Lyr Add: Young Emma

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Young Emma
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 09 Oct 04 - 10:59 AM

Note that this version of the song was found in the Ozarks by Vance Randolph, and presumably appears in his Ozark Folksongs (volume II).

Gary Gillard's website, referred to above, has since been taken over by Reinhard Zierke, and details of the Carthy recording can now be seen at  http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/martin.carthy/songs/youngemma.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Young Emma
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 09 Oct 04 - 10:44 AM

Wolfgang, I'll post a version of the tune here in a little while. Can you handle ABC notation?

Regards, John

Subject: Lyr Add: YOUNG EMMA
From: Wolfgang
Date: 05 Sep 00 - 03:30 AM

Sorry, formatting error in the first attempt

YOUNG EMMA

Come all you young people and listen to my song
I will unfold concerning gold that does so many wrong.
Emma was a serving girl. She loved a soldier bold.
He ploughed the main, some gold to gain.
He ploughed the main, some gold to gain,
For his love, so I've been told.

Young Emma she had daily mourned since Edward first left home.
Seven long years had passed and gone since Edward had been home.
He returned to Emma's home again his gold all for to show,
That he had gained all on the main,
That he had gained all on the main,
Down in the lowlands low.

Young Edward he sat smoking till time to go to bed,
Not thinking of the trouble that prowled around his head.
Says Emma's cruel parents, "His gold will make a show,
And we'll send his body floating,
We'll send his body floating
Down to the lowlands low."

Young Edward had gone to bed. He'd scarcely fall asleep,
When Emma's cruel parents into his room did creep.
They beat him, they dragged him, down to the beach they go,
And they left his body floating.
They left his body floating
Down to the lowlands low.

Now Emma lay sleeping, she dreamed a dreadful dream.
She dreamed her love was murdered and the blood appeared in streams.
She awoke at break of daylight and to his room she go.
'Twas because she loved him dearly,
Because she loved him dearly,
Who ploughed the lowlands low.

"Oh father, where's that young man come here last night to lie?"
"He's dead and gone, no tale can tell," her father did reply.
"Oh father, oh father, you'll die a public show,
For the murder of my Edward,
For the murder of my Edward,
Who ploughed the lowlands low."

The fish all in the ocean swim over my love's head.
His body rolls in motion. I hope his soul's at rest.
The trees all on the mountain a-tossing to and fro
Remind me of my Edward,
Remind me of my Edward,
Who ploughed the lowlands low.

Transcribed from Martin Carthy's singing on Voices: English Traditional Songs. Corrections to my attempt are invited. Alternative titles are 'Young Emily', 'Young Edward (Edwin) (in the lowlands (low)). The DT has it already as 'Edward in the lowlands'. This version here, however, is quite different. Gaz has put it on his Waterson/Carthy site (here)

Wolfgang