The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #32248   Message #1611685
Posted By: Malcolm Douglas
22-Nov-05 - 09:44 PM
Thread Name: Origin: Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair
Subject: RE: black is the color?from where?
None whatever that I've heard of. The only apparent Scottish connection is the mention of the Clyde, which in any case appears in some versions only. Almost all sets found in tradition, so far as I know, are American; the song has turned up in relatively recent years in Ireland, probably learned from Jean Ritchie.

The webpage "McArthur" refers to is (shall we be kind?) rather less than reliable. "The lyrics were added for the first time in 1916" is presumably a complete misunderstanding of the fact that the earliest known example was noted by Sharp in that year (Mrs Lizzie Roberts, Hot Springs, NC, 15 September 1916). As for "the tune ... dates back to XVIII Century", no evidence is even hinted at. It may well do (though we should look to the earlier Sailor's Life, as I've already said, for that) but bald, unsubstantiated assertions mean nothing.

Unfortunately, some people will believe that this "McArthur" knows what he's talking about. He clearly doesn't.