Lyr: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)

Subject: Lyr Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 25 Jul 04 - 12:14 AM

The chorus ends with those words and that is why I think it is the title of the song, but I am not sure it is. The chorus begins:

    You gave me your love forty years ago
    In sunshine and rain you were always the same

I heard this song on Radio Newfoundland, but I am not sure if the song originated in that Province. Help anybody. SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 25 Jul 04 - 11:39 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 01:06 PM

I am still waiting for someone to come up with the lyrics to this song. It is played quite regularly on Radio Newfoundland. SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 07:06 PM

After a long Google Search, I finally found the song that I was looking for. It is part of the MacEdward Leach collection of the "Songs Of Atlantic Canada". The correct title of the song is:
"Old Married Couple" The website URL that I found it on is:
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/leach/songs/NFLD1/2-01.htm
There is an MP3 file on the site of Mrs. John Powers from the community of Tors Cove singing the song. However, I can not figure out who the author is. Perhaps Joe Offer will be able to help. In any case, here are the lyrics.

                "OLD MARRIED COUPLE"

Old Married Couple, were seated
Alone by a dear fireside
When their thoughts wandered back to a wedding
Of a blushing young groom and a bride
But now they're aged and feeble
On her finger the same wedding ring
They're as fond of one another as ever
And this is the song they will sing:

         CHORUS: You gave me your love
                  You took my name
                  For forty years of a married life
                  Our love remains the same
                  We struggled hard together
                  In this great world of strife
                  In sunshine or rain I will love you the same
                  I love you my darling wife

The years rolled along until one evening
As the sun sank in the west
The old man lost his wife and companion
The one on earth whom he loved best
In a quiet village churchyard he laid her
Fresh roses each morning he'd bring
The old man he still sits by the fireside
With his head bowed down low he will sing

          CHORUS: You gave me your love
                  You took my name
                  For forty years of a married life
                  Our love remains the same
                  We struggled hard together
                  In this great world of strife
                  In sunshine or rain I will love you the same
                  God bless you my darling wife

                                                    SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 07:21 PM

Rabbi I'm from Newfoundland and went to MUN. They have several projects which gather folk music which has been passed through the generations in the outports. It looks to me like you might have found a real honest to goodness folk song.

Here is a link to a government of Canada website. It may contain information you have nit seen.

Subject: RE: Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 08:02 PM

The MacEdward Leach Collection of Newfoundland songs is online, in Canada's Digital Collections. The Old Married Couple is here, complete with partial audio by Mrs. Powers:
Old Married Couple

Subject: RE: Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 10:46 PM

Jack, Does this mean that the song is in the public domaine and that the author is unknown ? SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 12:12 AM

I think this may answer your question. Its from the page I linked to.

All material on this webpage is copyright © 2004, Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland. No unauthorized copying or use is permitted.

I'd suggest that you follow the link on the bottom of the page and ask the folks at Memorial University.

Subject: RE: Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 12:15 AM

Copyright Information and Terms of Use
All material on these webpages, unless otherwise stated, are copyright © 2004, Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland. No unauthorized copying or use is permitted.

Copyright for the "MacEdward Leach and the Songs of Atlantic Canada" website, including graphics, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code, scripts, and structure, is © copyright to Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).

I'm sure Ms. Fulton will tell you what you need to know.

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Please address all inquiries to:

Ms. Patricia Fulton, Archivist
Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, NL   A1B 3X8 (CANADA)

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Subject: RE: Req: God Bless You My Lovely Wife (Newfoundland)
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 01:28 PM

Thank You Jack.   SOL ZELLER