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03 May 06 - 02:30 PM (#1733032) Subject: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: GUEST,LucieWinborne@yahoo.com Hello, I am new to this site so I apologize if my question has already been covered a while back, but I would like to find the complete lyrics of "Little Mathy Groves" as they were sung in the movie "Songcatcher." I have read that there are at least 14 different versions of this ballad, but I'm really partial to that one, and was disappointed that the song wasn't included on the soundtrack. If anyone can point me in the right direction, please email me at the above address. Thank you! |
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03 May 06 - 02:37 PM (#1733039) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: Willa Hi Lucie Welcome to Mudcat.Mattie Groves can be found by browsing the DT lyrics box under M |
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03 May 06 - 02:40 PM (#1733047) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: katlaughing Hi, Lucie, welcome to the Mudcat! I am guessing that you mean "Matty" Groves. If so, you will find THIS THREAD helpful, as well as the links provided, at the beginning of it, to several other threads on this song. Hope that helps, kat |
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03 May 06 - 02:41 PM (#1733050) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: katlaughing Oops, cross-posted! :-) |
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03 May 06 - 02:44 PM (#1733051) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: Willa This might also be helpful.http://www.slickshoppers.com/details-B000066701.html |
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04 May 06 - 02:11 PM (#1733147) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: dick greenhaus The "complete" Mathy Groves was not sung in "Songcatcher"--the closest you're apt to find is in Sheila Kay Adams' CD "What Ever Happened to John Parrish's Boy?" Sheila did all the musical arrangements for Songcatcher. |
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04 May 06 - 10:09 PM (#1733365) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: GUEST,Joe_F There are, indeed, 14 different versions just in Francis James Child's collection (it is No. 81, "Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard"). And he didn't know the half of it. --- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: The power to concentrate is the power to crush. :|| |
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05 May 06 - 12:33 PM (#1733476) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: Roberto Sheila Kay Adams' recording and Doc Watson's. R Little Mathey Groves Sheila Kay Adams, What Ever Happened to John Parrish's Boy? – Granny Dell Records 1221, 2001. Oh holiday, oh holy day The first day of the year Little Mathey Groves to church did go Some holy words to hear, hear Some holy words to hear He spied some women dressed in black As they came into view Lord Daniel's wife was gaily clad The flower of the few, few The flower of the few She step-ed up to Little Mathey Groves Her eyes cast on the ground Said, "Please, oh please, come with me stay As you pass through this town, town As you pass through this town" Oh please, oh please come with me stay I'll hide thee out of sight I'll pleasure you beyond compare And sleep with you all night, night I'll sleep with you all night I cannot stay, I dare not stay I fear t'will cost my life Cause I can tell by your finger rings That you are Lord Daniel's wife, wife That you are Lord Daniel's wife Lord Daniel's in some distant land He's left me for to roam He's taken all his merry men And I am quite alone, 'lone And I am quite alone Her little footy-page was a standing near by Was a hearing every word was said He said, "Before the sun goes down Lord Daniel'll know what's said, said Lord Daniel'll know what's said" He ran along the king's highway He swam against the tide And before the sun went down He's standing at Daniel's side, side Standing at Daniel's side "What news, what news," Lord Daniel cried "What new do you bring to me? My castle's burned, my tenants wronged My wife with a baby, be My wife with a baby" No harm has come to your house or lands While you have been away But Little Mathey Groves is a hugging and a kissing On your fair lady gay, gay Your fair lady gay If what you say is not the truth As I take it to be I'll build a scaffold tower so high And hang-ed you will be, be Hang-ed you will be If what I say is not the truth And false as false can be You need not build a scaffold tower Just hang me from a tree, tree Hang me from a tree Lord Daniel called his merry men And bid them with him go But warned them not to speak a word And not a horn to blow, blow Not a horn to blow But riding with his merry men Was one who'd wish no ill He popped his bugle to his mouth And he blew it loud and shrill, shrill Blew it loud and shrill "Oh what is this?" cried Little Mathey Groves As he sat up in the bed "I fear it is your husband's men And I will soon be dead, dead And I will soon be dead" Oh lay back down, Little Mathey Groves And keep my back from cold 'Tis nothing but my father's men Calling their sheep to fold, fold Calling their sheep to fold So Little Mathey Groves, he laid back down And soon fell off to sleep When he woke up, Lord Daniel was Standing at his bed feet, feet Standing at his bed feet Saying, "How do you like my snow white pillows?" Saying, "How do you like my sheets?" Saying, "How do you like my pretty little woman That's a laying in your arms asleep, sleep Laying in you arms asleep?" Very well do I like your snow white pillows Very well do I like your sheet Much better do I like your pretty little woman That's a laying in my arms asleep, sleep Laying in my arms asleep "Get up, get up," Lord Daniel cried "And put on your clothes In England it shall never be said I Killed a naked man, man Killed a naked man" I won't get up, I can't get up I fear t'will cost my life Cause you have got two bitter swords And I ain't got a knife, knife I ain't got a knife I know I've got two bitter swords They cost me deep in purse I'll give to you the best of these And I will keep the worst, worst, I will keep the worst The first swing that Little Mathey made It hurt Lord Daniel sore The next swing that Lord Daniel made Little Mathey hit the floor, floor Little Mathey hit the floor Get up, get up, my pretty little wife And come sit on my knee And tell me which you liked the best Little Mathey Groves or me, me Little Mathey Groves or me She looked up in Lord Daniel's face And saw his jutting chin Said, "I wouldn't trade Little Mathey Groves For you and all your kin, kin For you and all your kin" He took her by the lily white hand And led her across the hall He pulled out his sword and cut off her head And he kicked it against the wall, wall Kicked it against the wall Go dig me a grave both wide and deep To bury these two in Just kick little Mathey Groves over the side But lower my sweet wife in, in Yes, lower my sweet wife in Matty Groves Doc Watson, on Songcatcher II, the Tradition that inspired the movie, Vanguard 79716-2. Melody by Stewart Yonce of Lenoire, North Carolina. 'Twas on the high, high holiday The very best day in the year Little Matty Groves had gone to church Holy words for to hear Holy words for to hear The first to come down was dressed in red And the second one dressed in green The third to come down was Lord Daniel's wife As fair as any queen Just as fair as any queen Then Matty Groves says to one of his men: See the fair one dressed in white Although she is Lord Daniel's wife I'll be with her tonight I'll be with her tonight Well, the little foot page was a-standin' by And he heard every word that was said He says, Lord Daniel shall know tonight Before I go to bed Before I go to bed He had fifteen miles for to go that night And ten of them he run He run till he come to the broke down bridge Then he bent to his breast and he swum He bent to his breast and he swum He swum till he come to where the grass was green He took to his feet and he run He run till he come to Lord Daniel's gate He rattled at the bells and they rung He rattled at the bells and they rung What news, what news, Lord Daniel says What news to me have you brung? Little Matty Groves is in the bed with your wife And their hearts both beat as one And their hearts both beat as one Now if the truth you've told to me A rich man you shall be But if a lie you've told to me I'll hang you to a tree I'll hang you to a tree He gathered him up about fifty good men He done it with a free good will Then he popped his bugle unto his lips And he blowed it loud and shrill He blowed it loud and shrill I'd better get up, said little Matty Groves I'd better get up and go I know your husband is a-comin' home For I heard his bugle blow I heard his bugle blow Lay down, lay down, my precious one Lay down and go to sleep It's only my father's shepherd's horn And he's a-callin' for his sheep He's a-callin' for his sheep So they lay down together again And they soon were fast asleep And when they awoke it was broad daylight Lord Daniel at their feet Lord Daniel at their feet Get up from there you naked man And put you on some clothes I never intend for to have it said That a naked man I slo' That a naked man I slo' Oh give me a chance, said little Matty Groves A chance to fight for my life For there you have two very fine swords And me not as much as a knife And me not as much as a knife Oh yes, I have two very fine swords And they cost me deep in the purse You may have the finest one And I will take the worst Yes, I will take the worst Then Matty Groves struck the very first lick And he wounded Lord Daniel sore Lord Daniel struck the very next lick And he drove Matty Groves to the floor He drove Matty Groves to the floor Then he taken his lady by the hand And he set her on his knee And he says, Now which do you love the best Little Matty Groves or me Little Matty Groves or me? Very well I like your rosy cheeks Very well I like your chin But better I love little Matty Groves Than you and all of your kin Than you and all of your kin You can dig my grave on a pretty green hill Dig it wide and deep And put little Matty Groves in my arms Lord Daniel at my feet Lord Daniel at my feet |
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05 May 06 - 01:01 PM (#1733497) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: folk1e Ged Todd does another vertion with Feet in Mouthes in which Matty wins....(sort of) Sorry I can't remember it all but you can ask DtG if you are interestsd, or come allong to the White Lion at Swinton (Mon 9pm). |
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05 May 06 - 05:18 PM (#1733569) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: Mo the caller Like many a song this has been well and truly kippered -"how do you like my curtains that I bought in the sale last week" was it? |
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05 May 06 - 05:50 PM (#1733583) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: Ragman Have heard several versions of this song over the years. It changes even from recording to recording with some artists, but the story is so good, that it can work in many cultures and regions. I transcribed a version from a Fairport Convention CD some time ago. I think Sandy Denny took the lead. Again I have known it for years, and I think I have changed it a little for my on performances. It's a very powerful song, sung very quickly and with passion, but every word is clear as day... I was a young naive 20 when I first heard it, and the efficient lyrics generated very stong images. It made quite an impact on me. I still get goosebumps when I get to the verse where Lord Darnley kills his wife... Still goes down very well at sessions and clubs... Matty Groves (Liege and Lief) By Marcel Veltman A holiday, a holy day The first one of the year Lord Darnley's wife came into the church The gospel for to hear And when the meeting it was done She cast her eyes about And there she saw little Matty Groves Walking in the crowd Come home with me little Matty Groves Come home with me tonight Come home with me little Matty Groves And sleep with me tonight Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home And sleep with you tonight I can see by the rings on your fingers that You are Lord Darnley's wife Tis true I am lord Darnley's wife Lord Darnley's not at home He is out to the far corn fields Bringing the yearlings home And the servant who was standing by And hearing what was said He swore Lord Darnley he would know Before the sun would set And in his hurry to carry the news He dropped his vest and ran And when he came to the broad mill stream He took off his shoes and swam Little Matty Groves, he laid down And took a little sleep When he awoke Lord Darnley Was standing at his feet Saying how do you like my feather bed And how do you like my sheets And how do you like my lady Who lies in your arms to sleep O well I like your feather bed And well I like your sheets But better I like your lady maid Who lies in my arms to sleep Well get up, get up Lord Darnley cried Get up as quick as you can It'll never be said in fair England I slew a naked man Oh I won't get up I won't get up I can't get up for my life For you have two long sharp swords And I've not a pocket knife Well it's true I have two beaten swords They cost me deep in the purse But you will have the better of them And I will have the worse And you will strike the very first blow And strike it like a man And I will strike the very next blow And kill you if I can So Matty struck the very first blow And he hurt Lord Darnley's sore Lord Darnley struck the very next blow And Matty struck no more And then Lord Darnley took his wife And sat her on his knee Saying who do like the better of us Matty groves or me And then up spoke his own dear wife Never known to speak so free I'd rather kiss poor dead Matty's lips Than you in your finery Lord Darnley he jumped up and down And loudly he did bawl He stuck his wife right through the heart And pinned her against the wall A grave a grave Lord Darnley cried To put these lovers in But bury my lady at the top For she was of noble kin. |
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06 May 06 - 03:29 AM (#1733879) Subject: RE: Searching for Mathy Groves lyrics From: Malcolm Douglas The DT file MATTIE GROVES appears to be a transcription of the Fairport recording, though it contains some odd mis-hearings that really ought to be corrected. An old thread on the subject also has a transcription of the same recording (see links above) which isn't entirely accurate, but is a lot better than the DT job. This is one song where you really do have to look for alternative spellings. Musgrave (etc) has mutated into many forms over several hundred years (my favourite is Little Moth Grone) and rather a lot of traditional versions have turned up in the century and more since Child published his collection. Bronson (Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads, II, 1962) has more than 70, and more examples have come to light since then. |