The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #33631   Message #3912142
Posted By: Jim Dixon
20-Mar-18 - 06:50 PM
Thread Name: Origin: Early One Morning (just as the sun was...)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Early One Morning (trad English)
From A Collection of National English Airs, Volume 2, edited by W. Chappell (London: Chappell, 1838), page 77:

No. LXXXIII. EARLY ONE MORNING. Of this song, though very generally known, and frequently sung, we have seen no printed copy, nor have we been enabled to ascertain anything more than that only the first verse of the words now adopted is old, and the others added by Mr. Paul. The following doggrel lines, taken from a volume of old Penny Song Books, collected by Ritson, are probably the original words, and, possessing no pretension to rhyme beyond the first verse, may, for that reason, have been thrown aside and forgotten, while the beautiful melody to which they were coupled has deservedly survived.

THE MAID'S LAMENTATION, from The Songster's Magazine.

Early one morning, just as the sun was rising,
I heard a pretty damsel to sigh and complain,
"Oh gentle shepherd, why am I forsaken?
Oh why should in sorrow remain!

How can you slight a pretty girl that loves you,
And one to whom you are dear as her life?
But love is a folly, a foolish, foolish fancy,
Still it proved my overthrow!

But whene'er you meet a pretty woman,
You will go and court her too, for a while:
You are always ranging, chopping, and changing,
Always seeking a girl that is new.

Thro' yonder grove there is a pleasant bower,
Where you and I have spent many an hour
In kissing and courting, and in gentle sporting,
Oh! my innocent heart you've betray'd."

THE WORDS USUALLY SUNG.

Early one morning, just as the sun was rising,
I heard a maid sing in the valley below;
"Oh don't deceive me! Oh do not leave me!
How could you use a poor maiden so?

Oh! gay is the garland, and fresh are the roses
I've culled from the garden to bind on thy brow;
Oh, don't deceive me! Oh, do not leave me!
How could you use a poor maiden so?

Remember the vows that you made to your Mary,
Remember the bow'r where you vow'd to be true;
Oh, don't deceive me! Oh, do not leave me!
How could you use a poor maiden so?"

Thus sung the poor maiden, her sorrows bewailing,
Thus sung the poor maid in the valley below;
Oh, don't deceive me! Oh, do not leave me!
How could you use a poor maiden so?"

A hornpipe occasionally played at the theatres, which will perhaps be recognized by the name of a slang song, "Come all ye young blades that in robbing take delight," (words sung to that tune) is also apparently founded upon this melody.

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[The tune can be seen here.]