Origin: Ash Grove

Subject: Ash Grove
From: Suibhan
Date: 19 Jul 98 - 12:40 AM

I have been learning different versions of this song from the database and from other sources as well. Does anyone have any background information about it? I am wondering why it is so morbid.

Thanks, Suibhan

Subject: RE: Ash Grove
From: gatyam gal
Date: 19 Jul 98 - 11:39 AM

If you've been checking out other sites for this song you have probably came across this site. But just in case you haven't and if others are interested, the address is: http://www.wco.com/~gailg/ashgrove/ag_body.html This has been one of my favorite tunes since childhood and I will be following this thread so I can learn more about it. Thanks for posting this. Sincerely, gatyam gal

Subject: RE: Ash Grove
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 19 Jul 98 - 11:52 AM

G'day,
I heard a version in Welsh a while ago with a translation of the story as a preamble. I don't remember the details but apparently the person who "sleeps 'neath the green turf" had been murdered. Then I seem to remember that it was a young man who was dead (in spite of the translation that goes "she sleeps...."), killed by the girl's father/brothers for the traditional reasons.

I first learnt the song in 1956 (when I was very young of course) and it's had an effect on me ever since, it always seemed very mysterious.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Ash Grove
From: Big Mick
Date: 19 Jul 98 - 11:54 AM

I am a ballad singer who has had his curiousity piqued by this thread. I would love to see the lyrics and music for this song. Is it in our database? Is the music available?

Subject: RE: Ash Grove
From: Barry Finn
Date: 19 Jul 98 - 02:03 PM

Hi Big Mick, if you search, using ash grove you'll get 4 hits. Barry

Subject: RE: Ash Grove
From: Murray on Saltspring
Date: 19 Jul 98 - 04:54 PM

Welsh title, Llwyn Onn. Tune first published in Edward Jones’s "The Bardic Museum", 1802. With words, in Bardd Alaw’s "Welsh Melodies with appropriate English Words", 1809.Much later, patriotic words were written by the poet Talhaiarn (1810-1869), "Gogoniant i Gymru", literally "Glory to Wales", translated by the poet himself as "All hail to thee, Cambria, the land of my fathers". The tune maybe lends itself to poignant words, although as always parodies have appeared,e.g. [in the West of Scotland] "In yonder green valley there lived a wee Tally, and the hair on her dicky-di-do hung down to her knee" or so. ("Tally" = "Italian", a common slang term, quite affectionate; a "tally shop" is one typically kept by Italians, such as one selling fish and chips, ice cream, etc.). The tune just appeared out of the blue, and its origin is unknown, though a connection has been made with an 18th-century tune, "Cease Your Funning", which likewise appeared out of nowhere in "The Beggar’s Opera" of 1728. "Llwyn Onn" has always been a favourite song with penillion singers --the art consists in playing the tune on the harp and singing another tune in harmonic counterpoint, which is quite difficult when you think about it.

Subject: RE: Ash Grove
From: Bruce O.
Date: 21 Jul 98 - 01:14 PM

The untitled tune for John Gay's "Cease your funning" in 'The Beggar's Opera', 1728, is "Constant Billy" in vol. III of 'The Dancing Master', 2nd edit., c 1726. However, it is in Eb lydian, rather than G major.

Subject: Lyr Req: yet another Ash Grove thread
From: folk_baroque
Date: 09 May 06 - 02:20 PM

G'day all,

i'm a new member here and hoping someone out there can help me out... i've noticed there've been alot of Ash Grove threads on the many different lyrics to the tune..

there is a set of lyrics i heard several years back.. and they captured me. however..haha.. like most things i don't want to forget i've forgot a good part of them. unfortunately i've been unable to find them anywhere on the web either.

the lyrics start something like

Beneath the old Ash tree i sat in the gloaming
Entranc'd by the ravishing voice of my love
Who came from the meadows where she had been roaming
To wake with the echos that slept in the grove

... then i don't remember the latter half of the first verse

verse two begins...

The year have advanc'd and the years have receded
since that happy moment, beneath the Ash tree

and that's all i can recall

If anyone knows the rest of these lyrics, or where they came from, it would be most appreciated if you could revive my memory.

Many Thanks,
tyler

Subject: RE: Origin: Ash Grove
From: GUEST,Fred Ng
Date: 04 Jul 14 - 05:13 PM

I loved " The Ash Grove" when I was studying my secondary school in Hong Kong. The lyric started like this:
How dear are these hounds when at even'in I hear,
The breeze falls in sighs on my fanciful ear.
I forgot the rest of the lyric but I was surprised that nobody has heard of it! Could anyone help me out?

Very much appreciated,

Fred

Subject: RE: Origin: Ash Grove
From: PHJim
Date: 04 Jul 14 - 11:20 PM

Any mandolin players out there who play the tune? Here's a link to a mandolin tab for a counterpoint to The Ash Grove: Ash Gorve Counterpoint - Mandolin II

Subject: RE: Origin: Ash Grove
From: Mo the caller
Date: 05 Jul 14 - 04:26 AM

The tune is closely related to Beauty In Tears by the Irish Harper, Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738).