Tune Req: The Lark in the Morning

Subject: The Lark in the Morning
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 04:18 PM

Hi all

I'm trying to track down the music (notes and or midi) for the English version of this song. Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 04:32 PM

There are many versions. Probably the easiest to come by is that in Frank Purslow's 'Marrowbones'. I'm sure Sandy Paton would be happy to sell you the Copper family recording of it on Folk Legacy FSB-19 (see Mudcat's Links)

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Greyeyes
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 04:37 PM

Click here

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 05:21 PM

Hi, Mick - if you put [lark in the morning] in square brackets in our blue search box, you'll come up with two versions of the lyrics. At the bottom is the lyrics is a Click to Play link (or if you're observant, you'll see my link in this message). If your click on the link with your right mouse button, you'll be able to download the MIDI. We have only the one tune - they may well be others.
Our "Links" page has a link to a Tune Finder site. If you Click here, you'll see their long list of tunes that have this title (many are repetitions of the same tune). The "M" links on the page are MIDIs. Have fun.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 06:16 PM

Thanks y'awl...
I've already got the lyrics to the English (i.e. original version) greyeyes.. which isn't the same as the Irish ones.. nor is the melody Joe (I'd already checked the DB)..

And I hate addressing comments to "Guest" (is there anything we can do about this Joe?.. i.e. getting them to at least enter a handle of some sorts).. I have a recording done by the Yetties of all people whereby they sing a version of the English lyrics, but to a different melody to that I know of the "Irish" version...

What I need is the notation or a midi of the "English" melody.. all will be revealed if you check out the Prof's site for the new feature song...

Again thanks for your help
Mick

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 06:49 PM

Well, Mick, I checked the Prof Pages and didn't find the "English" lyrics. Can you point the way? Are you "prof"?
I added the Tune Finder link to my message above, maybe after you looked at my message - did any of those tunes help you?

Unregistered people have to fill in their own name on messages they post. We can't tell who they are unless they tell us. So, if they leave the "sender" space blank on a post, they turn up as an unnamed Guest.

So, where are the lyrics for the "English" version of "Lark"? There are people who might appreciate it if you posted the lyrics here, ya know (wink, wink...)

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 07:21 PM

Joe
Sorry you won't find the English lyrics until the Prof has finished his treatise on the song (whenever that may be).. and okay.. I'll put my hands up and admit that I am the Prof. I'm sure that comes as no surprise to regular mudactters)...

And yes I will post the lyris here, though I should like to do so accompanied with the melody.

I appreciate the "problem" re guests posting answers/threads whilst not their names .. I was just being picky. must be the time of month or something..

By the way "Tune finder" didn't/doesn't have the melody either..

Cheers

Mick

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 08:28 PM

...Also known as "Ploughboy's Glory" or "The [Pretty] Ploughboy", and so on.  A very widespread and popular song-family, of which even I have at least eight traditional versions -all English, with tunes- (which did you want?) to hand.  (There are lots more).  The Irish "Lark in the Morning" (most of the references at JC's Tunefinder will be to that) is -in most cases- a completely unrelated 4-part jig, which Seamus Ennis felt should properly be called "The Lark's March".

Malcolm

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Ferret
Date: 12 Dec 00 - 06:20 AM

There is a version dun by Steeliy Span and I have about 11 versions some Irish, Scotish, and some English. This song seem's to have crosd the water so mey times that an posativ oragin is risky. all the best ferret

Subject: RE: The Lark in the Morning
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 12 Dec 00 - 02:47 PM

Ideally I'm looking for the melody used to accompany the lyrics from the early 19th century broadsheets, but as this is asking a bit much, I'd settle for the tune I last heard on a Yetties album "Our Friends".

Cheers
Mick

Subject: Lyr Add: THE PRETTY PLOUGHBOY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Nov 09 - 12:41 AM

Lyrics and footnote copied from The Minstrelsy of England by Alfred Moffat, supplemented with historical notes by Frank Kidson (London: Bayley & Ferguson, 1901), page 107:

[With musical notation for one voice and piano.]


THE PRETTY PLOUGHBOY

1. As I was a-walking one morning in spring,
I heard a pretty ploughboy and so sweetly he did sing,
And as he was a-singing, oh! these words I heard him say:
"There's no life like the ploughboy's in the sweet month of May."

2. The lark in the morning she will rise up from her nest.
She'll mount the white air with the dew all on her breast,
And with the pretty ploughboy, oh! she'll whistle and she'll sing,
And at night she'll return to her nest back again.

3. If you walk in the fields any pleasure to find,
You'll see what the ploughman enjoys in his mind:
The corn he sows grows, and the flowers all do spring,
And the ploughman's as happy as a prince or a king.

4. When his day's work is done that he has had to do,
Perhaps to some wake or fair he will go;
There with a sweet lass, oh, he will dance and sing,
And at night he'll return to his home back again.

This song and air were taken down by Mr. Frank Kidson from the singing of a ploughman in North Yorkshire, and is by permission reprinted from his Traditional Tunes, 1891. The two verses there printed make a Yorkshire version of a song obtained traditionally by Robert burns the poet (see Cromek's Reliques, 1808), but there is a lengthy copy of the song in a garland in the British Museum, from which we take the third and fourth verses.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Lark in the Morning
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Nov 09 - 11:27 AM

Thanks for posting that, Jim. It's fine song.

One day, about 15 years ago, I was walking with friends on a beach in northern Scotland. A small bird was nearby, soaring from grass to sky and singing as he soared. I think that must have been a lark such as gladden's the ploughboy's heart in this song.

Is the tune in your book of any merit? Is there any way you could post it?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Lark in the Morning
From: bubblyrat
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 04:40 AM

For an "Irish " version ( and I don't mean The Larks March either !), then that wonderful group "The Johnstones",including a rather young Mr Brady,are worth listening to. The lyrics are somewhat different to Jim's posting above,being mainly concerned with a randy (horny in USA-speak) young ploughboy getting a maiden into a spot of bother.The "English" tune is COMPLETELY different,of course !

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Lark in the Morning
From: ard mhacha
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 02:57 PM

Here is The Johnstons excellent recording of the song,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsWKeDCHY0A

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Lark in the Morning
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 05:31 PM

Subject: Lyr. Add: THE LARK IN THE MORNING (from Bodleian)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 05:54 PM

The Lark in the Morning

As I was a walking one morning in May,
I heard a pretty damsel these words for to say,
Of all the callings whatever it may be,
No life like a ploughboy all in the month of May.
2
The lark in the morning rises from her nest,
And mounts in the air with the dew round her breast,
And like the pretty ploughboy she'll whistle and sing,
And at night she'll return to her nest back again.
3
When his days work is done that he's got to do,
Perhaps to some country wake he will go,
There with his sweetheart he'll dance and he'll sing,
And then he'll return with his lass back again.
4
And as they return from the wake in the town,
The meadows being mown and the grass cut down,
We chanced to tumble all on the new hay,
It's kiss me now or never the maiden did say.
5
When twenty weeks were over and past,
Her mamma asked her the reason why she thickened in the waist;
It was the pretty ploughboy the damsel did say,
That caused me to tumble on the new mown hay.
6
Come all you pretty maidens wherever you be,
You may trust a ploughboy to any degree,
They're used so much to ploughing their seed for to sow,
That all what employ them are sure to find it grow.
7
So good luck to the ploughboys wherever they may be,
They will take a pretty lass to sit on their knee,
And with a jug of beer they will whistle and sing,
And a ploughboy is as happy as a Prince or a King.

Bodleian Collection, Harding B16(125c), between 1849-1862.
No printer's name.