The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #5330 Message #2864830
Posted By: Tootler
15-Mar-10 - 06:52 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Lavender's Blue
Subject: RE: Origins: Lavender's Blue
Lucie Skeaping of the City Waits produced a book of 17th. cent. broadside ballads which includes this one. The text is the one that Jim Dixon transcribed from the Bodleian library collection (link to Bodleian library). The song is full of sexual innuendo and most definitely not something to present to young children at school.
The ballad writer/printer has clearly not taken much care to create a coherent song and to make it something that makes more sense you need to rearrange the order of the verses. If you look at there are a few clear themes.
- I fancy you so get your servants out of the way so we can go to bed together
- After all, everyone else is at it so why not us?
- I'm pretty virile - let me tell you about some of my conquests
- Oh, by the way, let's get married, then we can sleep together every night.
By rearranging the verses you can create a series of little episodes which add up to a coherent song. I did this and it worked very well. I was complemented on my version.