I thought the Traditional Ballad Index had an interesting entry on this song.
-Joe Offer-

---

Lavender Blue

DESCRIPTION: "Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly..." Singer tells his lady that she must love him because he loves her. He tells of a vale where young man and maid have lain together, and suggests that they might do the same, and that she might love him (and also his dog)
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1680 (broadside)
KEYWORDS: courting sex love dog colors
FOUND IN: Britain
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Silber-FSWB, p. 158, "Lavender Blue" (1 text)
DT, LAVNDER2
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Lavender's Blue
Diddle, Diddle (Or The Kind Country Lovers)
Notes: When I was four years old, I thought this song was stupid. Forty-five years later, I see no reason to change my mind. - PJS
Hard to argue that point based on the versions that I've heard, but the broadside version in the Digital Tradition hints that there is at least a little more going on behind the scenes. - RBW
File: FSWB158A

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Instructions

The Ballad Index Copyright 2000 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.