Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: Artful Codger
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 07:36 PM

Dick, when posting links, it's common courtesy to state what it's a link to. Here, that would mean which of the four songs and who's singing it--especially if it's your usual masked self-promotion (as in the present circumstance).

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 06:34 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpCrFbf_ZDY

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BANKS OF THE LEE (from Silly Wizard)
From: WindhoverWeaver
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 06:24 AM

The Silly Wizard version is slightly different from the one quoted above. Their version is below. (Note: In the chorus it sounds more like "Reminds me on my Mary, on the banks of the Lee" but I have left "of", which makes more sense to a Englishman!)


THE BANKS OF THE LEE
Silly Wizard Version

Where true lovers meet beneath the green bower
When true lovers meet out beneath the green tree
And Mary, fond Mary, she says unto her true love
"You have stolen my young heart by the Banks of the Lee"

Chorus
For I loved her very dearly, most truly and sincerely
There is no one in this wide world I loved more than she
Every bush and every bower, every wild Irish flower
Reminds me of my Mary, on the banks of the Lee.

"Don't stay out too late, love, on the moorlands, my Mary
Don't stay out too late, love, on the moorlands for me"
But its little was my notion when we parted by the ocean
That we were forever parting by the Banks of the Lee

(Chorus)

I will pull my love some roses, some wild Irish roses
I will pull my love some roses, the fairest to see
And I'll lay them on the graveside of my own dear darlin' Mary
In that cold and silent grave where she sleeps 'neath the dew

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: GUEST,Musket sans cookie
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 05:43 AM

Thanks Joe. That's the version I sing. Although with a few slight differences.

The tune I use is the same as the popular tune for "Kevin Barry.
"

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 05:19 PM

So where does the Silly Wizard song come from?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:54 PM

Thanks for the nice tune. I believe it will make a nice addition to my dulcimer repertoire.

As posted, it's in the key of G, but it starts on A (the note A, not the chord A), ends on A, and has a long, high note which is an A. It's a Dorian tune, because the second note of the scale is playing the role we usually assign to 'do.'

Subject: Tune Add: THE GREEN MOSSY BANKS OF THE LEA
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 08:53 AM

X:1
T:The Green Mossy Banks Of The Lea
M:3/4
K:DMix
A | "D"A2"C"e3 e | "G"d4 BA | "C"G2 "D"A4- | A4 AB | "C"c3d ef | gf e2 g2 | "D"a6- | a4 ba |
"C"g4 ed | "C"c2 "G"d2 B2 | G2 "Am"A4- | A4 AB | "C"cBcd ec | "G"d2 BA G2 | "D"A6- | A4-A ||
W:
W:When first to this country, a stranger, Curiosity forced me to roam
W:Over Europe I resolved to be a ranger, When I left Philadelphia my home.
W:
W:We quickly sailed over to England, Where forms of great beauty do shine
W:And twas there that I met a young woman, And I wished in my heart she was mine.
W:
W:Twas there that I met a young woman, she seemed like some stranger to me
W:As she rose from the reeds by the water, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.
W:
W:I stepped up and wished her good morning, And her cheeks they did blush like some rose
W:I said "Oh how the river is charming, and your guardian I'll be if you choose"
W:
W:She said "Sir I ne'er want a guardian, Kind sir you are a stranger to me,
W:And yonder's my father a-coming, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea.
W:
W:I stepped up and wished him good morning, saying "Your daughter a lady shall be
W:She shall ride in a carriage and horses, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea"
W:
W:They invited me back to their cottage, and soon this fair maiden was mine
W:And twas there I did build a fine castle, In grandeur and splendour to shine.
W:
W:So now this American stranger, All pastimes and pleasures can see
W:He can live with his gentle young woman, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Sep 04 - 02:50 AM

Is MMario's tune correct?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: MartinRyan
Date: 04 Sep 04 - 11:44 AM

Joe

That set is basically what is routinely sung in Ireland now. I think unscrambling the Lee/lea versions (not to mention Matilda - a most unIrish sounding lady) is not possible.

Regards

p.s. Have we looked at Brian O´Rourke´s "parody" of this one? Brilliant - as ever.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 04:00 PM

yes joe - it is the one popularized by Silly Wizard.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BANKS OF THE LEE (from Silly Wizard)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 03:55 PM

OK, this gets really confusing. Too many songs with the same or similar titles. Here is the song in the Digital Tradition. No source is identified. There's no entry for this song in the Traditional Ballad Index, and the listing at folktrax.org is sketchy and confusing. As stated above, the DT MIDI doesn't work for this song. It seems to me to be a composed song, I'd guess from the late 19th or early 20th century. Does it appear in and songbooks or recordings?
Silly Wizard recorded a song with this title on Live Wizardry and maybe others - is it this one?
Can anybody identify the source of the DT lyrics?
-Joe Offer-

The Banks of the Lee (from the Digital Tradition).

When two lovers meet down beside the green bower
When two lovers meet down beneath the green tree
When Mary, fond Mary, declared to her lover
"You have stolen my poor heart from the Banks of the Lee"

Chorus
I loved her very dearly, so true and sincerely
There was no one in this wide world I loved better than she
Every bush, every bower, every sweet Irish flower
Reminds me of my Mary, on the banks of the Lee.

"Don't stay out late, love, on the moorlands, my Mary
Don't stay out late, love, on the moorlands from me"
How little was our notion when we parted on the ocean
That we were forever parted from the Banks of the Lee

(Chorus)

I will pluck her some roses, some blooming Irish roses
I will pluck her some roses, the fairest that ever grew
And I'll leave them on the grave of my own true lovely Mary
In that cold and silent churchyard where she sleeps 'neath the dew

Chorus^^^

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: MMario
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:33 AM

(to my surprise - when I played this tune I found out I already knew the chorus - just hadn't remembered it!)

Subject: Tune Add: BANKS OF THE LEE
From: MMario
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:23 AM

MIDI file: BANKSO~1.MID

Timebase: 192

Name: BANKS OF THE LEE
Text: Noreen
Copyright: Copyright © 2002 by NoteWorthy Software, Inc.
Tempo: 085 (705882 microsec/crotchet)
Key: F
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Start
0000 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0256 0 69 000 0032 1 70 110 0094 0 70 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0256 0 67 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 74 110 0256 0 74 000 0032 1 76 110 0094 0 76 000 0002 1 74 110 0094 0 74 000 0002 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 60 110 0094 0 60 000 0002 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0256 0 64 000 0032 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0256 0 69 000 0032 1 70 110 0094 0 70 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0256 0 67 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 74 110 0256 0 74 000 0032 1 76 110 0094 0 76 000 0002 1 74 110 0094 0 74 000 0002 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 60 110 0094 0 60 000 0002 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 62 110 0256 0 62 000 0032 1 60 110 0094 0 60 000 0002 1 62 110 0336 0 62 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the latest version of MIDItext and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Banks of the Lee
M:3/4
Q:1/4=85
K:F
EGA3B|AGA2D2|DEG3A|GED2C2|Acd3e|dcA2C2|CDE3D|
EGA4|EGA3B|AGA2D2|DEG3A|GED2C2|Acd3e|dcA2C2|
CDE2D2|-DCD7/2||

To play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 10:57 AM

Noteworthy file of the tune for Banks of the Lee e-mailed to MMario for MIDIfying or whatever is necessary.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: GUEST,Roger O'K
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 07:35 AM

The unofficial anthem of Cork city in Ireland is "The banks of my own lovely Lee", commonly known in mockery of the Cork accent as "De Benks".

But that can't be the one you're after, because either you were born in Cork, in which case you know it from birth, or you weren't, in which case you wouldn't be caught dead singing it.

Did I mention that I'm from Dublin ;o)?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: Snuffy
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 08:15 PM

I also get "File not found" in the DOS download DT (Fall 99). I've had a look in tune.zip and there doesn't seem to be anything there that might be it: no BNKSLEE, BANKSLEE, BNKSLEA, BANKSLEA, LEABANKS, LEEBANKS, LEEBNKS, LEABNKS, etc., etc.

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: Noreen
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 08:05 PM

The Banks of the Dee would be yet another song, Joe! *grin*

The one Martino was looking for here, and someone else more recently, is the tune to The Banks of the Lee (Where true lovers meet down beneath the green bower). The DT says

filename[ BNKSLEE
Tune file : BNKSLEE

But the 'Click to play' brings up page not found.

I can do you the tune at some stage if it's disappeared.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: The Banks of the Lee
From: Snuffy
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 08:00 PM

I know Banks of the Dee as a 6/8 (see DT BNKSDEE), whereas Green Mossy Banks of the Lee is in 3/4. The tune I know is different to the one Phil Taylor posted: mine is almost identical to the tune I posted here for CAROLINE AND THE YOUNG SAILOR BOLD.

Does that help, or muddy the waters still further?

WassaiL! V

Subject: Banks of the Lee
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Apr 02 - 07:27 PM

There seems to be confustion about this song. Is it the same as "Banks of the Dee"? Are there a number of tunes? -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From: Phil Taylor
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 08:06 AM

It seems to be a problem with Netscape only. Explorer works fine.
While I'm here, you might like my wife's version of verse four:

I stepped up and wished her good morning, and her cheeks they did blush like some rose
I said "Oh how the river is charming", she said "Christ where the hell are my clothes"

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From: Phil Taylor
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 05:58 AM

Thanks, Jeri. That looks right now, but it's still not valid ABC, because when you copy it out of Netscape and paste into an abc program, all the lines start with a space, so none of the fields are recognised, and you can't play it or display it as music. Anyone who wants to play the tune will have to go through it and edit out all the spaces that come before the field identifiers.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Aug 99 - 11:51 PM

Whoops - nature's way of telling me to get the heck off the computer and go to bed.

The thingie that does line breaks is: <br>

Subject: Tune Add: THE GREEN MOSSY BANKS OF THE LEA
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Aug 99 - 11:46 PM

Phil, type <br> at the end of each line. This should look better:

X:1
T:THE GREEN MOSSY BANKS OF THE LEA.
M:3/4
K:DMix
A | "D"A2"C"e3 e | "G"d4 BA | "C"G2 "D"A4- | A4 AB |
"C"c3d ef | gf e2 g2 | "D"a6- | a4 ba |
"C"g4 ed | "C"c2 "G"d2 B2 | G2 "Am"A4- | A4 AB |
"C"cBcd ec | "G"d2 BA G2 | "D"A6- | A4-A ||
W: W:When first to this country, a stranger, Curiosity forced me to roam
W:Over Europe I resolved to be a ranger, When I left Philadelphia my home.
W: W:We quickly sailed over to England, Where forms of great beauty do shine
W:And twas there that I met a young woman, And I wished in my heart she was mine.
W: W:Twas there that I met a young woman, she seemed like some stranger to me
W:As she rose from the reeds by the water, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.
W: W:I stepped up and wished her good morning, And her cheeks they did blush like some rose
W:I said "Oh how the river is charming, and your guardian I'll be if you choose"
W: W:She said "Sir I ne'er want a guardian, Kind sir you are a stranger to me,
W:And yonder's my father a-coming, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea.
W: W:I stepped up and wished him good morning, saying "Your daughter a lady shall be
W:She shall ride in a carriage and horses, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea"
W: W:They invited me back to their cottage, and soon this fair maiden was mine
W:And twas there I did build a fine castle, In grandeur and splendour to shine.
W: W:So now this American stranger, All pastimes and pleasures can see
W:He can live with his gentle young woman, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From: Phil Taylor
Date: 20 Aug 99 - 09:03 PM

OK, I give up. The help button's no use, so somebody tell me how it's done, please.

Subject: Tune Add: THE GREEN MOSSY BANKS OF THE LEA
From: Phil Taylor
Date: 20 Aug 99 - 08:59 PM

Well, that's a mess aint it? How do you post abc here? Would it help if I put pre tags around it as in html? Lets see.

  X:1
  T:THE GREEN MOSSY BANKS OF THE LEA.
  M:3/4
  K:DMix
  A | "D"A2"C"e3 e | "G"d4 BA | "C"G2 "D"A4- | A4 AB | "C"c3d ef | gf e2 g2 | "D"a6- | a4  ba |
  "C"g4 ed | "C"c2 "G"d2 B2 | G2 "Am"A4- | A4 AB | "C"cBcd ec | "G"d2 BA G2 | "D"A6- | A4-A ||
  W:
  W:When first to this country, a stranger, Curiosity forced me to roam
  W:Over Europe I resolved to be a ranger, When I left Philadelphia my home.
  W:
  W:We quickly sailed over to England, Where forms of great beauty do shine
  W:And twas there that I met a young woman, And I wished in my heart she was mine.
  W:
  W:Twas there that I met a young woman, she seemed like some stranger to me
  W:As she rose from the reeds by the water, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.
  W:
  W:I stepped up and wished her good morning, And her cheeks they did blush like some rose
  W:I said "Oh how the river is charming, and your guardian I'll be if you choose"
  W:
  W:She said "Sir I ne'er want a guardian, Kind sir you are a stranger to me,
  W:And yonder's my father a-coming, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea.
  W:
  W:I stepped up and wished him good morning, saying "Your daughter a lady shall be
  W:She shall ride in a carriage and horses, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea"
  W:
  W:They invited me back to their cottage, and soon this fair maiden was mine
  W:And twas there I did build a fine castle, In grandeur and splendour to shine.
  W:
  W:So now this American stranger, All pastimes and pleasures can see
  W:He can live with his gentle young woman, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.
  

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE GREEN MOSSY BANKS OF THE LEA
From: Phil Taylor
Date: 20 Aug 99 - 08:55 PM

I learned this tune from Nic Jones about 20 years ago. I don't know if he ever recorded it. The words are very similar to one version in the DT, but the link to that MIDI file is broken, so I don't know if it's the same tune. It's a deceptively simple tune; I've never been able to make up my mind whether it's in the key of D or Am. One way or another, it is one of the loveliest of all tunes.

X:1
T:THE GREEN MOSSY BANKS OF THE LEA.
M:3/4
K:DMix
A | "D"A2"C"e3 e | "G"d4 BA | "C"G2 "D"A4- | A4 AB
| "C"c3d ef | gf e2 g2 | "D"a6- | a4 ba |
"C"g4 ed | "C"c2 "G"d2 B2 | G2 "Am"A4- | A4 AB | "C"cBcd ec | "G"d2 BA G2 | "D"A6- | A4-A ||
W:
W:When first to this country, a stranger, Curiosity forced me to roam
W:Over Europe I resolved to be a ranger, When I left Philadelphia my home.
W:
W:We quickly sailed over to England, Where forms of great beauty do shine
W:And twas there that I met a young woman, And I wished in my heart she was mine.
W:
W:Twas there that I met a young woman, she seemed like some stranger to me
W:As she rose from the reeds by the water, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.
W:
W:I stepped up and wished her good morning, And her cheeks they did blush like some rose
W:I said "Oh how the river is charming, and your guardian I'll be if you choose"
W:
W:She said "Sir I ne'er want a guardian, Kind sir you are a stranger to me,
W:And yonder's my father a-coming, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea.
W:
W:I stepped up and wished him good morning, saying "Your daughter a lady shall be
W:She shall ride in a carriage and horses, O'er the green mossy banks of the Lea"
W:
W:They invited me back to their cottage, and soon this fair maiden was mine
W:And twas there I did build a fine castle, In grandeur and splendour to shine.
W:
W:So now this American stranger, All pastimes and pleasures can see
W:He can live with his gentle young woman, On the green mossy banks of the Lea.

Line Breaks
added.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From: Martino C
Date: 20 Aug 99 - 06:11 PM

Thank you all for your help but unfortunatly it was in vain. I sent a E-mail to the site administrator to see if he can correct the problem. Thank you again.

Martino C

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From: Rosebrook
Date: 20 Aug 99 - 12:53 AM

The Banks of the Lee (as popularized by Silly Wizard) is also in the DT, and although I couldn't get the MIDI to play there is a MIDI link.

Rose

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 19 Aug 99 - 07:00 PM

And if it's not that one then search for LOVLYLEE, a different song (The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee). Both have tunes in the datavase. My mother grew up at Inverleigh, so I keep a special eye out for songs about the Lee, Lea or Leigh Rivers which are aberrations of my family name. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Looking for 'The banks of the
From:
Date: 19 Aug 99 - 02:12 PM

Laws O15, "The Green Mossy Banks of the Lea"? [Search DT for O15]

Subject: Looking for 'The banks of the Lee'
From: Martino
Date: 19 Aug 99 - 01:52 PM

I found the lyrics for the song Entitled "The banks of the Lee" but I can not find a MIDI file for it anywere on the net. If someone can help me, I would appreciate it.

Thank you