The Water is Wide - one more time!

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 30 Apr 25 - 02:33 PM

By far my favourite version was made in 1964 by The Seekers..... I used to sing this in clubs in NW England in the 1970s.    https://youtu.be/QOOjbKmSV1o?si=PWos4_NR0UIybC5U

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 30 Apr 25 - 03:31 PM

It may be stated on other threads, but not here, apparently. The song has long been a collection of commonplaces, 'floaters' in common parlance. Most of them can be traced back to at least the 17th century, which is why some confusion occurs between 'Water is Wide' and 'Waly Waly'. Laments, such as the many members of the Died for Love family, often accrue a large selection of these commonplaces. They sometimes get crystallised for a while such as the printing of Ramsay, but usually varied oral versions continue at the same time.

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 09 May 25 - 06:54 AM

> why don't we all stop putting the apostrophe in ev'ry?

*Complain*: I use the apostrophe to remind myself when to sing "every" with two syllables, lest I inadvertently channel those who sing 'Enery The Eighth I Am in the original Venacular.

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: leeneia
Date: 10 May 25 - 08:03 PM

Gerogiansilver, thanks for the link to the Seekers' version. It's very fine.

MaJoC: Okayeeeee

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: The Sandman
Date: 12 May 25 - 10:52 AM

The ballad "Waly, Waly" (also known as "The Water Is Wide" or "Jamie Douglas") is a folk song that is believed to be inspired by the unhappy marriage of James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas, and Lady Barbara Erskine. The song's lyrics recount the story of Douglas abruptly ending his marriage to Erskine after being told a rumor that she had been unfaithfu

Subject: RE: The Water is Wide - one more time!
From: gillymor
Date: 12 May 25 - 11:21 AM

I play and sing Grey Funnel Line on guitar with my chums on fiddle and concertina, and we slip into an instrumental of Water is Wide for one verse and back into GFL. It works beautifully, all in D.