Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,JohnP
Date: 15 Dec 17 - 04:15 PM

Just found a version of this song sung by Joe Reynolds of Harbour Grace
Newfoundland Wonder when it got over there.its on you tube

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 10:41 AM

I'm going to post the chords I use here. This song requires a delicate touch - sometimes a note does not harmonize, and you have to let the accompaniment die away. It is a waltz in 3/4 time, and waltzes often have a sweet dissonance to them anyway.

I (that's a pick-up note)
C once loved a maiden so
F gentle and kind, as
G sweet as the
F rose in the
C dew. Each night as we wandered, the
F moon seemed to smile on
G me and my
Dm loved one so
C true. And so proud was
F I, when folk passing
C by Would gaze on the
F flow'r of the
C day. And so for her beauty, her
F sweetness and charm, I
G called her the
Dm Rose of Moray
I called her the Rose of Mo-
C ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Dec 12 - 04:07 PM

Hi, Colleen. I did a little looking but couldn't find it. You should start a new thread with a Lyric Request heading and ask about this song on it. This thread is only about 'The Rose of Moray.'

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,Colleen
Date: 24 Dec 12 - 05:29 PM

Does anyone know of a song which contains the lyrics..Excuse me son for asking, does you're mother know your out.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,Bridget
Date: 24 Dec 12 - 05:19 PM

My Dad, now deceased, always sang The Rose of Moray, was one of his favourite songs and he was born in 1911, so it must be quite an old song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,Seamus Harkin
Date: 27 Jun 12 - 03:27 PM

I had the old 78 record of the The Rose of Moray and My Lovely Irish Rose both composed and sung by John Donovan from Malin Head. That was in 1945

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,mary
Date: 07 May 12 - 11:52 AM

hi im looking for the chords of this song or if i could get a copy of the rose of moray by johnnie mcevoy, for my dad

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,EDDIE MC GEE
Date: 18 Sep 11 - 12:30 PM

Hi all, would just like to say that this is a traditional irish song.
My father now passed away some 25 years used to sing this to for my mother as this was her favourite song at the usual irish family gatherings

Still brings a tear to her eye.

It is not a well known song however was very popular in Donegal.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 09 Nov 10 - 02:32 PM

Leenia (and others)

I just looked on one of my external drives and I discovered that I still have the mp3 of John Kerr's recording on Marble Arch that I used in the first post.

I will make it available if you send me an email at dale8r AT hotmail. That's not my main email, but for the next few days at least I'll try to monitor it more frequently than usual.

Dale

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Nov 10 - 10:15 AM

speaking of rhymes, the man who sings this on YouTube has a neater rhyme in the first verse. Upthread it says:

And so proud was I, when folk passing by
Would gaze on the flower of the dell


but the singer sings 'flower of the day.' That rhymes with Moray. 'Dell' does not.

I've made a MIDI of the tune. If anybody's interested, it could be posted.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Nov 10 - 09:52 AM

Thanks for your interest, DWR. My pop-up blocker is off, but I still can't get it to play. However, I can hear it on YouTube, so it's all right.

I may work up the song to add to my rose garden, which would then include:

The Rose of Tralee
Sweet Rose of Allandale
The Rose of Moray

Tatie Bogle: what's puzzling about Moray being in Scotland? An Irish man may fall in love with a Scots woman. Especially when the name of her home allows for so many convenient rhymes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Nov 10 - 11:19 PM

The British Library has sheet music for a song called THE ROSE OF MORAY, by Pat DeWitt, copyright 1950.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 06 Nov 10 - 12:20 PM

I got it to play, Leeneia. It's been a while since I tried to play anything at Rhapsody, and I had a false start or two. It was my pop-up blocker and security settings keeping it from playing at first. I allowed the pop-up and it played perfectly.


Dale

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 06 Nov 10 - 11:25 AM

What's puzzling me is Moray: when I first saw the thread title, I assumed it would refer to Moray(shire) in Scotland, and I can't find anywhere called Moray in Ireland on Google. Anyone know?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Nov 10 - 10:45 AM

In the first post, Dale proposed making a collection of songs on this theme. There's been little interest in doing that.

However, if anybody wants to add 'The Rose of Moray' to their repertoire, the tune can be heard, and the chords can be seen on this YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUl9KqlsBTs

It's a pretty tune, I believe in 3/4 time.

(I tried the Rhapsody link above, but the song would not play.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 07:24 PM

This song was first recorded about 65years ago by John Donevan. We had a "78" record and on the B side was a recording of My Lovely Irish Rose.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,Mary Allen
Date: 05 Nov 10 - 07:03 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 09:17 AM

I first heard this song from Anna McGoldrick singing it, probably in Charlottetown. Somewhere I have a recording of Johnny McEvoy as well. I don't think he sings the last verse and his words are slightly different. I think that he only doubles the last line at the close of the song as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,Bernard McLaughlin
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 05:27 AM

I was thinking of my dad (who would have been 80 on 16 March 2010)when the lyrics came to mind.
My grand-parents were from Buncrana, not far from Malin Head, so perhaps it is peculiar to the area.
In any event, my father often sang it (& I'm sure my parents & grand-parents had it on an old 72rpm record)as his "party-piece".

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,Hugo Carlin.
Date: 12 Aug 09 - 12:15 AM

I am on holiday in New Jersey when I picked up this thread. I was playing with the Trend Showband and recorded the Rose of Moray at the Eamon Andrews studio in Dublin. Believe it or not it was nearly fourty years ago. We had a listen to the piece I think sung by the writer and worked out the chords to suit and the arrangement.The guitar player has an original recording. Come to think the flip side may have been written by John Donovan and was called "The Blind Boy"
If I can be of help. [e-mail]

Hugo

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose of Moray
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 06:57 PM

Three more years, and google is up to 46 references, this thread being at the top of the list.

Add Pat Woods, Anna McGoldrick and Sean Wilson to the list of those who have recorded the song.

I was able to hear the Johnny McEvoy recording on Rhapsody http://www.rhapsody.com/album/classic-irish-love-songs-volume-1--2002?artistId=art.4937088 Other than being a somewhat smoother (and less scratchy!) version than my John Kerr LP, it was pretty much the same.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose Of Moray
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 06 Jun 06 - 02:34 AM

Nearly three years have gone by and there are still only about 30 google references, but I did find this in a piece about the Trend Showband.

One of these Singles was the ballad "Rose OF moray" penned by Malin man, John Donovan

http://www.iangallagher.com/johnbairdTrend.html

Apparently the music of John Donovan is still talked about in Malin Head but I couldn't find anything too definite about him.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose Of Moray
From: ard mhacha
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 09:44 AM

I have this song sung by Johnny McEvoy on an LP dated 1973, issused by Hawk Records, 65 Lower Leeson Street Dublin and also included on Classic Irish love songs again sung by Johnny McEvoy, this is a much later issue on three cassettes by Dolphin Traders 56 Moore Street Dublin.
The first time I heard this song was on Johnny McEvoys LP.    The only information on the record is, trad arrangement McEvoy-O`Brien. Ard Mhacha

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose Of Moray
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 08:29 AM

I used the Cronin version as a base to put together the lyrics I submitted. That was one of the 24 references I found. A Copernic check turned up 38, but added nothing new.

For what it is worth, I have seen it listed as being in Soodlum's Irish Ballad Book and Soodlum's Selection of Irish Ballads Vol 3.

As I mentioned above, the album was from Marble Arch.   Green Hills Of Ireland, Marble Arch MALS 1324, 1970   Musician credit was actually John Kerr with Hugh McLean & P.J. Wilhare. NO other information of any kind except the track listing.

Green Hills Of Ireland ~~ Dominic O'Kelly
Rose Of Moray ~~ Trad. Arr. John Kerr
Three Leafed Shamrock ~~ Trad. Arr. John Kerr
Hornpipe Medley: The Cork Hornpipe/Bays Of Bluehill ~~ Trad. Arr. Hugh McClean (McLean)
Bridle Hanging On The Wall ~~ Carson Robinson (Robison)
Deep Sheep Haven Bay ~~ Trad. Arr. John Kerr
Come Back To Erin ~~ Trad. Arr. John Kerr
Jig Medley: Father O'Flynn ~~ Trad. Arr. P.J. Wilhare
My Lovely Irish Rose ~~ Trad. Arr. John Kerr
Home Boys Home ~~ Trad. Arr. John Kerr

If they took the trouble to credit Carson Robison, I would think they would do the same for Rose Of Moray, if they knew it.


Additional information ~~
Sleeve Design and Art Direction Pye Records Studio
Distributed by Pye Records (Sales) Ltd.
A.T.V. House Great Cumberland Place London W.1.
Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. Patent No. 943.895

There were adverts for albums by Michael O'Duffy and the Donal Ring Ceili Band.

Most of that is not pertinent, but it may give someone a lead

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose Of Moray
From: masato sakurai
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 02:18 AM

John Cronin's version (recorded July 13, 1988; Drinagh, Co. Cork) is almost identical.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose Of Moray
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 01:58 AM

I was wondering about this one. Is it really traditional? It seems rather like a modern imitation of a parlour ballad on the face of it, but of course you never know. Did that John Kerr credit a source at all? The reason it hasn't been mentioned here may just be because it's obscure and little-known; or it may be because it hasn't been around very long, perhaps. We need information...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Rose Of Moray
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 01:50 AM

Uh-oh....this thread is about to disappear from the Forum Menu. Anybody have any information about this song?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROSE OF MORAY
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 24 Aug 03 - 01:53 AM

THE ROSE OF MORAY
Trad, as sung by John Kerr
Green Hills Of Ireland, Marble Arch MALS 1324, 1970

I once loved a maiden so gentle and kind
As sweet as the rose in the dew
Each night as we wandered, the moon seemed to smile
On me and my loved one so true
And so proud was I, when folk passing by
Would gaze on the flower of the dell
And so for her beauty, her sweetness and charm
I called her the Rose of Moray
I called her the Rose of Moray

But soon came the day when I wandered away
From my sweet flower, the rose of the dell
For someone had told me my love wasn't true
That she loved another as well
She vowed she was faithful, her pleading in vain
For jealousy then held its way
So I kissed her goodbye with a tear in her eye
And I left the Rose of Moray
And I left the Rose of Moray

Many years then went by till I found 'twas a lie
My loved one had always been true
My heart for her yearned, so again I returned
And planned a sweet dream for us two
Once more home again, my search was in vain
My sweet flower had faded away
There's a little green grave where the sad lilies wave
And there sleeps the Rose of Moray
And there sleeps the Rose of Moray

So now you have learned why no more I'll return
Again to the scenes of my love
Wherever I roam through this world all alone
I'll pray to my master above
That He may forgive and still let me live
To repent as I go on my way
Although we're apart, she's still in my heart
I still love the Rose of Moray
I still love the Rose of Moray

Here is another version of the oft told story of the rather stupid fellow who suspects his sweetheart of being unfaithful, with no other evidence than someone said so. He leaves her despite her protests, and years later somehow finds that she was true all along. He returns home from wherever he as been all this while, only to find that she has died.

It's probably already been done, but maybe we need to make a collection of this family of songs. I was a bit surprised to find that it was not in the DT, even more so that it has never even been mentioned in the threads. A Google search turned up only 24 mentions, most of which referred to a recording by Johnny McEvoy.