Introduction: The Mysteries of The Two Brothers
Whereas the “Two Sisters” murder ballad is a complete, coherent story, “Two Brothers” is messy. What’s the motive? Who are these brothers? Who kills who? In this episode of Folk Files, we search for the answers to these questions… and discover a dark hypothesis for why the story is so vague.
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Credits
Host: Olivia Harding
Explore the Derek Piotr Fieldwork Archive.
CORRECTION: There IS a version of “Two Brothers” in Derek’s archive, called “Jessell Town”
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Assistant Producer: Aaron J. Morton
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Musical Excerpts
Lizzie Higgins
“The Twa Brothers”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD9Ny98oPDQ
Texas Gladden
“The Two Brothers” Interview
https://youtu.be/r3ZPPl8BA3M?si=k-zlAZTIWsIb3FJk
Texas Gladden
“The Two Brothers”
https://youtu.be/gX4OSHAmdiI?si=6STN0pkH6Wj1317A
Belle Stewart
“The Twa Brothers”
https://youtu.be/ndj78AVRY8g?si=TW1_wx9Cm8W7McKw
Oscar Brand
“The Rolling of the Stones”
https://youtu.be/TjhEWabn-5w?si=G13qBcG9m-r0-Pfn
Sheila Stewart
“The Twa Brothers”
https://youtu.be/JE0vDkWPBnA?si=i3xPh0c143_RvvVx
Jeanne Ritchie
“Edward”
https://youtu.be/1ZiEU6C9ZZA?si=VLbIPtixoulhxcef
Fay Hield
“Henry”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzXCaYGNXSk
Jeannie Robertson
“The Twa Brothers”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUkBHsZS82w
Lucy Stewart
“Two Pretty Boys”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9FwE09lY9w
Alasdair Roberts
“The Rolling of the Stones”
https://alasdairroberts.bandcamp.com/track/the-two-brothers
Music the Gathering
“Rolling of the Stone”
https://musicthegathering.bandcamp.com/track/rolling-of-the-stone-2
The Young Tradition
“The Rolling of the Stones”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj6H9_xjNOc