Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
An alternate version of this song names the protagonist "Henry," which may point to one of the origins of the song. King Henry I of England died in 1135, supposedly from eating "a surfeit of lampreys." What an embarrassing way to go… (Source.)
Does "Lord Randall" sound familiar? Well, it should, if you've read J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Holden Caulfield, the book's narrator, mentions how he read this poem in English class, just like you might be doing now. (Source.)
Here's a silly question: are there any Bob Dylan fans out there? If so, you'll be interested to know that "Lord Randall" inspired one of the singer's most famous songs, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" (1962). He uses a similar question and answer format there. (Source.)