Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: weerover
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 10:27 AM

Malcolm, yes - a music shop in Galway seemed for some reason to have a glut of copies of "A Wild Bee's Nest" a few months ago selling for 5euros. I'm normally a stingy git but couldn't pass that up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 09:54 AM

Thanks for that. The Roud Folk Song Index classifies this one as no.170; a variant of As Sylvie Was Walking (Once I Had a Sweetheart/ Poor Sally Sat a-Weeping etc. ) rather than She Moved Through the Fair (Next Market Day/ Out the Window), which makes sense on the whole; though it has certainly picked up some material from the latter group, and from other places, too, so doubtless an argument could be made for its inclusion under other categories; such things are often far from clear-cut!

The recording would be from The Wild Bees' Nest, I take it? I have a copy myself, somewhere, but it's still in some box or other after my last move. I must track it down.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: weerover
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 08:35 AM

Should have added that sleeve calls this song "I Once Had a True Love", but "sweetheart" is what's sung. Anyhow, here's the tune (yes, I know C# won't be every musician's favourite key, but that's what the bould Paddy sings it in):

T:I Once Had a True Love
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:60
S:as sung by Paddy Tunney
K:C#
C/2D/4-E/4|FE3/2F/2|A/2G3/2G,/2-A,/2|=B,C3/2=B,/2|C2
G/2A/2|=BA3/2G/2|cG3/2E/2|FE3/2F/2|G2
G/2A/2|=BA3/2G/2|cG3/2E/2|FEF|G2
C/2D/4-E/4|FE3/2F/2|A/2G3/2G,/2-A,/2|=B,C3/2=B,/2|C2||

% ABC2Win Version 2.1 08/11/2002

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: weerover
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:12 AM

McGrath,

Similar phrasing in the first verse also, and sufficient similarity in the tune to put it in the same family. The sleeve notes certainly indicate that this is the song that the much better-known version was based on. abc follows...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Nov 02 - 09:44 PM

As a song I can't see it as a variant of She Moved Through the Fair - the verse from that song is just one among a collection of floting verses.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: weerover
Date: 07 Nov 02 - 03:06 PM

Malcolm,

Sean O'Boyle's sleeve notes give the story much as you describe. The tune has similarities to "She Moved Through the Fair" but is not the same. Will have a go at an abc when I get time (I can do it but not quickly)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 Nov 02 - 03:03 PM

It's been mentioned quite often, but never actually quoted in full. Paddy learned it from Barney McGarvey (who called it I Once Had a Truelove) at Clonkillymore, Kilmacrennan, in 1960, at the home of Mrs. Brigid McGinty. It's quoted, with this information (and slightly different words), in Paddy's book The Stone Fiddle (1979), but no tune is given. Could you oblige?

Subject: Lyr Add: I Once Had a Sweetheart
From: weerover
Date: 07 Nov 02 - 02:28 PM

I'm sure there's been much discussion on "She Moved Through the Fair" but don't know if this variant has ever been posted. It's from a recording of Paddy Tunney I recently acquired.

I ONCE HAD A TRUE LOVE

I once had a sweetheart, I loved her quite well
I loved her far better than my tongue could tell
Her parents disliked me for my want of gear
So adieu to you Molly, since you are not here

I dreamed (pron.drem-ed) last night that my true love came in
So softly she came that her feet maid no din
She stepped (again 2 syllables) up to me and this she did day,
"It will not be long, love, till our wedding day"

Oh, if I was a fisher down by the seaside
And my love was a salmon coming in with the tide
I'd cast my net wide and my love I'd ensnare
I would bring home my Molly, I vow and declare

Or if I was a blackbird and had wings to fly
It's on my love's bosom this night I would lie
In a grove of green laurel I would lay her down
And with my strong wings I would her surround

Or if I was in yonder valley where the small birds do sing
And no one to be near me, 'tis I'd cry my fill
Since the notion it took me to have my own will
Sure my own rod is sorest and does beat me still

Then adieu to you Molly, adieu to my dear
Adieu to you sweetheart since you are not here
In a grove of green laurel I'll there make my moan
And I'll think of you, Molly, when I am alone