Origins: Generous Lover

Subject: My generous lover - sources
From: John Moulden
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 04:12 PM

The first verse of this song is:

When that she saw her love, happy was she
She knew not what love was nor how to deny
But she made too much freedom of her love's company
Saying "My generous lover, you're welcome to me."

I have the full text of what I first heard from Bert Lloyd and subsequently from Dolores Keane and Frankie Armstrong - their source was almost certainly Bert and he said he had not seen it in print. Does anyone know anything more?

I'm about to go on holiday for a while so may not be able to acknowledge any help immediately.

Subject: RE: My generous lover - sources
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 05:31 PM

A. L Lloyd also said it was sometimes called "Pretty Peggy" but the song is not listed in Steve Roud's folk song index under either title (There are two other "Pretty Peggy" songs listed listed: "Pretty Peggy of Derby,O" [on my website] and "[Pretty] Peggie in the Morning", Greig-Duncan Folk song Collection, V, #1002).

Subject: RE: My generous lover - sources
From: John Moulden
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 05:33 AM

Thanks Bruce, I'd hoped you might have come across it, I knew Lloyd had made that comment but had reached the same dead-end that you have.

Lloyd is sometimes a retrospective reference nightmare, We know he made things up but I sometimes suspect he was a wholesaler.

Subject: RE: My generous lover - sources
From:
Date: 07 Nov 02 - 07:48 AM

Hi John,
you say "I have the full text of what I first heard from Bert Lloyd and subsequently from Dolores Keane and Frankie Armstrong".
Please could you send me thies full text 'cause a friend of mine is looking for this lyrics since a long time.
Thank you in advance.
Bye

Marco

Subject: RE: My generous lover - sources
From: sharyn
Date: 07 Nov 02 - 09:56 AM

John Faulkner's note to "The Generous Lover" on Dolores Keane's album
There was a maid (Ceirnini Claddagh CC 23) says "A version was collected by A.L. Lloyd from Mary Hacket of Limerick in 1947."

Subject: RE: My generous lover - sources
From: rich-joy
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 12:26 AM

My 1968 Argo recording of Frankie Armstrong singing it ("The Female Frolic" with Peggy Seeger and Sandra Kerr) says :

" ... The singing is from Mary Hackett of Limerick, the text is part collated from The Irish Folk Song Journal. A. L. Lloyd collected the song from Mary Hackett in Dublin in 1947. Although variants of the tune have turned up since in Ireland, no other set of the words has been found. "

Surprisingly, the copious sleeve notes are not credited, but one suspects Lloyd ...

I'll submit the lyrics in a short while.
Cheers! R-J

Subject: Lyr Add: GENEROUS LOVER (from Frankie Armstrong)
From: rich-joy
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 12:39 AM

THE GENEROUS LOVER


Oh the first time I saw my love, how happy was I
I knew not what love was, nor how to deny
But I made too much freedom of my love's company
Saying "My generous lover, you're welcome to me"

She says "My relations they angry are all
Because I have gone with you from my father's fine hall
But my friends and relations let them all angry be
For my generous lover, you're welcome to me"

He says "Now farewell dear and I must away
For I in this country no longer can stay
But keep your mind easy and keep your heart free
Let no man be your sheriff, my darling, but me"

This poor pretty creature, she stood on the ground
With her cheeks white as ivory and the salt tears running down
Crying " Jimmy, dearest Jimmy, you're the first that e'er wooed me
And I'm sorry that I ever said "You're welcome to me"

Oh happy's the girl that ne'er loved a man
And easy can tie up her narrow waist band
She's free from all sorrow and sad misery
But never said "My lover, you're welcome to me"



from the singing of Frankie Armstrong ...

Cheers! RJB