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Origins: Seeds of Love

DigiTrad:
SEEDS OF LOVE


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walterpond@wycol.com 10 Mar 98 - 08:22 PM
Bruce O. 10 Mar 98 - 08:33 PM
walterpond 10 Mar 98 - 08:44 PM
Bruce O. 10 Mar 98 - 10:24 PM
Bruce O. 10 Mar 98 - 10:27 PM
Bruce O. 10 Mar 98 - 10:31 PM
Jim Dixon 01 Feb 25 - 06:27 PM
The Sandman 02 Feb 25 - 03:16 AM
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Subject: History: Seeds of Love
From: walterpond@wycol.com
Date: 10 Mar 98 - 08:22 PM

I'm looking for some history or background on the traditional English lyrics to the folksong, "Seeds of Love." I found it in the DigiTrad database under this title and noted as recorded by Clancy Bros on 'Bold Fenian men' and by Robin and Barry Dranesfield on 'Contrary'.

I first heard it by Loreena McKennitt on 'a winter garden' (c) 1995 by Quinlan Road Limited, and available from Warner Bros. Records, Inc.

The lyrics have a specific association for me, but I am interested in learning what I can about their origins. Any suggestions for source material (library, web, person) would be appreciated!

Thanks!


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Subject: RE: History: Seeds of Love
From: Bruce O.
Date: 10 Mar 98 - 08:33 PM

Go to last note on the recent LYR ADD Weed and Flowers. See also the version said to by written by a Mrs. Habergham around the end of the 17th century in Bell's 'Early Ballads' which you can get to from the links here to 'Sixteenth century ballads'


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Subject: RE: History: Seeds of Love
From: walterpond
Date: 10 Mar 98 - 08:44 PM

Thanks for the prompt suggestion, Bruce O.

I stumbled across your thread on Bunch of Thyme as well as Flowers and Weeds after posting my query.

I'll look for the items you suggest......

Cheers!


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Subject: Lyr Add: YOUNG MAN'S ANSWER TO THE MAID'S GARDEN..
From: Bruce O.
Date: 10 Mar 98 - 10:24 PM

[Indent even numbered lines of verses.]

An Excellent new Song, Called, The Young-Mans
Answer to the Maids Garden of Tyme,

Let no Young-maidens shew their proud disdain,
In slighting Lovers when they're not to blame,
Least by their haughty Pride as I may tell,
They slip their Youth, and so lead Apes in Hell.

To a pleasant New Tune.

Maids that are fair and young,
why should you thus complain,
Aainst a Batchellors smooth tongue
, when Love is all their aim.

If we should curse or swear,
or surly to you be,
O then you justly might forbear
a Young-mans company.

You say a young man went
into your Garden fine,
And there unto your discontent
he pluckt up all your time.

I blame him for the same,
he might have spared some,
Or for the time hat he did take,
plant others in the room.

Come pritty Lass I pray
let me your Garden view,
And what fine flowers you do want,
ile plant them o'er anew.

And if you'l try me once,
I doubt not but you'l say,
I thank you heartily young man,
pray come another day.

And in your Garden fine
a Fountain there does flow,
With pritty bushes all a-round,
that Fountain too does grow.

Fair Maiden let me in,
and then you need not fear,
But I the bushes fine will trim,
your Fountain too will clear.

And if your time I take,
ile give you in return,
Carnations of the better sort,
and Flowers of the Sun.

And for your Fountain too,
thus further I can tell,
Ile put in pritty Fishes there,
will please you wonderous well.

And in this Pond they'll breed,
for to increase your store,
and if you once but let me in,
you'l nere deny me more.

At length the young Maid then
consented to my mind,
But said withal, her heart should break
if I should prove untrue.

When I came to the Garden door,
said she you'l me undo,
and steal away my precious time,
and leave me nought but Rue.

No no, then I reply'd
my pritty Maid ne're fear,
For now the Bargain is fast ty'd,
ile stay from Year to Year.

Your Fountain ile new stock,
your Garden ile new plant;
There's nothing that is requisite,
my pritty Maid shall want.

Now Maids be ruled by me,
nere use Young-men unkind,
But take the first that comes to hand,
if he be to your mind.

Printed by A[lex]. M[ilbourne]. 1696

I trust you now understand what the Gardner lad meant to plant, and what is meant by 'Garden of Tyme', 'Seeds of Love', 'Fountain', and so on. [The ancient nautical metaphor is the 'shot 'twixt wind and water']


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Subject: RE: History: Seeds of Love
From: Bruce O.
Date: 10 Mar 98 - 10:27 PM

Sorry about that double post. When I saw my name missing I hit the stop button, and it said 'transfer interupted', but I guess that's not really the truth.


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Subject: RE: History: Seeds of Love
From: Bruce O.
Date: 10 Mar 98 - 10:31 PM

P.S. That 'Lead Apes in Hell' in the introduction was a very old supperstiton as to the fate of women that never married. This ballad has actually a rather late appearance of it, but not quite the latest I've seen.


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Subject: Lyr Add: THE SEEDS OF LOVE (1846)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Feb 25 - 06:27 PM

From Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England … collected and edited by James Henry Dixon (London: Printed for the Percy Society, 1846), page 222:

XXX.

The Seeds of Love.

THIS very curious old song is not only a favourite with our peasantry, but, through its being introduced in the modern dramatic entertainment of The Loan of a Lover, has obtained popularity in more elevated circles. Its sweetly plaintive tune may be seen in Chappell's National English Airs. The words are quaint, but by no means void of beauty; they are, no doubt, corrupted, as we have them in the common broadsides from which the editor is obliged to print, not having been able to meet with them in any other form.

I SOWED the seeds of love, it was all in the spring,
In April, May, and June, likewise, when small birds they do sing;
My garden 's well planted with flowers every where,
Yet I had not the liberty to choose for myself the flower that I loved so dear.

My gardener he stood by, I asked him to choose for me,
He chose me the violet, the lilly and pink, but those I refused all three;
The violet I forsook, because it fades so soon,
The lilly and the pink I did o'erlook, and I vowed I'd stay till June.

In June there's a red rose-bud, and that's the flower for me!
But often have I plucked at the red rose-bud till I gained the willow tree;
The willow-tree will twist, and the willow-tree will twine,
O! I wish I was in the dear youth's arms that once had the heart of mine.

My gardener he stood by, he told me to take great care,
For in the middle of a red rose-bud there grows a sharp thorn there;
I told him I'd take no care till I did feel the smart,
And often I plucked at the red rose-bud till I pierced it to the heart.

I'll make me a posy of hyssop,—no other I can touch,—
That all the world may plainly see I love one flower too much;
My garden is run wild! where shall I plant anew—
For my bed, that once was covered with thyme, is all overrun with rue?


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Subject: RE: Origins: Seeds of Love
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Feb 25 - 03:16 AM

I understand, that Cecil Sharp heard a gardener singing a version of the song, and this started Sharp on his quest of collecting, An important song. the singer was John England
John Henry England of Hambridge, South Somerset: age 38,
1 song 'Seeds of Love' on 22 Aug 1903: This was the first folksong that Cecil Sharp ever collected. He was staying with his long-time friend Rev Charles Marson at his vicarage in Hambridge.


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