The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #93874 Message #1810853
Posted By: Peace
16-Aug-06 - 01:04 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Death and the Lady (from Cecil Sharp)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cecil Sharp's 'Death and the Lady'
Death and the Lady Early 1700's Music by: unknown Lyrics by: unknown Cover artist: unknown
Let's go back quite a ways and look at what is the genesis for much of our popular music, the English folk song. It should come as no surprise that in a time before modern medicine and social reforms, when death came often, easy, and early that it would be the subject of many songs.
This song "Death and the Lady" taken from a Dover reprint of Cecil Sharps 1916 collection entitled "One Hundred English Folks Songs" probably matured in the early 1700's although the theme is as old as storytelling itself. A young maiden in her prime meets death on the road tries with out success to bargain for her life, and dies six months later.
One of the problems with edited collections is the question of what was left on the cutting room floor. Surely after evolving for nearly 300 years there are more verses. As it is Dr. Kubler-Ross could just about have used this song to illustrate her research into the Five Stages of Grief.
Denial, or in this case discovery as she initially fails to recognize or acknowledge death as he stands before her.
Anger or resentment. The young lady belittles death, questions his right to be there.
Bargaining, way big on bargaining with offers of riches, trying to arrange what Dr. Kubler-Ross describes as a period of temporary truce.
Depression and finally Acceptance as she composes her epitaph.
This song has it all, and it neatly ties things up coming full circle. When she meets death, his clothing is made of cold earthen clay and the song ends "Just in her bloom she was snatched away, Her clothing made of cold earthen clay.