Vinegar Tom

3 weeks ago by @jackketch

Vinegar Tom

jackketch

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Liner Notes

#witchcraft #witchfindergeneral
Oops, another song about witchcraft I'm afraid. I teach the subject at A-level at the moment so it's been on my mind a lot. This song is inspired by the story of Elizabeth Clark. She was the first person accused of witchcraft by the so called witchfinder general Matthew Hopkins at the beginning of the East Anglian witch hunt in 1646 - the worst hunt in English history. This all happened in my local area. She was an 80 year old woman and she was subjected to psychological torture through sleep deprivation and exhaustion until she confessed, during which she revealed the existence of various strange familiars including ‘Vinegar Tom’, some kind of weird dog hybrid. My wife also read out the names of the some of the other familiars during the change up section in this song - this bit is pretty much quoted verbatim from the records.
Elizabeth Clark was later hanged in Chelmsford, one of the first of many during this particular hunt.

Lyrics

Tied to a chair, deprived of sleep
She's asked whose company she likes to keep
Tries to resist, she's filled with scorn
But she can't last another dawn

She's feeling weak, she's ready to crack
The witchfinder's waiting all dressed in black
She bows her head, she's feeling weak
so with a sigh, she starts to speak

Vinegar Tom, Vinegar Tom
It all went wrong because of Vinegar Tom

The witchfinder notes down the names
And asks who else was to blame
Her tongue is loose, the names spill out
Until he's left without any doubt

Vinegar Tom, Vinegar Tom
It all went because of Vinegar Tom

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