Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST,Richard Owens
Date: 11 Feb 23 - 06:52 PM

The way I remember it is thus:

A long time ago,
I remember it well...
Alone in a poor house,
a maiden did dwell.

She lived with her
father and mother serene.
Her age, it was red,
and her hair was nineteen.

Now she had a boyfriend
who closeby did dwell.
He was crosseyed in both feet
and humpbacked as well.

Said he "let us fly by the
light of yon star,
for you are the light of
my apple, you are.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST,Salty bob
Date: 30 Jan 21 - 08:50 AM

My Mother sang a version of this song in the late ‘30s. The chorus she sang was something like
“Ting-a-ling, Ting-a-ling, a ha-haha,
These were the words I heard from afar
Ting-a-ling, Ting-a-ling, a ha-haha
To the tune of a sweet guitar”

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST,Eva Brenner
Date: 01 Aug 20 - 08:29 PM

This is the version I learned from my Grandmother Eva, with a much more appropriate ending:

A long time to come, I remember it well
Outside of a poorhouse a maiden did dwell
Alone with her father her life was serene
Her age it was red and her hair was nineteen

The maid had a lover who nearby did dwell
A cross-legged ruffian and bow-eyed as well
He cried, let us fly by the light of yon star
For you are the eye of my apple you are

Oh no cried the maiden, be cautious and wise
Or father will scratch out your nails with his eyes
If you love me truly, don’t bring me disgrace
Cried the maid as she buried her hands in her face

Up sprung the ruffian and knocked down the maid
He silently drew out a knife from his blade
He slit the throat of the maiden so fair
And dragged her around by the head of her hair

Just then the maid’s father appeared it appears
When he gazed at the sight there were eyes in his tears
He knelt by the maiden, her pale cheeks he kissed
And rushed with his nose at the murderer’s fist

Down fell the ruffian in a heap of defeat
A handsome young doctor arrived on his feet
He revived the maiden bringing tears out of laughter
And together they lived apart, unhappily every after!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST,Russell Myers
Date: 16 Jun 16 - 08:16 PM

My grandmother, Katherine Watson Farmer, remembered this song that her mother Kate Sloan Watson used to sing in Ridge Springs, South Carolina. She called it "The Backwards Song" and it is clearly a permutation of "A Maidens Romance".
'Twas sometime to come
I remember it well
Way down in the poor-house
A maiden did dwell
She dwelt with her mother and father serene
Her age it was red
And her hair it was green

Not near to this maiden
Her lover did dwell
Knock-kneed in both eyes
And cross-legged as well
He asked her to fly
By the light of yon star
For "You are the eye
Of my apple you are."

O come said the maiden
O come let's be wise
My father will scratch out
Your nails with his eyes
If you love me don't drag me
Right down to disgrace
And she buried both hands
Right into her face

Thus being repulsed
By a cold-hearted maid
The villain drew out
His jackknife by the blade
He stabbed it right into
Her bosom so fair
And dragged her around
By the head of her hair

Now just at this moment
Her father appears
He gazed at the maiden
With eyes in his tears
He gazed at the maiden
Her cold lips he kissed
Then turned on the villain
With murderous fists

He turned to the villain
And told him to bolt
He drew a horse pistol
He raised from a colt
He told him to fly
And he flew up the flue

Now the moral of this
If you take my advice
Never think once
Before you speak twice
And remember this motto
Wherever you go
Never to words
'til you're out of the crow

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST,Pervirtuous
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 05:53 PM

Belinda's version is the version I was introduced to by my grandfather many years ago. Except for slight changes in the second and in the last verse:

The second verse began:

Now, nearby this maiden her lover did dwell.

the final verse ends:

Said he: "Now I die if I stay, it is true."
He said, "Now I fly and he flew up the flue."

I believe this means that there were two different speakers, the first line was the ruffian and the second was the father. As a poet, I always look for the metaphor or simile in the lyrics. As near as I can figure, "Now I fly" is a reference to earlier in the song when the ruffian asked the maiden to "..Fly by the light of yon star." So, in my estimation flying was sexually related. So to fly up the flue is to do something sexual with an exhaust pipe. I believe this was the intent of the writer, but I could be looking too hard. Apologies for being indiscreet.

Subject: Lyr Add: BELINDA (from Yale University)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Apr 14 - 08:57 PM

From Yale Melodies: A Collection of the Latest Songs Used by the Yale University Glee Club edited by Thomas G. Shepard (New Haven, Conn.: Thomas G. Shepard, 1903), page 56:


BELINDA.

1. Not a long time to come, I remember it well,
Alongside a poorhouse a maiden did dwell.
She lived with her parents; her life was serene.
Her age it was red and her hair was nineteen.

2. This maid had a lover who nearby did dwell,
A cross-legged ruffian and bow-eyed as well.
Said he, "Let us fly by the light of yon star,
For you are the eye of my apple, you are."

3. "Oh, no," said the maiden. "Be cautious and wise,
Or my father will scratch out your nails with his eyes.
If you really love me, don't bring me disgrace,"
Said the maid as she buried her hands in her face.

4. But when she refused him, he knocked down the maid,
And silently drew out the knife of his blade.
He then cut the throat of the maiden so fair,
And dragged her around by the head of her hair.

5. Just then her old papa appeared, it appears,
And gazed on the sad scene with eyes in his tears.
He knelt down beside her; her pale face he kissed,
Then he rushed with his nose at the murderer's fist.

6. He looked at the lover and told him to bolt.
He drew a horse pistol; 'twas raised from a colt.
Said he, "Now I die, if I stay, it is true."
Said he, "Now I fly," and he flew up the flue.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF YORK BEACH
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Apr 14 - 08:33 PM

From Students' Songs: Comprising the Newest and Most Popular College Songs... edited by William Henry Hills (Cambridge, Mass.: Moses King, 1885), page 52:


THE MAID OF YORK BEACH.

1. Oh, sometime to come, I remember it well,
Ting! ting!
'Way down on York Beach a maiden did dwell.
Ting! ting!
She dwelt with her father and mother serene.
Her age it was red, and her hair was nineteen.
Ting-a-ting! ting! ting! ting! ting! ting! Ting-a-ting! ting!

2. Now close to this maiden her lover did dwell.
Ting! ting!
He was cross-legged in both eyes, and knock-kneed as well.
Ting! ting!
Said he, "Fly with me by the light of yon star,
For you are the eye of my apple, you are!"
Ting-a-ting! ting! etc.

3. She answered him simply, "My heart knows no fear.
Ting! ting!
See the passion I feel by this glittering tear.
Ting! ting!
Let us de-part to-night, ere my father discerns
The love of the fervor that in each of us burns."
Ting-a-ting! ting! etc.

4. Now when the old par-i-ent heard of the raid,
Ting! ting!
He quickly did open the knife of his blade,
Ting! ting!
And went with his throat at the lover's fond steel,
Saying, "I'll cure you both of this 'passion you feel.' "
Ting-a-ting! ting! etc.

5. Now this lover sank down, and reposed in his gore,
Ting! Ting!
And the fond maiden's fair tears availed her no more!
Ting! ting!
What a tragedy, now, for a maiden so fair,
Whose age it was red, and nineteen was her hair!
Tiug-a-ting! ting! etc.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Apr 14 - 08:06 AM

http://projectsbyshelley.blogspot.ca/

See Starlight Tragedy about 1/6 the way down the page.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 08:25 PM

I remember the following lyrics as I sat by my grandfathers knee, which he moved up and down keeping time while fiddling this Irish Jig. C.1945

"It's a long time to come I remember it well;
Alone in this world a young beauty dwell.

With her mother and her father she lived serene;
Her age was red and hair nineteen.

She had a lover who close by did dwell;
A cross-eyed rustic and hunchback as well.

He said fly with me by the light of yon star;
for you are the eye of my apple you are.

No she refused so he knocked down the maid;
And suddenly opened the knife of his blade.

Next cut the throat of the damsel so fair;
And dragged her around by the head of her hair.

At this moment her old man appeared ;
Gazed at the scene with his eyes in his tears.

Knelt down beside her, her cold face he kissed;
And rushed with his chin at the murderer's fist."

Jim Moore, [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Maiden's Romance (E. O. Harbin)
From: GUEST,Midnight Star
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 11:04 PM

You got the "midas touch!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eye of my apple
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 07:16 PM

Thanks Sorcha! I tried Google awhile ago and came up empty - you must have the magic touch. I appreciate your help.

Sandy R

Subject: Lyr Add: A MAIDEN'S ROMANCE (E. O. Harbin)
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 12:30 AM

This came up first hit on Google:

A Maiden's Romance
(Tune: "Clementine" Key: G)

For a long time to come, I'll remember quite well,
Alone in a poorhouse a maiden did dwell.
She dwelt with her mother and father serene,
Her age it was red, and her hair it was sixteen.

Not far from this maiden her lover did dwell;
He was knock-kneed in both legs, and humpbacked as well.
He said, "Let us fly by the light of your hair,
For you are the eye of my apple, so fair."

She said to this young man, "Now you just get wise,
Or the old man will scratch out you nails with his eyes.
If you love me, don't leave me; it will be a disgrace!"
Cried the maid as she buried both mitts in her face.

But when she refused him, he rushed at this maid,
And swiftly he opened the knife of his blade;
And he cut the sweet throat of his maiden so fair,
And he drug her around by the head of her hair.

And just at this moment the old man arrives,
And he gazed at this trouble with tears full of eyes;
He knelt by the side of his daughter and kiss't,
Then he rushed a the youth with both arms full of fist.

Said he to the young man, "Now, you'd better bolt."
And he drew a horse pistol he'd raised from a colt;
The young man took flight up the chimney, 'tis true;
Said he, "I must fly;" so he flew up the flue.

From Parodology by E.O. Harbin, 1927.

Is that it?

Subject: Eye of my apple
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 10:44 PM

Hi! I'm trying to find information about a song I heard in my childhood. I don't know the title, who wrote it or performed it, but these are the lyrics I remember:

Now not long ago I remember it well,
alone in a poorhouse a maiden did dwell.

She lived with her Father and Mother serene,
her age it was red and her hair was nineteen.

Now not far away her sweetheart did dwell.
He was cross-eyed in both feet and hunchback as well.

He said fly with me by the light of yon star,
you're the eye of my apple you are oh you are.

She said oh kind sir, you must surely be wise
or my father will scratch out your nails with his eyes.

When his kiss she refused he knocked down the maid
and slowly he took out the knife of his blade.

He grabbed the throat of the maiden so fair
and dragged her around by the head of her hair.

Now just about then her father came up
with tears in his fists and his eyes doubled up,

He grabbed the young villain by the hands with his throat
and whipped him with a horse-gun done raised from a colt.

I'd appreciate any information anyone has about this song. The title or author would really help my search.

Thanks,
Sandy R