Lyr Add: Amber Tresses Tied in Blue

Subject: Lyr Add: AMBER TRESSES TIED IN BLUE
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 04:41 PM

The DT contains a set of the following as Amber Tresses, taken from a recording by A.P. Carter; it is a version modified by oral transmission, with the second half of each verse conflated with the chorus.  In the course of identifying a tune for it, I found sheet music for the original song at the Lester Levy Collection, which is sufficiently different for it to be worth posting here for purposes of comparison.


AMBER TRESSES TIED IN BLUE
(Words: Samuel M. Mitchell Music: H.P. Danks, c.1874)

1. Far away in sunny meadows, where the merry sunbeams play'd,
Oft I linger'd 'mid the clover, singing to a village maid;
She was fairer than the fairest, ever faithful, fond and true;
And she wore beneath a bonnet amber tresses tied in blue.

CHORUS: She was fairer than the fairest, Ever faithful, fond and true;
And she wore beneath a bonnet amber tresses tied in blue.

2. Ere the summer days departed, we had made a solemn vow,
And I never, never wearied kissing her sweet cheek and brow;
She was dearer than the dearest, pure as drops of morning dew,
And adown her neck was hanging amber tresses tied in blue.

3. 'Twas decreed that fate should part us, ere the leaves of autumn fell,
And two loving hearts were sever'd, that had loved each other well;
She was all I had to cherish, she has bade a last adieu,
And I see in every vision amber tresses tied in blue.


The sheet music was printed in 1874 by Cottier & Denton, 269 Main St., Buffalo. A midi of the vocal line will go to The Mudcat Midi Pages, and can be heard meanwhile via the South Riding Folk Network site:

Amber Tresses Tied in Blue.

Subject: Lyr Add: AMBER TRESSES TIED IN BLUE
From:
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 06:59 PM

I have found a pencil rendition of the subj song with some different words. The sheet is undated, but in in the handwriting of Rachel Ann Baxter, who died in 1880 at age 21. She may have modified the song to play on her new organ and commemorate the death of her younger sister who died in August of 1871 at the age of 8. Her version is:
Song [undated] [possibly for her younger sister Elie, who died very young]

Far away mid sunny meadows
Where the merry sun beams play
There I spent a pleasant summer
Singing to the village maid
She was fairer than the fairest
Pure as drops of morning dew
And she wore beneath her bonnet
Amber tresses tied in blue.

CHORUS

She was fairer than the fairest
Pure as drops of morning dew
And she wore beneath her bonnet
Amber tresses tied in blue.

E're the summer days departed
We had made a solemn vow
And I never never wearid
Kissing her sweet cheek and brow.

She was dearer than the dearest
Pure as drops of morning dew
And she wore beneath her bonnet
Amber tresses tied in blue.

CHORUS

T'was decreed that fate should part us
E're the leaves of Autumn fell
And two loving hearts was severed
They who loved each other well.
She was all I had to cherish
And she bade a long adieu
Now I see in every vision
Amber tresses tied with blue

CHORUS

Far away mid sunny meadows
Where the merry sunbeams play
Oft' I [unfinished
Chuck Emmons

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Amber Tresses Tied in Blue
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 07:36 PM

Interesting. Could you give us more details? Does this derive from family documents, for instance?