Origins: My Love Gave Me A Diamond

Subject: Origins: My Love Gave Me A Diamond
From: GUEST,Jacob Zelman
Date: 10 Oct 22 - 03:30 AM

A mystery that I've been trying to solve for a couple of years now: When I was in choir in high school, we sang a medley arrangement of The Water is Wide, and another song, with a tune very similar to The Riddle Song (I Gave My Love A Cherry), except with very different lyrics. Every time I've tried to figure out where these two songs might've branched from each other I've come up pretty short. I thought I might share the lyrics here and see if anyone else is familiar with it?

Lyrics are as follows:

my love gave me a diamond, a diamond ring
my love gave me a song, that angels sing
my love gave me a rose, of crimson hue
my love gave me a promise, a heart so true

As you can probably tell, it features a similar structure to the riddle song, but instead of the singer giving, they're receiving, and there's no riddle to the gifts.

Subject: RE: Origins: My Love Gave Me A Diamond
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Oct 22 - 01:00 PM

Why do you think the songs branched from each other? To me, they are entirely different works.

Subject: RE: Origins: My Love Gave Me A Diamond
From: GUEST,Jacob Zelman
Date: 12 Oct 22 - 05:16 PM

I believe that they branched from each other because they make use of the same tune, and they are both songs to do with gifts to/from a lover. Although to be fair, tunes to get shared, and a lot of folk songs are about giving gifts ??. I’ve not been able to find any information on the song in question, aside from the fact that the tune is identical to that of the riddle song.

Subject: RE: Origins: My Love Gave Me A Diamond
From: leeneia
Date: 14 Oct 22 - 12:53 PM

Oh. I see what you mean now.