Origins:Ballad of the SnowWhite Dove/Snowball Tree

Subject: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From:
Date: 04 Mar 98 - 07:40 PM

Looking for words and chords to Ballad of the Snow White Dove, believe originated in Newfoundland?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SNOWBALL TREE
From: NEWFOUNDLANDER
Date: 05 Mar 98 - 05:40 AM

This might be the song you're looking for. It was passed down to me from my Uncle. I'm not sure if the tile is right.

SNOWBALL TREE

They were very, very happy. Their marriage was a gem;
But death was soon to take his pretty wife away from him.
With her dying breath, she whispered, "We'll have everlasting love
And I'll come back to be with you as a little snow-white dove."

Time went by and nothing happened. The dove did not appear.
The young man fell in love again and married in a year;
But the day he brought his new bride home, the neighbors were to see
A snow-white dove come fluttering down upon the snowball tree.

There she sobbed and moaned, heartbroken in an almost human way.
No matter what the weather, she would perch there every day.
When the neighbors and the servants, yes, the story they had learned,
That in the guise of this white dove the young wife had returned.

The new bride heard the story, and her nerves began to fail.
The young man tried to help her, but it was to no avail.
To save his second marriage, he knew something must be done;
So at dawn the next morning, he went out with a gun.

He raised the gun and fired through the leaves so deep and green.
The snow-white breast turned scarlet and he heard a woman scream.
The dove flew high into the air and disappeared from sight;
But as he lay in slumber, the young man died that night.

'Neath the snowball tree, they buried him, to live in last repose.
The young wife and the servants left, for where nobody knows.
Now the big house stands there empty and the garden lies in ruins;
But above the young man's grave each year the snowball tree still blooms.

They say that no one comes to see that lonely unkempt green,
But every year at a certain time a visitor is seen;
And if you spoke to the neighbors, then they'll tell you what they see:
A snow-white dove with a scarlet breast perched on the snowball tree.

There sobs and moans heartbroken in an almost human way.
No matter what the weather, she will perch there every day;
And seems forlorn and lonely for a love that couldn't last;
And you hear her cry in anguish for a sad and tragic past.
Yes, the story of the snow-white dove has been told to you at last.

Converted from all caps. --JoeClone, 25-Feb-05.

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 05 Mar 98 - 05:24 PM

These songs are great, Newfoundlander, but I would find them a lot easier to read if you didn't use all caps. I think most people would agree.

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Newfoundlander
Date: 05 Mar 98 - 05:34 PM

I agree with you Jerry, But the problem I have is that I have over 600 songs copied on floppy discs and ther all in capital letters. So when I copy and paste this is what I'm getting. I typed up those songs from my hand written song books 4 years ago when I was very new to Computer. When I get some spare time I hope to correct my problem.

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: G. Teed
Date: 11 Mar 98 - 05:35 PM

That's the song I was looking for - thank you Newfoundlander very much.

Subject: Lyr Add: SNOW WHITE DOVE^^^
From: Gene
Date: 13 Mar 98 - 02:56 AM

You don't have to RE/TYPE to convert to Lower Case... A good text editor will do the job...

BALLAD OF THE SNOW WHITE DOVE/SNOW BALL TREE

They were very, very happy, their marriage was a gem
But death was soon to take his pretty wife away from him
With her dying breath she whispered, "We'll have everlasting love.
And I'll come back to be with you as a little Snow White Dove."

Time went by and nothing happened, the dove did not appear
The young man fell in love again and married in a year
But the day he brought his new bride home, the neighbors were to see
A Snow White Dove came fluttering down upon the Snow Ball Tree.

There she sobbed and moaned heartbroken, in an almost human way
No matter what the weather, she would perch there every day
When the neighbors and the servants, yes, the story they had learned
That in the `guise of this white dove, the young wife had returned.

The new bride heard the story and her nerves began to fail
The young man tried to help her, but it was to no avail
To save his second marriage, he knew something must be done
So at dawn the next morning, he went out with a gun.

He raised the gun and fired through the leaves so deep and green
The snow white breast turned scarlet and he heard a woman scream
The dove flew high into the air and disappeared from sight
But as he lay in slumber, the young man died that night.

'Neath the Snow Ball Tree they buried him, to live in last repose
The young wife and the servants left, for where nobody knows
Now the big house stands there empty and the garden lies in ruins
But above the young man's grave each year, the Snow Ball Tree still blooms.

They say that no one comes to see that lonely unkept green
But every year at a certain time a visitor is seen
And if you spoke to the neighbors, then they'll tell you what they see
A Snow White Dove with a scarlet breast, perched on the Snow Ball Tree.

There sobs and moans heartbroken, in an almost human way
No matter what the weather, she will perch there every day
And seems forlorn and lonely, for a love that couldn't last
And you hear her cry in anguish for a sad and tragic past.

Yes, the story of the Snow White Dove has been told to you at last

---

Also available at https://nfldsongs.tripod.com/03/dove.htm

Songwriter identified as Ben Weatherby (?)

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: NEWFOUNDLANDER
Date: 13 Mar 98 - 01:20 PM

Thanks Gene. After a little fooling around I've figured out how to convert to a lower case. All I need to do now is do this conversion 600+ times. Much better than retypeing.

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Gene
Date: 13 Mar 98 - 07:16 PM

HI NEWFOUNDLANDER..well, one way is to put ALL TEXTS in one file and convert them simultaneously....'course you gotta separate them into individual files again....which ain't no BIGGIE...just EMAIL yourself 600 songs, one at a time...ha! ha! ha! ha!

did you check your THE WATER'S SO COLD post lately?

Gene

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: GUEST,CM_St_J
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 06:51 PM

This song is indeed a Newfoundland song, by Ben Weatherby of Grand Falls.

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 07:31 PM

And indeed a great song. Any idea of date, place of publication? Or recording?

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Jim Lad
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 08:19 PM

I think, Jim Payne put that one on a compilation. I know I had it on CD.

Subject: RE: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Jim Lad
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 08:39 PM

You'll find it on "ORIGINALFOUNDLAND GOLD vol.1".
Go to Fred's Records Online and click on "Various Artists" then move over to the right and scroll down. It took a while to reach this one so if it's on any other albums after that .... you're on you're own boy!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: GUEST,Kenneth O'Brien Ex-Pat from Trepassey.
Date: 07 Oct 25 - 07:44 AM

Snow White Dove Written-By – Pat Maher.Ben was from Grand Falls New Brunswick not Newfoundland.
Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: GUEST,Dolly Dunn
Date: 03 Feb 26 - 11:33 PM

Hi there

I have recorded this song only recently but have not released it yet. Is the writer of this song Pat Maher or Johnny Writer? I am getting conflicting answers...I need the correct writers and composers name in order to obtain a license. Can anyone help me. Thanks so much

Dolly Dunn Music LTD

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Feb 26 - 01:05 AM

Good luck finding this one, Dolly. It's one one other Website, a collection of Newfoundland songs:

https://nfldsongs.tripod.com/03/dove.htm

Songwriter is identified as Ben Weatherby (?) [but I think that's the guy who recorded it]

Subject: RE: Origins: Ballad of the Snow White Dove
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Feb 26 - 01:14 AM

Take a look at this recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFpC3cMmzJA

Notes: "The Snowball Tree" was written by Patrick James (Pat) Maher of Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and recorded by Ben Weatherby from St. John New Brunswick in 1973. (Ben Weatherby had a television show in Newfoundland for six years)"

Also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWf2P_pV2pY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hl0kQpoEuo

Here's the obituary for a Patrick Maher of Grand Falls-Windsor:
https://www.hoskinsfuneralhomes.ca/obituaries/Patrick-Maher?obId=27443892

Subject: RE: Origins:Ballad of the SnowWhite Dove/Snowball Tree
From: Reinhard
Date: 04 Feb 26 - 02:36 AM

The tracklist on Ben Weatherby's album Here's To The Women Of Newfoundland (as shown in a picture on Discogs) also lists Pat Maher as the author.