weavers where e’re you be
Beware of Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey
She’ll ruin you like she ruined me 

Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy whiskey
Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy oh

Dream for Me
Matthew Byrne

Lie beside me in the sun that peers through a frozen morning
Linger while the day is still and silent as a stone
Peacefully I watch you as a brand new day is dawning
Savoring these moments when my heart feels most at home 

As you dream for me
Dream as high as the moon or as deep as the sea
There’s no need to worry, just leave that to me
Oh, I’m gonna love whatever you’ll be
I’m gonna love whatever you’ll be 

The world that lies in wait is not always a place of understanding
You may not find an open mind down every road you go
But share the light you’ve shown to me with everyone around you
The light I see behind your smile, and in your heart and soul 

As you dream for me
Dream as high as the moon or as deep as the sea
And there’s no need to worry, just leave that to me
Oh, I’m gonna love whatever you’ll be
I’m gonna love whatever you’ll be 

Dream for me
Dream as high as the moon or as deep as the sea
And there’s nowhere you’re safer than right here with me
Oh, I’m gonna love whatever you’ll be
I’m gonna love whatever you’ll be

Canoodle Doodle
Harry Lauder

I’ve never been so deep in love as what I am right now
I haven’t slept for weeks and weeks, I don’t know what to do
It’s Carrie MacIntosh, the bonnie wee lassie I adore
I’ve never been so lonesome over anyone before 

I’m going to marry-arry sweet little Carrie-arrie
On the fifth, the twenty-fifth of Janu-anu-anuary when
We’ll canoodle doodle right fall-a-noodle-doodle
On the fifth, the twenty-fitfth of Janu-anu-ary-Oh! 

Last night was dark and stormy ah but they could not keep me in
For when a fella falls in love he doesn’t care a pin
I went up to her house where I had never been before
I sang to her and whistled through the keyhole in the door

’m going to marry-arry sweet little Carrie-arrie
On the fifth, the twenty-fifth of Janu-anu-anuary when
We’ll canoodle doodle right fall-a-noodle-doodle
On the fifth, the twenty-fitfth of Janu-anu-ary-Oh! 

I had a dream the other night, I dreamt the war had passed
And everyone was happy now that peace had come at last
And all the flags in bonny Scotland wavin’ in the breeze
And all the soldier boys were singin’ in twenty different keys 

I’m going to marry-arry sweet little Carrie-arrie
On the fifth, the twenty-fifth of Janu-anu-anuary when
We’ll canoodle doodle right fall-a-noodle-doodle
On the fifth, the twenty-fitfth of Janu-anu-ary-Oh!  

You know, ‘tis a funny thing, love
The first time I met Carrie I could not resist her
And when I come to meself, I was on me hands and knees reciting to her
“Carrie me darlin’, me heart you have stolen, see me chest how me waistcoat is swollen
And listen the throbs of me heart as she goes a rickity-tickity under me clothes!” 

I’m going to marry-arry sweet little Carrie-arrie
On the fifth, the twenty-fifth of Janu-anu-anuary when
We’ll canoodle doodle right fall-a-noodle-doodle
On the fifth, the twenty-fitfth of Janu-anu-ary-Oh!