I've been spending time with Helen Schneyer's last CD, What a Singing There Will Be. Here's Helen's version of this song:

Palace Grand
Traditional

He came from his palace grand,
and he came to my cottage door
The words that he spoke were few,
but his looks lingered forevermore
With a look in his sad, dark eyes
more tender than words could be
But I was nothing to him,
though he was the world to me

And there in his garden and home
all dressed up in satin and lace
Lady Mary so strange and so cold
has found in his heart a place
And I would have been his bride
with a kiss for a lifetime fee
But I was nothing to him,
though he was the world to me

And now in his palace grand,
on a flower-strewn bed he lies
With his beautiful lids fast closed
o'er his beautiful sad, dark eyes
But among the mourners who mourn,
why should I a mourner be
For I was nothing to him,
though he was the world to me

And how will it be with our souls
when we meet in that heavenly land
What the human heart ne'er knows,
will the spirit then understand
Or in some celestial form,
will our sorrows repeated be
Will I be nothing to him,
though he be the world to me

Helen's notes: "Learned from Nan Perdue, one of the best ballad singers I know."

---

Here's another transcription hidden in another thread:

Thread #42330   Message #615105
Posted By: Deckman
22-Dec-01 - 10:14 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: help with this song please - Palace Grand
Subject: ADD: Castle Grand (Palace Grand)

Hi Barry ... sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. This might be the song you are looking for. I always have called it "Castle Grand." I hope it's what you want.

Castle Grand (Palace Grand)

He came from his castle grand
And he came to my cottage door
His words were few, but his looks
Will linger forever more

The smile in his sad dark eyes
More tender than words could be
But I was nothing to him
Though he was the world to me

While there in his garden strolled
All robed in satins and lace
A lady so strange and cold
Who held in his heart, no place

For I would be his bride
With a kiss for a lifetime fee
But I was nothing to he
Though he was the world to me

Today in his castle grand
On a flower strewn bier he lies
The beautiful lids fast closed
On his beautiful sad, dark eyes.

Among the mourners who mourn
Why should I, a mourner be
For I was nothing to he
Though he was the world to me

And how will it be with our souls
When we meet in that spirit land
What the mortal heart ne'er knows
Will the spirit then understand

Or in some celestial form
Will our sorrows repeated be
Will I still be nothing to he
Though he is the world to me

I wish I could give proper credits, but all I know of this song is that I learned it from the beautiful Patti, of Seattle and Santa Cruz fame. I hope this helps to give you a lead. CHEERS, Bob

---

Note: According to Volume IV (page 153) of Vance Randolph's Ozark Folksongs, Carl Sandburg, who heard the song in Springfield, Missouri, in 1930, called this "The Sad Song." [Sandburg's American Songbag was published in 1927, so apparently Sandburg did not publish this song until New American Songbag came out much later. Randolph collected the song on May 14, 1934, from Mrs. May Kennedy McCord, Springfield, Missouri. McCord learned it near Galena, Missouri, in about 1900. Ozark Folksongs was published 1946-50. Anyone know of an earlier printed transcription of this song? As far as I can tell, May Kennedy McCord is the earliest documented source for this song, as heard by Sandburg in 1930.
-Joe-