The Lied and Art Song Texts Page

8 Folk Song Arrangements

Song Cycle by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)


1. Lord! I married me a wife

Language: English

Authorship


 Lord! I married me a wife!
 She gave me trouble all my life!
 Made me work in the cold rain and snow.

Input by Virginia Knight


2. She's like the swallow

Language: English

Authorship


 She's like the swallow that flies so high,
 She's like the river that never runs dry,
 She's like the sunshine on the lee shore,
 I love my love and love is no more.

 'Twas out in the garden this fair maid did go,
 A-picking the beautiful primerose;
 The more she pluck'd the more she pulled
 Until she got her aperon full.

 It's out of those roses she made a bed,
 A stony pillow for her head.
 She laid her down, no word did say,
 Until this fair maid's heart did break.

 She's like the swallow that flies so high,
 She's like the river that never runs dry,
 She's like the sunshine on the lee shore,
 I love my love and love is no more.

Input by Virginia Knight


3. Lemady

Language: English

Authorship


 One midsummer's morn as I were a-walking
 The fields and the meadows were covered with green,
 The birds a-sweetly singing so pleasant and so charming,
 So early in the morning by the break of the day.

 Arise, arise, go pluck your love a posy
 of the prettiest flowers that grows in yonder green.
 O yes I'll arise and pluck lilies, pinks and roses
 All for my dearest Lemady, the girl I adore.

 O Lemady, O Lemady what a lovely lass thou art
 Thou art the fairest creature that ever my eye did see!
 I'll play you a tune all on the pipes of ivory
 So early in the morning by the break of the day.

Input by Virginia Knight


4. Bonny at morn

Language: English

Authorship


 The sheep's in the meadows, the kye's in the corn,
 Thou's ower lang in thy bed, bonny at morn.
 Canny at night, bonny at morn,
 Thou's ower lang in they bed,
 Bonny at morn.

 The bird's in the nest, the trout's in the burn,
 Thou hinders thy mother in many a turn.
 Canny at night, bonny at morn,
 Thou's ower lang in they bed,
 Bonny at morn.

 We're all laid idle wi' keeping the bairn,
 The lad winnot work and the lass winnot lairn.
 Canny at night, bonny at morn,
 Thou's ower lang in they bed,
 Bonny at morn.

Input by Virginia Knight


5. Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn

Language: Welsh

Authorship

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


My sy'n fachgen ifanc ffôl
Yn caru'n ôl fy ffansi,
Myfi'n bugeilio'r gwenith gwyn,
Ac arall yn ei fedi.

Pam na ddeui ar fy ôl 
Rhyw ddydd ar ôl ei gilydd?
Gwaith 'rwy'n dy weld, y feinir fach,
Yn lanach, lanach beunydd.

Tra bo dwr y môr yn hallt,
A thra bo'ngwallt yn tyfu;
A thra bo calon yn fy mron,
Mi fyddai'n ffyddlon iti.

Dywed imi'r gwir heb gêl,
A rho dan sêl d'atebion:
P'run ai myfi, ai arall, Gwen,
Sydd orau gen dy galon?

Input by Virginia Knight


6. Dafydd y Garreg Wen

Language: Welsh

Authorship

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):


"Cariwch", medd Dafydd, "Fy nhelyn imi,
Ceisiaf cyn marw roi tôn arni hi
Codwch fy nwylo i gyrraedd y tant;
Duw a'ch bendithio, fy ngweddw a'm plant.

Llifai'r alawon o'r tannau yn lli,
Melys oedd ceinciau fy nhelyn i mi.
Nid oes a erys o'r afiaith a'r tân;
Gwywodd yr awen, a thawodd y gân.

Neithiwr mi glywais lais angel fel hyn:
 -- Dafydd, tyrd adref, a channa trwy'r glyn. --
Delyn fy mebyd! ffarwel i dy dant.
Duw a'ch bendithio, fy ngweddw a'm plant."

Input by Virginia Knight


7. The False Knight upon the road

Language: English

Authorship


 The knight met the child in the road.
 O where are you going to?
 said the knight in the road.
 I am going to my school,
 said the child as he stood.
 He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
 I am going to my school,
 said the child as he stood.

 O what are you going there for?
 said the knight in the road.
 For to learn the Word of God,
 said the child as he stood.
 He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
 For to learn the Word of God,
 said the child as he stood.

 O what have you got there?
 said the knight in the road.
 I have got my bread and cheese,
 said the child as he stood.
 He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
 I have got my bread and cheese,
 said the child as he stood.

 O won't you give me some?
 said the knight in the road.
 No, ne'er a bite nor crumb,
 said the child as he stood.
 He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
 No, ne'er a bite nor crumb,
 said the child as he stood.

 I wish you was on the sands,
 said the knight in the road.
 Yes, and a good staff in my hands,
 said the child as he stood.
 He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
 Yes, and a good staff in my hands,
 said the child as he stood.

 I wish you was in the sea,
 said the knight in the road.
 Yes, and a good boat under me,
 said the child as he stood.
 He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
 Yes, and a good boat under me,
 said the child as he stood.

 I think I hear a bell,
 said the knight in the road.
 Yes, and it's ringing you to hell,
 said the child as he stood.
 He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
 Yes, and it's ringing you to hell,
 said the child as he stood.

Input by Virginia Knight


8. Bird Scarer's song

Language: English

Authorship


 Shoo all 'er birds you be so black,
 When I lay down to have a nap.
 Shoo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo birds.
 Hi shoo all 'er birds!

 Out of master's ground into Tom Tucker's ground,
 Out of Tom Tucker's ground into Luke Coles's ground
 Out of Luke Coles's ground into Bill Veater's ground.
 Shoo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo arlo birds.
 Ha! Ha!

Input by Virginia Knight


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