Origins: Wildwood Flower / I'll Twine 'Mid the ...

Subject: RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower/define the word emanita
From: GUEST
Date: 22 May 06 - 05:53 PM

these lyrics were written by lee moore. he was a member of the wheeling jamboree, and he did the night show as the coffee drinking nighthawk. I loved listening to him when i was a kid in Nove scotia. he would play and sing every night live on air with his guitar and spun records all night. this was back in the late fifties early sixties. I got to see him live at the the edison hotel in toronto about 1969, he was just as good as on the radio. I am rambling on but i hope this help you a bit. yours truly Guy Melanson Http://www.guymelanson.com

Subject: RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower
From: GUEST,Eric Bram
Date: 23 Feb 06 - 05:45 AM

Well, Q, obviously spontaneous generation doesn't occur, as we all know (perhaps you were being facetious or just playful in calling me on that). But from the Latin it makes sense to me that the word "aronatus" -- "created by plowing" (not "born of the plow"; that would be "aratronatus", as John Dyson of Indiana University points out) -- would refer to a wildflower that seems to spring up almost overnight from freshly plowed soil. That fits in with the backwoods spirit of the song, too. And that's the way I sing it.

- Eric Bram (Bramicus)

Subject: RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower
From: GUEST,Maggie
Date: 19 Feb 06 - 09:54 PM

I always was taught growing up from my father that it was aronatus and that that was as in reference to calling someone an angel. "Pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue." We have always had the song as an oral tradition through my family, as others, that was passed around the Appalachian Mountains. It's pronunciation origin, like most Appalachian pronunciations in the area my family comes from, is mingled with Old English and Irish.

Subject: RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Oct 05 - 12:54 AM

Branicus, your Latin is satisfactory, but I'm afraid spontaneous generation was disproven near the time of the Middle Ages.

No one has ever identified what plant Irving and Webster meant by 'pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue.' They may have invented this flower to rhyme with 'The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue.'

Subject: Aronatus -- RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower
From: GUEST,Bramicus
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:07 PM

I believe this flower's name was formed from two Latin words, aro (plow, till, cultivate; produce by plowing) and natus (be produced spontaneously, come into existance/being; spring forth, grow).

Hence, the aronatus would have been a wildflower that grew spontaneously from recently tilled soil.

Subject: RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower
From: GUEST,zolstead
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 03:07 PM

http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/generic_frame.html?Hyss_off.html "Hyssop so blue"

Subject: RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Feb 04 - 05:48 PM

Never heard of an "Islip" as a flower. There's "Cowslip", if course. Our cowslips are yellow, but evidently the American Cowslip is a different plant - here is a picture of one. Not exactly blue, but maybe they vary.

Subject: RE: Origins: Wildwood Flower
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Feb 04 - 11:19 PM

Gladys got an e-mail back from Rose the Record Lady, who apparently had two Lee Moore recordings of Wildwood Flower. One was the well-known Carter Family version, and the other (She is waiting for me in a rose covered bower) is titled "New Wildwood Flower."
I gather that the tune is the same - can anybody verify that? songwriter for "new" is still a mystery.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: WILDWOOD FLOWER (from Lee Moore)
From: GUEST,Gladys........ MY ~2002 Request
Date: 25 Jan 04 - 03:27 PM

MANY, MANY THANKS to
"Joe Offer"
who, on Jan. 23, 2004, sent me the thread for the lyrics for
Wildwood Flower...AS WE KNEW IT, NOT THE CARTER FAMILY VERSION.
JOE OFFER NOTICED A POST FROM ONE INUKSHUK JAN. 20/04. (It was posted under lyrics for 'Cat Came Back' and Joe Offer redirected me to the thread)
THANKS SO VERY MUCH !!!!
GLADYS

and HERE IT IS......
"Well, here's Lee Moore's version as I transcribed from one of his records. I'd sure like to hear Doc Williams version."

WILDWOOD FLOWER
as per Lee Moore

She is [G] waiting for me in a [D7] rose covered [G] bower
And her eyes are like violets [D7] after a [G] shower
For she's dreaming of me through the [C] long summer [G] hours
My sweetheart, my own, my [D7] frail wildwood flower.


All the wild forest creatures are under her spell.
On her shoulder the dove his love secrets will tell
And the shy dappled fawn comes to lie at the feet
Of my frail wildwood flower, so gentle and so sweet.


I will pick tender blossoms to twine in her hair;
Blushing roses so red and the lilies so fair,
Lovely myrtle so bright with emerald hue,
Modest buttercups yellow, forget-me-nots blue.


Hand in hand through the wildwood together we'll stray,
She will sing, she will dance and my heart she will sway,
And her laughter will echo like ripples at play
Till my trials like my heart has stolen away.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: WILDWOOD FLOWER (from Lee Moore)
From: Inükshük
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 03:46 PM

Well, here's Lee Moore's version as I transcribed from one of his records. I'd sure like to hear Doc Williams version.

WILDWOOD FLOWER
as per Lee Moore

She is [G] waiting for me in a [D7] rose covered [G] bower
And her eyes are like violets [D7] after a [G] shower
For she's dreaming of me through the [C] long summer [G] hours
My sweetheart, my own, my [D7] frail wildwood flower.


All the wild forest creatures are under her spell.
On her shoulder the dove his love secrets will tell
And the shy dappled fawn comes to lie at the feet
Of my frail wildwood flower, so gentle and so sweet.


I will pick tender blossoms to twine in her hair;
Blushing roses so red and the lilies so fair,
Lovely myrtle so bright with emerald hue,
Modest buttercups yellow, forget-me-nots blue.


Hand in hand through the wildwood together we'll stray,
She will sing, she will dance and my heart she will sway,
And her laughter will echo like ripples at play
Till my trials like my heart has stolen away.

---

I moved this message here from another thread about "The Cat Came Back," where it had been posted by mistake. Note that it answers the question from Gladys above - I sent Gladys an e-mail.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Joe_F
Date: 02 Nov 02 - 08:47 PM

Where does it say that amanita can be a flower name? Amanita is the name of a genus of mushrooms, of which the most notorious is Amanita phalloides, which (in the words of John Collier) combines the liveliest of forms with the deadliest of substances. The notion of a lady decking her hair with poisonous phalluses in memory of a treacherous lover does have a certain charm, but plausibility forbids.

Islip is the name of a town in Oxfordshire, England, and one named after it on Long Island, New York. It does not appear in the OED as the name of a flower or anything else.

Subject: Lyr Add: WILDWOOD FLOWER (Nova Scotia)
From:
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 11:15 PM

Has A N Y O N E ever heard THIS VERSION of 'Wildwood Flower'???????

(In Nova Scotia, Canada, early 1950's - live Performances, kitchen
parties, etc - this is the only version I ever heard; in Ontario,
Canada, now and still hear this version. DOES ANYONE KNOW THIS
VERSION OR W H E R E IT CAME FROM???? It is VERY DIFFERENT from
the Carter Family version.
My EMAIL ADDRESS IS
[e-mail]
if anyone can help me out.

THE LYRICS WE KNOW FOR
"WILDWOOD FLOWER":

She is waiting for me in a rose colored bower,
And her eyes are like violets after a shower,
For she's dreaming of dreams through the long summer hours,
my sweetheart, my own, my frail wildwood flower.

All the wild forest creatures are under her spell,
On her shoulder the dove it's love secrets will tell,
And the wild dappled fawn comes to lie at the feet,
of my frail, wildwood flower, So gentle and so sweet.

I will pick tender blossoms to twine in her hair,
lovely roses so red and the lilies so fair,
Lovely myrtle so bright with the emerald hue,
Buttercups yellow, forget-me-nots blue

There's no artist can paint her, no poet can write,
How she warms this old heart like the sunbeams so bright,
I will love and protect her and never more part,
From that frail wildwood flower that twines around my heart.

Gladys

Subject: RE: 1950 Nova Scotia ~ Wildwood Flower'
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 06:26 PM

The way I've heard the story, the Carter version is based on an old parlor song, "I'll Twine Mid the Ringlets." I've seen the lyrics to it and they're not the same as you've posted. Somebody other than the Carters may have revised the song into the one you sang in the '50s, or it may be a revision of the Carter revision. Somebody more knowledgeable should be along shortly to solve the mystery.

Subject: Lyr Add: WILDWOOD FLOWER (Nova Scotia)
From:
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 06:09 PM

H E L P !!!!

Back about 1950, in Nova Scotia, Canada, we sang the song
'WILDWOOD FLOWER' quite a bit; I notice that our LYRICS
are much different from the Carter Family, etc.

ANYONE KNOW THE ORIGIN OF THE LYRICS WE HAVE???? WHO
MIGHT HAVE RECORDED IT WITH THOSE LYRICS????? HERE THEY
ARE;

WILDWOOD FLOWER

She is waiting for me in a rose colored bower,
And her eyes are like violets after a shower,
For she's dreaming of dreams through the long summer hours,
my sweetheart, my own, my frail wildwood flower.

All the wild forest creatures are under her spell,
On her shoulder the dove it's love secrets will tell,
And the wild dappled fawn comes to lie at the feet,
of my frail, wildwood flower, So gentle and so sweet.

I will pick tender blossoms to twine in her hair,
lovely roses so red and the lilies so fair,
Lovely myrtle so bright with the emerald hue,
Buttercups yellow, forget-me-nots blue

There's no artist can paint her, no poet can write,
How she warms this old heart like the sunbeams so bright,
I will love and protect her and never more part,
From that frail wildwood flower that twines around my heart.

YOUR HELP WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
Gladys

---

Answer in this thread (click).

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 02:41 PM

Versions of the song were heard throughout the country, Texas no exception. There are local variants.
Interpreting "myrtle" ain't easy. The true myrtle is an Asian shrub (including the common myrtle grown in England, the States,etc.). These plants came to America in colonial times. The name also has been applied in the States to the Old World periwinkle (many dogbane woody plants). It has been given to the California laurel (Umbellularia) which is not the laurel of Europe). Then there is crepe myrtle which is grown in the South. It also is applied by some to the purple-blue to pinkish flowering shrub (Kalmia or mountain laurel) of North America.
Names and plants were brought to America in colonial times and were widely used, becoming naturalized if the environment was suitable; moreover, if something native "looked" like what was called a myrtle where the people came from, the name was applied.

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: JedMarum
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:53 AM

so what's the Texas connection? Maybe it was just popular in Texas???

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Louie Roy
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:25 AM

I believe the Myrtle that is referred to in the song is actually the Myrtle Wood Tree that grows wild on the Southern Oregon Coast,Northern California Coast and India

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: GUEST,Lynn
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:23 AM

If you'd like to hear a great new version of the song, check out Robin and Linda Williams' new CD, produced by Garrison Kiellor. Sorry but I don't remember the name of it off hand - lots of great old songs on it, though.

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: JedMarum
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 10:58 AM

I saw this song included among a list of Texas songs. Anybody know why?

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 03:44 PM

J. D. Webster also wrote Lorena, also frequently performed as a folk song.

Subject: Lyr Add: I'LL TWINE 'MID THE RINGLETS
From: Genie
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 01:25 PM

I got these lyrics from pdmusic.org.

"I'll Twine 'Mid the Ringlets" (1860)
No. 57.
Words by Maud Irving
Music Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875

1. I'll twine 'mid the ringlets of my raven black hair,
The lilies so pale and the roses so fair,
|: The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue,
And the pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue. :|

2. I'll sing and I'll dance. My laugh shall be gay.
I'll cease this wild weeping, drive sorrow away.
|: Tho' my heart is now breaking, he never shall know
That his name made me tremble and my pale cheeks to glow. :|

3. I'll think of him never. I'll be wildly gay.
I'll charm ev'ry heart, and the crowd I will sway.
|: I'll live yet to see him, regret the dark hour
When he won, then neglected, the frail wildwood flower. :|

4. He told me he loved me, and promis'd to love,
Through ill and misfortune, all others above,
|: Another has won him. Ah, misery to tell!
He left me in silence, no word of farewell. :|

5. He taught me to love him. He call'd me his flower
That blossom'd for him all the brighter each hour.
|: But I woke from my dreaming. My idol was clay.
My visions of love have all faded away. :|

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Genie
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 01:11 PM

From: genie I agree with Kendall, except I sing "amanita" instead of "emilita": I am inclined to use Maybelle Carter's words--except where they make no sense and appear to be based upon an auditory error. If the song was sung, "...and the pale amanita and islip so blue..." (referring to flowers), it could easily be heard as "...and the pale and the leader and eyes look so blue..." --especially if one heard and learned it as a child!

Everyone will have his or own preference, of course, but the words that make the most sense to me are: "I will twine and will mingle my raven black hair With the roses so red and the lilies so fair The Myrtle so bright with its emerald dew The pale Amanita and Islip so blue."

As an aside: When I was about seven, I lived near Brooklyn, NY, and rooted for the Dodgers. We had just got our first TV and, of course, were glued to the tube for the Dodgers' games. I had never paid any attention to the Star Spangled Banner before hearing it sung before each game. For months--probably until we were taught the words in some school music class--, I thought the words were "Oh, say, can you see by the Dodgerly light ...?"

A guy I heard singing the Eagles' song, "Take It Easy," was singing the line, "...lookin' for a lover who won't blow my brother ...". I asked him about it, thinking he was trying to be cute, but he said he thought that was the real line (which, of course, really is, "...who won't blow my cover...".

This could be an interesting thread, in itself --mis-heard lyrics that get sung in public or printed!

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Genie
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 12:56 PM

From: genie I agree with Kendall, except I sing "amanita" instead of "emilita": I am inclined to use Maybelle Carter's words--except where they make no sense and appear to be based upon an auditory error. If the song was sung, "...and the pale amanita and islip so blue..." (referring to flowers), it could easily be heard as "...and the pale and the leader and eyes look so blue..." --especially if one heard and learned it as a child!

Everyone will have his or own preference, of course, but the words that make the most sense to me are: "I will twine and will mingle my raven black hair

With the roses so red and the lilies so fair

The Myrtle so bright with its emerald dew

The pale Amanita and Islip so blue."

As an aside: When I was about seven, I lived near Brooklyn, NY, and rooted for the Dodgers. We had just got our first TV and, of course, were glued to the tube for the Dodgers' games. I had never paid any attention to the Star Spangled Banner before hearing it sung before each game. For months--probably until we were taught the words in some school music class--, I thought the words were "Oh, say, can you see by the Dodgerly light ...?"

A guy I heard singing the Eagles' song, "Take It Easy," was singing the line, "...lookin' for a lover who won't blow my brother ...". I asked him about it, thinking he was trying to be cute, but he said he thought that was the real line (which, of course, really is, "...who won't blow my cover...".

This could be an interesting thread, in itself --mis-heard lyrics that get sung in public or printed!

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: sian, west wales
Date: 23 Aug 01 - 07:24 AM

I learned, 'and the leader' but now sing 'leander' which is blue. Also known as the shoo-fly plant and is apparently found around North Carolina ...

"BLUE, Nicandra physaloides: Annual. 2' - 4' tall. Bushy plant has toothed leaves and pretty blue/white blossoms. Seed pods make good everlastings (papery - similar to Chinese lanterns but brown when dry). Ornamental member of the Nightshade family. Supposed to repel insects or kill those sucking the sap."

sian

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 11:57 PM

Bill D, I'm sure Maybelle's playing with the Carters started a lot of people playing. I have even heard a Mexican mariachi group playing it, using that deep base guitar(?) of theirs to emphasize the melody.

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 10:21 PM

.....it sure is a nice instrumental piece...

;>)

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 07:12 PM

Apologies to Dulcimer, she posted one of the authors above. I found an interview with the Carters in which Maybelle says the words got "mixed-up" as they were passed down in the family. The interviewer was Dick Spottiswood of WAMU. The site has the song as sung by the Carters in 1928, and interpreted as they sing it. The original title was, as Dulcimer stated, "I'll twine midst the ringlets." http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/dlist.html#flower. Maybelle was 19 when the song was recorded.

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 06:32 PM

Found this on google. "Wildwood Flower" was written by Maude Irving and J. D. Webster in 1860. In the original, the word was arrownetta, not emanita. This is similar to the aronatus cited by Jerry Friedman in his posting. We are no closer to identification, but is good to know that the song had authors who can be named.

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Kim C
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 05:10 PM

Well, then there was that "other" Wildwood Flower song from back in the 70s...

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 04:46 PM

It would be very difficult to identify the flower. Common flower names vary from locality to locality. Scientific botanical names change as more precise work is done on classification. A wild guess is that the flower is pale pink, since blue and green are the other colors mentioned. My guess is eglantine, a pale pink species of rose sometimes called sweetbrier. Neither emanita nor amanita appear in Stern's botanical Latin dictionary for flowering plants (the latter in the fungal names only), or in Hutchinson. Whatever, it is a fine old song; I especially like Newfoundlander's version.

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Amos
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 09:37 AM

Well she asked me to learn how to play "Wildwood Flower"; So I studied and practiced for hour after hour. Mah fingers are bleeding, no misery can tell! But I still cannot play "Wildwood Flower" very well.

Anon.

Subject: RE: Wildwood Flower
From: Vixen
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 08:52 AM

On Randy Scruggs' "Crown of Jewels" CD, it's "pale amanita and hyssop so blue".

another $0.02

V

Subject: RE:
From: richardw
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 07:54 PM

Go to Benjamin Tubb's site pdmusic.org for the original words and tune.

Richard Wright

Subject: RE:
From: WyoWoman
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 02:00 AM

Hey, I like ISLIP... I think I'll use that instead of "eyes look so blue ..."

The folk process lives ...

ww

Subject: RE:
From: kendall
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 09:03 AM

should be emerald HUE not dew.

Subject: RE:
From: kendall
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 08:54 AM

the words that make the most sense to me are: I will twine and will mingle my raven black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
The Myrtle so bright with its emerald dew
The pale EMILITA and ISLIP so blue..

Subject: RE: wildwood flower
From: GUEST,michael batory
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 08:54 AM

try www.citynet.net/putnam/parents/wildflr.html where there are a few lines of explanation plus a version from Folksingers wordbook 1973.

from here here is also a link to a fine illustration of Amaranthus pumilus.

michael

Subject: RE:
From: GUEST,A girl and a guitar
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 03:06 AM

Maybe the reason why this song is so popular is because everyone can make up their own words to it.

Subject: RE:
From: Barry Finn
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 11:09 PM

See that, aging more quickly than I realized. Barry

Subject: RE:
From: harpgirl
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 10:15 PM

Barry,
I'm pulling Pete's leg, sweetie....He and I know each other slightly...harpy

Subject: RE:
From: Barry Finn
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 01:26 PM

Hum, that's "I bet more". Barry

Subject: RE:
From: Barry Finn
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 01:25 PM

Harpgirl, you seemed so shocked, I more bet that there are many here that if old enough were hippys (selk included) & them that were to old , there's a good shot of them being beatnecks. Barry whoses still aging with a young heart.

Subject: RE:
From: harpgirl
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 09:35 AM

YOU had hippy friends???? harpology

Subject: wildwood flower
From: Pete Peterson
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 09:30 AM

I can still remember hippie friends in the late sixties (appropriately) trying to convince the world that the "pale aminita" is a hallucinogenic mushroom & that the Carter Family was all stoned. . . thinking more deeply, it was at a Holy Modal Rounders concert that Pete Stampfel put forth this theory. I've ALWAYS sung "pale aminita"; childhood habits are the hardest to break Pete

Subject: Lyr Add: WILDWOOD FLOWER^^^
From:
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 01:25 AM

Here is another version of "Wildwood Flower":

I will twine and will mingle my waving black hair
With the roses so red and the lily so fair,
The myrtle so green of an emerald hue
The pale emanita and eyes look like blue.

Oh, he promised to love me, he promised to love,
To cherish me always, all others above.
I woke from my dream and my idol was clay.
My passion for loving had vanished away.

Oh, he taught me to love him, he called me his flower,
A blossom to cheer him through life's weary hour.
But now he has gone and left me alone,
The wildflowers to weep, and the wild birds to moan.

I'll dance and I'll sing, and my life shall be gay.
I'll charm every heart in the crowd I survey.
Though my heart is now breaking, he never shall know
How his name makes me tremble, my pale cheeks to glow.

I'll dance and I'll sing, and my heart will be gay.
I'll banish this weeping, drive troublews away;
I'll live yet to see him, regret this dark hour
When he won and neglected this frail wildwood flower.

-- This is from: Irwin and Fred Silber, Compilers, Folksinger's Wordbook (New York: Oak Publications, 1973), p. 166.


^^^

Subject: RE:
From: BSEEDKRATZ
Date: 25 Jul 98 - 07:23 PM

amanita is not only the name of a mushroom, it is also the name of a flower--and, yes, the woman is talking of twining flowers in her hair, throughout the song:

I will twine and will mingle my raven black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair,
The myrtle so green of an emerald hue,
The pale amanita and islip (?) so blue.

Subject: RE:
From: DrWord
Date: 24 Jul 98 - 10:39 PM

Just a thought ... it doesn't help with the botany, but Homer & Jethro used to take this song off:

Oh my flower of the wildwood was skinny and tall 'Cept for her adam's apple, she had no shape at all I can still see her there, sittin' under the trees Tying knots in her stockings, so's it look like she had knees ...

&c &c. Dennis

Subject: RE:
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 22 Jul 98 - 07:49 PM

I will swine with my piglets.... Bob Pfeffer's version as I recall.

Subject: RE:
From: Barbara
Date: 22 Jul 98 - 12:14 PM

'Pale and a leader' = 'Pale oleander'?
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: Lyr Add: WILDWOOD FLOWER^^^
From: CarterNut
Date: 22 Jul 98 - 11:26 AM

Here are the exact words to this song that Mother Maybelle Carter sang. She stated that they came from her grandmother and that she had always known the song.

Wildwood Flower
As sung by Mother Maybelle Carter

Oh, I'll twine with my mingles of waving black hair,
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair;
And the myrtle so bright with the emerald dew,
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue.

Oh, I'll dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay,
I will charm every heart in his crown I will sway;
When I woke from my dreaming my idols were clay,
All portions of love had all flown away.

Oh, he taught me to love him and promised to love,
And to cherish me over all others above;
How my heart is now wondering no misery can tell,
He's left me no warning nor words of farewell.

Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his flower,
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour.
Oh I long to see him and regret the dark hour,
He's gone and neglected this pale wildwood flower.

This is the one above all versions, although I am biased toward Maybelle. I consider her the "Rock" of my musical interests and influencing. A "mingle" as far as I can tell is maybe a twist or tangle in her. "Pale and the leader" is perhaps some flower whose name has become jumbled through oral tradition. Note the reference to "myrtle" in the line before. We can gather that she is going to play with her hair among the flowers, twining some within her hair. John.

^^^