Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song

Subject: Lyr Add: TRUE LOVE (Vikki Appleton Fielden)
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 07 Jul 20 - 11:01 PM

Hello folks,

Sang this during Monday's world-wide sing and was asked for the words, so here they are (and after the song, a link to a video with the tune):

I wrote this because I was getting tired of all the trad broken token songs where the "fair maid" collapses weeping/vows she'll never marry when told her true love is dead, then falls rejoicing into the arms of her love when he says "Only kidding! It's really me – I just wanted to test your love."
Personally, I think she oughta smack him...


TRUE LOVE
by Vikki Appleton Fielden
©August 2018

As I roved out one May morning, I spied a maiden fair
I asked her if she'd marry me and my love did declare
She said her love was far away and that she must be true
And showed to me one half a coin that had been broke in two
Two-oh, two-oh, had been broke in two-oh...
And showed to me one half a coin that had been broke in two

Then I held up the other half and said, "Tis I, your Will!"
Now twenty years have we been wed and we are happy still
But I've a guilty secret though in wedded bliss we live
Which I will now confess to her, and hope she will forgive
Give-oh, give oh, hope she will forgive oh...
Which I will now confess to her, and hope she will forgive

Your darling Will, he died at sea, a-wounded in the groin
He told me of his love for you and gave me his half-coin
I promised I would tell you this if you I chanced to find
But when I saw you standing there... I somehow changed my mind
Mind-oh, mind-oh, somehow changed my mind oh...
But when I saw you standing there... I somehow changed my mind

Dear husband, what a charming tale, and what a big surprise
To learn that after all these years you told me porkie pies*
So now to you a tale I'll tell about my cousin Nancy
Who tired of waiting for her Will when Johnny caught her fancy
Fancy, fancy, Johnny caught her fancy...
Who tired of waiting for her Will when Johnny caught her fancy

And so to me her coin she gave, the one that was but half
And said, "If Willie e'er returns, 'twill be good for a laugh
I thought that I would tell him this if me he chanced to find
But when I saw you standing there... I somehow changed my mind
Mind-oh, mind-oh, somehow changed my mind oh...
But when I saw you standing there... I somehow changed my mind

So now my tale is at an end, our love has passed the test
And even after all these years, it turned out for the best
For I love her and she loves me; we found the love we sought
Despite the fact that neither one is who the other thought
Thought-oh, thought-oh, who the other thought oh...
Despite the fact that neither one is who the other thought


*"pork pies" is Cockney rhyming slang for "lies"
Link to video of me singing it, for those who want the tune as well: https://www.facebook.com/100008219862447/videos/2739949582955677/

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 08 Jul 20 - 04:04 AM

Nice one! But you must have sung that after I left to get ready for bed, so I missed it, and the Facebook link is no good if one doesn't have a Facebook ID to log in with. Any chance of posting it elsewhere?

Jim Morrison, sometime regular at Sharp's Folk Club, sings his own remake of Jenny on the Moor, with the first two thirds as usual but then, when Dennis reveals that he is her long-lost lover, she tells him off for deserting her and reveals that she has married someone else.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 08 Jul 20 - 05:23 AM

I quite liked it.

It felt quite "Kipper" isn't there one of their songs that plays similar games with the broken token concept? (Note: I'm not accusing YY of plagiarism, just following a chain of association).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 08 Jul 20 - 08:53 AM

Nice take on the broken token family of songs. Reminds me a bit of Art Thieme's song That's the Ticket.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 09 Jul 20 - 12:05 AM

Thanks for the kind words, guys. Being compared to Sid and Art is an honor.

Richard Mellish, I'll have a think about where else I might post it. I don't know how to do the midi thing, sorry.

I don't think you actually need a fb id to see things on fb, although you might need one to see a post in the Mudcat fb group, but I'm not sure. Does anyone else know?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 01:31 PM

I copied the URL above, and it took me straight to Yorkshire Yankee's video. I didn't have to sign in or anything.

At first it was silent, then I discovered the x on the little icon of a loudspeaker below. I x'd the x and heard the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 01:32 PM

Thanks for posting the song. It's fun.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: cnd
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 05:23 PM

You don't need a FaceBook account to watch it, just copy & paste the link like Leenia said.

Vikki, would you mind explaining what exactly a broken token song is for the uninformed?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: cnd
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 05:24 PM

I forgot to add to my previous post, that's a lovely song and well-written!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 04:01 PM

I just tried again, with the same result, but then tried a different browser and the text and video appeared; so I have now heard YY sing it.

Thank you!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Jul 20 - 02:11 PM

Yeah, I'd'a been angry if I were John Riley and my love didn't recognize me...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: True Love (alternative broken token song
From: leeneia
Date: 22 Jul 20 - 03:38 PM

What if he left as a beardless youth and came back as a sun-beaten navvy with a long beard, a voice ravaged by cheap ciggies, weighing considerably more and with a pegleg? And an earring? I think that was how they did it in the olden days.
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Three days ago two good friends broke quarantine and came over for chocolate, cherries, blackberry brandy and this song. We snacked six feet apart and then sang this, and it was a big hit.

Yorkshire Yankee, do you know Vikki Appleton Fielden? If so, we think we know her too. Send her greetings from Kansas City and say we loved her song.