Lyr Req: Kathleen Mavourneen

Subject: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: Agnes
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 01:06 AM

My sister is an archivist and in her work she has been doing work for a certain Co. Durham family. They refer to their aunt writing this song and other Irish favourites. My parents have heard of the song does anyone have the lyrics. My parents call this song Kathleen Mavorney Agnes

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: Agnes
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 01:10 AM

they call the song Kathleen Mavorney (my name is Agnes)

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 01:31 AM

If you clickhere you can hear the song and read the lyrics. But this song wasn't written by anybody's aunt.

Murray

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: nutty
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 01:41 AM

There is sheet music for the song ---here --- on The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music

The song is attributed to an E.N.Crouch or F.N. Crouch around 1866

KATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN

Subject: Lyr Add: KATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN (Crawford/Crouch)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 07:42 AM

If her name was Mrs. Julia M. Crawford ("Irish poetess, born in County Cavan"), see this newspaper clip from Union (vol. 13, issue number 39, page 02, 10/4/1919). On many editions only the composer's name (that is, F.N. Crouch) was written, while her name was rightly given on some music sheets (this and this).

"Kathleen Mavourneen" (1837)
Words Mrs. Marion Crawford
Music by Frederick Nicholls Crouch, 1808-1896

1.
Kathleen Mavourneen! the gray dawn is breaking,
The horn of the hunter is heard on the hill,
The lark from her light wing the bright dew is shaking,
Kathleen Mavourneen, what slumbering still?

[CHORUS]
Oh! hast thou forgotten how soon we must sever?
Oh! hast thou forgotten this day we must part,
It may be for years, and it may be forever,
Oh! why art thou silent thou voice of my heart?
It may be for years, and it may be forever,
Then why art thou silent Kathleen Mavourneen?

2.
Kathleen Mavourneen, Awake from thy slumbers,
The blue mountains glow in the sun's golden light,
Ah! where is the spell that once hung on my slumbers,
Arise in thy beauty, Thou star of my night,
Arise in thy beauty, Thou star of my night.

[CHORUS]
Mavourneen, Mavourneen, my sad tears are falling,
To think that from Erin and thee I must part,
It may be for years, and it may be forever,
Then why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart?
It may be for years, and it may be forever,
Then why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart?

From HERE (with MIDI).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: LR Mole
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 01:20 PM

Is this not sung by animated Michigan J. Frog in a Warner Bros. cartoon, between "Hello, M'Baby, Hello M'Honey, Hello, M'Ragtime Gal" and "Ev'rybody's Doin' the Michigan Rag"?

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 04:06 PM

Interesting site, Masato!

Just a detail, but it's mavourneen, not mavoureen, and it's a term of endearment, not part of her name.

According to Sean McMahon, in his wonderful collection of Irish verse, song and prose, Rich and Rare, Kathleen Mavourneen was at one time a euphemism for hire-purchase debt, on account of that repeated phrase "it may be for years, and it may be forever." Anyone else heard it used that way?

He credits the words, correctly it would seem, to Julia Crawford. In a biographical note he says: "Julia Crawford was born Louise Matilda Jane Montague, perhaps in Co Cavan, in 1799. She was the author of many poems and novels, all of which have passed into obscurity except for the ironclad Kathleen Mavourneen. She died in 1860."

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: GUEST,chrisj
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 05:37 AM

'muirnín' is Irish for darling, beloved, sweetheart, etc, so Kathleen Mavourneen is probably an Anglicised term for My darling Kathleen. Incidentally, in Irish when you are addressing someone directly you use the vocative 'a'. To be strictly correct it ought to be 'Kathleen Avourneen'. BTW I love John MacCormick's version. Love that 'singing frog' mentioned above also, but never knew his name, the little @#~%**may even be related.

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: masato sakurai
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 06:01 AM

John McCormack's singing of this song (rec. 1911) is on the CD McCormack in Song (Nimbus Records NI 7854). I like it, too.
~Masato

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: masato sakurai
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 06:07 AM

P.S. McCormack's sound clip is HERE.

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: Noreen
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 11:11 AM

Chris, I thought mavourneen meant my darling?

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: GUEST,chrisj
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 07:16 AM

Noreen, correct. But when you are addressing her/him in person (in Irish) you say 'a mhuirnín', not 'mo mhuirnín'. In the song where the singer is speaking to her/him directly it ought to be 'avourneen', when he/she is telling us about her/him it should be 'mavourneen'. Got it! (why did I ever start this, hope it makes sense)

Subject: RE: Kathleen Mavoureen
From: GUEST,brian boru
Date: 26 Apr 10 - 11:56 PM

Has it ever been considered that "Kathleen" may have died in her

sleep? To me, this makes the song even more poignant.

Subject: Lyr Add: KATHLEEN, MAVOURNEEN (Crawford/Crouch)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Nov 10 - 10:13 PM

From The Book of Popular Songs, edited by J.E. Carpenter (London: G. Routledge & Co., 1858), page 97:


KATHLEEN, MAVOURNEEN.
Words, Mrs. Crawford. Music, F. W. N. Crouch.

1. Kathleen, mavourneen, the grey dawn is breaking,
The horn of the hunter is heard on the hill;
The lark from her light wing the bright dew is shaking,
Kathleen, mavourneen, what, slumbering still!
Oh! hast thou forgotten how soon we must sever!
Oh! hast thou forgotten this day we must part!
It may be for years, and it may be for ever,
Oh! why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart!

2. Kathleen, mavourneen, awake from thy slumbers,
The blue mountains glow in the sun's golden light;
Ah! where is the spell that once hung on thy numbers,
Arise in thy beauty, thou star of my night.
Mavourneen, mavourneen, my tears are fast falling,
To think that from Erin and thee I must part!
It may be for years, and it may be for ever,
Then why art thou silent, thou joy of my heart!