Song

I love the [jocund]1 dance, 
The softly breathing song, 
Where innocent eyes do glance,
[And]2 where lisps the maiden's tongue.  

I love the laughing vale, 
I love the echoing [hills]3, 
Where mirth does never fail, 
And the jolly swain laughs his fill. 

I love the pleasant cot,
I love the innocent bow'r,
Where white and brown is our lot,
Or fruit in the midday hour. 

I love the oaken seat,
Beneath the oaken tree,
Where all the [old]2 villagers meet,
And laugh [our]4 sports to see. 

I love our neighbors all,
But Kitty, I [better love thee]5;
And love them [I ever]6  shall;
But thou art all to me.

by William Blake (1757-1827) , "Song"

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Frederick Corder (1852-1932) , "I love the jocund dance", published 1889. [four-part song]
by Hilda M. Grieveson , "I love the jocund dance", published 1926 [unison song with piano accompaniment], London, H. F. W. Deane & Sons
by William Henry Harris, Sir (1883-1973) , "I love the jocund dance", published c1966 [unison song], London, Novello
by Daniel Jenkyn Jones (1912-) , "I love the jocund dance", 1977, first performed 1977 [SATB chorus and orchestra], from Hear the Voice of the Ancient Bard, no. 1.
by John Mitchell (1941-) , "I love the merry dance", op. 1 no. 7 (1964), rev. 1977, from Seven Songs from William Blake, no. 7.
by Oskar Morawetz (1917-) , "I love the jocund dance"
by Roger Quilter (1877-1953) , "The jocund dance", op. 18 no. 3, published 1914.

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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