ADD/Origins: Ye Lovers All / You Lovers All

Subject: Lyr Req: ye lovers all by len graham
From: brooko
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 12:32 PM

can any one help me with the lyrics to ye lovers all by len graham
brooko

Subject: Lyr Add: YE LOVERS ALL (from Chieftains)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 02:15 PM

Here's a transcription taken from a Chieftains recording:

Ye lovers all both great and small
Who dwell in Ireland
Oh I pray you pay attention
Whilst I my pen command
It was my father's anger
That drove my love away
But I still have hopes
We'll meet again in North Americay

My love he was fair and handsome
And to him I gave my heart
Ah but little was our notion
That we would ever part
It was in my father's garden
That this flower it did decay
But I still have hopes twill bloom again
In North Americay

Now I did not want for money
Kind fortune on me shone
So out of my father's castle
I took five hundred pounds
It was in the town of Belfast
My passage I did pay
And then set sail across the sea
To far Americay

Now the captain's wife was kind to me
As you may understand
And she kept me in her cabin
Until we reached dry land
It was in the town of Quebec
We landed on the cay
But I knew not where to seek my love
In all Americay

Now I being sick and sore and tired
Well I went into an inn
And it was there I found my William
The lad I loved within
He took me gently by the hand
And to me he did say
Oh I never thought I'd see your face
In North Americay

Now I hear this couple has got wed
As you may understand
And I hear they live quite happily
In a town they call St. Johns
And the money that she took from home
Well in gold she paid it down
And they think no more of Ireland
Nor Enniskillen town.


At a glance, it matches the version I've heard Len sing.

Regards

p.s. transferred from this site

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU LOVERS ALL (from Sam Henry)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 03:34 PM

This is the version in the Sam Henry Collection number 525. In Gale Huntington and Lani Herrmann "Sam Henry's 'Songs of the People'" p 483. It also is very close to what Len sings. Other versions will be found on the Bodleian Ballads web-site under the title "Answer to the Philadelphia Lass".

525    You Lovers All

You lovers all, both great and small, that dwell in Ireland,
I hope you'll pay attention while I my pen command.
It was my father's anger that drove my love away,
But I'm still in hopes we'll meet again in North America.

My love is neat and handsome, to him I give my heart,
And little was our notion that ever we would part,
It was in my father's garden this flower it did decay,
But I'm still in hope it will bloom again in North America.

I do not want for money, for fortune on me shines,
Out from my father's castle I stole five hundred pounds,
And in the town of Belfast my passage I did pay,
My mind made up to follow my love to North America.

The captain's lady was kind to me, as you may understand,
She kept me in her cabin until the ship did land,
It was in the town of Quebec she landed in the quay,
I knew not where to find my love in all America.

Being sick and sore and tired, I went into an inn,
And there I found my Willie, the lad I loved, within,
I handed him a letter and unto him did say,
'I never thought to see your face in all America.'

Now this couple they got married, as you may understand,
I hear they lived quite happy in the town they call St. John,
The money that she got from home, in gold she paid it down,
And she bid farewell to Ireland and Enniskillen town.

John Moulden

Subject: Lyr Add: YE LOVERS ALL (from Len Graham)
From: Mrs Wickham
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 03:19 PM

Ye lovers all, both great and small,of learning you have had your share
Your genius bright, help me to write in praises of my lovely fair,
Your poets mind with me combine, assist me and lend your aid
Your voices raise, help me to praise my lovely Ballyronan maid.

One evening bright, in the moonlight, I went my darling to see,
And being dressed all in my best, I thus addressed this comely she,
Says I "Fair maid, if you'll consent we'll join our hands in wedded state,
If you'll prove so kind to ease my mind, my lovely Ballyronan maid."

She says, "Young man, I must refuse, the single life I quite enjoy,
My heart's content, I pay no rent, and marriage I do quite deny."
"Well if you won't marry me, I'm sure I cannot you pursuade,
I'll go my way, no more to see my lovely Ballyronan maid."

But she says "Young man, I pray keep calm, the words I spoke were only in jest,
Since I have proved you loyal and true, since I have put you to the test,
In wedlock bands we'll join our hands, our happiness won't be delayed."
Now the time draws nigh when I'll enjoy my lovely Ballyronan maid.


From Len Graham's album "Ye Lovers All" (1984 - Claddagh Label)

Len says "I learnt this song from Marie McEntee of Threemilehouse, County Monaghan. I understand that it refers to Ballyronan in County Derry, close to the shores of Lough Neagh."


cheers, Jacqui.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ye lovers all by len graham
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 05:15 PM

These songs - Ye lovers all and The Ballyronan Maid are different songs linked only by their first three words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ye lovers all by len graham
From: Mrs Wickham
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 05:48 PM

But Len Graham actually calls "Ballyronan Maid" "Ye lovers all" on the album of which it is the title track - Brooko hasn't said which it is he wants, and I've heard Len sing both songs, so it's anyones guess. :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ye lovers all by len graham
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 31 Mar 10 - 07:19 AM

Mrs Wickham, you are absolutely right - I'll take it up with Len! Perhaps Brooko could confirm which of these fits.

Subject: Lyr Add: ANSWER TO THE PHILADELPHIA LASS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Apr 10 - 03:28 PM

Here's the song from the Bodleian collection. The image there is barely legible in places. In transcribing it, I was helped by comparing it to a similar version in The Irish Digest, Volume 63, 1958, page 95. However, the Bodleian version often scans better, so I have stuck with that text as much as possible.


ANSWER TO THE PHILADELPHIA LASS

You lovers all, both great and small, attend unto my theme.
There's none on earth can pity me, but you who feel my pain.
I lived between Dungannon and the town of Aughnacloy,
But now I'm in America with my father's servant boy.

Where is the man who will or can a farmer's son despise?
His board to win he doth begin before the sun doth rise.
My love and I are Adam's seed, I never will deny.
There's none on earth I love so well as my father's servant boy.

My parents wish'd to have me wed unto a gentleman.
In church, they said, we were to meet and join in wedlock's banns.
The night before I stole from them unto a village nigh,
Where I did meet my own true love, my father's servant boy.

I brought my love along with me. I could do nothing more.
I bade adieu to all my friends, and to the Shamrock shore.
To Belfast town we both went down, where the Ayry(?) then did lie,
And in that ship I sail'd away, with my father's servant boy.

But when we reach'd the other side, our money was all gone,
Some time we were supported by a good Irishman,
Till a gentleman from Ireland did give us both employ.
Two pounds a week I did receive with my father's servant boy.

I left my parents lonesome. In sorrow they did weep,
Both day and night complaining(?), without a wink of sleep,
Until I sent a letter to the town of Aughnacloy,
Saying, I was in America with my father's servant boy.

They then did(?) send(?) a letter straight to Philadelphia town
That if I would come home to them I'd get five hundred pounds;
But I was join'd in wedlock, which crowned my love with joy,
And while I live, I'll ne'er deceive my father's servant boy.

This was the news I did send from Philadelphia town:
Where they were worth a shilling, I was worth a pound.
With pleasure and contentment, I never will deny
That I am in America, with my father's servant boy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ye Lovers All (from Len Graham)
From: brooko
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 02:51 PM

thanks mrs wickham thats the version i wanted
cheers brooko

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ye Lovers All (from Len Graham)
From: GUEST,Abdul in the desert
Date: 04 Apr 10 - 03:37 PM

and thats the version i have of Len singing it and is the version I do.    Al

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ye Lovers All (from Len Graham)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 12 - 05:37 AM

Sam Robinson ([e-mail])


To John Moulden

Hey John, long time since we went to College together, eh?
I know that you generally sing unaccompanied, but are to able to round up the guitar chords for Len Graham's BALLYRONAN MAID at all?
Cheers
Sam

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ye Lovers All (from Len Graham)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 May 19 - 09:23 AM

The melody seems quite…portable. Nice tune anyway. I just heard this version performed by Open the Door for Three.

Subject: Origins: Ye Lovers All / You Lovers All
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Jul 20 - 11:46 PM

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

You Lovers All

DESCRIPTION: The girl recalls how her father's anger "drove my love away" to North America. She steals 500 pounds from her father to buy passage across the seas. She does not know where to look, but by chance finds her love quickly; they are married
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1933 (Sam Henry collection)
KEYWORDS: love separation father emigration marriage reunion
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
SHenry H525, p. 483, "You Lovers All" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1910
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "My Father's Servant Boy" [Laws M11] (plot)
cf. "Mullinabrone" (plot)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
North America
The Flowers of Enniskillen
NOTES [128 words]: This song is very similar to "My Father's Servant Boy," the only substantial difference between the two being that, in this song, the girl and boy sail for America separately. Even the first few words are the same. "Lumpers" would undoubtedly list them as the same song (so, e.g., Roud).
The Index, however, follows a "splitting" policy. My personal suspicion, in any case, is that "My Father's Servant Boy" is the older song, and was rewritten as a broadside to produce this. (Note the presence of a broadside version in Wright.) The kinship could, of course, be the other way -- both look like broadsides, without much softening by tradition. But "My Father's Servant Boy" seems to be slightly more widespread, giving it a slightly greater chance of being original. - RBW
File: HHH525

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