The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #87749 Message #1640715
Posted By: Artful Codger
03-Jan-06 - 07:22 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: My Little Sweet Darling
Subject: Lyr Add: My little sweet darling
On the album Sing We Noel, the Boston Camerata performs a 17th c. consort song "My little sweet darling", which was previously attributed to William Byrd. It's a beautiful lullaby with no especial ties to Christmas ("gods" indeed!), aside from being suitably mother-and-child. Are there any more verses to it? Here's what the Camerata provides in their liner notes:
MY LITTLE SWEET DARLING 17th c. consort song
My little sweet darling, my comfort and joy. Sing lullaby lully. In beauty surpassing the princes of Troy. Sing lullaby lully. Now suck, child, and sleep, child, thy mother's sweet boy. Sing lullaby lully. The gods bless and keep thee from cruel annoy. Sing lully, lully, sweet baby, lully.
[The actual last line has rather more lullies, lullabies and sweet babes than are indicated above.]