Dick, this caught my eye because I have an old RCA, 1958, recording of "John McCormack Sings Irish Songs", reproducing his early recordings. I checked the database, and the love song version you have there is different than the one he sings on the record. The recording is January 3, 1913. I transcribed the lyrics.

THE FOGGY DEW

Oh, down the hill I went one morn,
A lovely maid I spied.
Her hair was bright as the dew that went,
Sweet banners seldom ride.
And where go ye, sweet maid, said I,
And she raised her eyes of blue.
And smiled and said, The boy I wed,
I'm to meet in the foggy dew.

Go hide your clothes ye roses red,
And droop ye lilies fair.
For you must pale for very shame,
Before a maid so fair.
Said I, Dear maid, will you be my bride,
She raised her eyes of blue.
And smiled and said, The boy I wed,
I'm to meet in the foggy dew.

Oh, down the hill I went one morn,
A-singing I did go.
Oh, down the hill I went one morn,
She answered sweet and low.
Yes, I will be your own dear bride,
And I know that you'll be true.
Then spied in my arms, and all her charms,
Were hidden in the foggy dew.


In the album notes written by Max de Schauenesee, it says,"McCormack, in his long association with the phonograph, made more than 580 records, and was one of the most successful singers to place his art on discs... as a bel-canto stylist of the Italian school, he kept the undeviating vocal line advancing on an uninterrupted breath-stream, as one word melted into the next in a caressing legato. Therefore, it may seem almost paradoxical to claim that McCormack's every word stood out crystal-clear against the musical backgrounds."

It is true, that in spite of it being a rough, scratchy sounding 1913 recording, the words he sang were clearly communicated.

Alice in Montana