Lyr Req: Love Farewell

Subject: Lyr Req: Love Farewell
From: GUEST,Leah
Date: 15 Nov 03 - 01:39 PM

The refrain is "to my love farewell, my land farewell, we're all marching away farewell". Does anyone know the lyrics and history to this tune? Jody Stecher recorded it but I can't decipher all the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Farewell
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 16 Nov 03 - 06:49 AM

John Tamms and Keith Kendrick do one of that name, but it has a different refrain.
Verse one goes

I thought I heard the colnel crying,
March brave lads, there's no denying.

The refrain is just, Love Farewell

Happy to post rest if required.
Keith.

Subject: Lyr Add: LOVE FAREWELL (from Max Hunter collection
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Nov 03 - 10:30 AM

This is very similar, but it doesn't have the farewell to land..

VERSE 1
Come Philanders, let's be marching
All ye true lovers let's be marching
Ring farewell, to my love farewell
We're all a marching around very well

VERSE 2
Choose your true love now or never
Take 'er by th hand an' tell 'er how ya love her
Ring farewell, to my love farewell
We're all a marching 'round very well

VERSE 3
My heart you gained, my hand I'll give you
One sweet kiss an' honey I must leave you
Ring farewell, t' my love farewell
We're all a marching 'round very well

VERSE 4
O, my little honey, you don't know how I love you
There's none on this earth that I love like I love you
Ring farewell, to my love farewell
We're all a marching 'round very well

http://www.smsu.edu/folksong/maxhunter/1179/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Love Farewell
From: GUEST,Leah
Date: 16 Nov 03 - 11:14 AM

Thank you Sorcha and Keith. Sorcha, I recognize the last verse so that must be the one! On his liner notes Jody Stecher said that he only heard a fragment of the song from a tape a friend gave him and he must have taken liberty with the rest. It's interesting to know now where it came from. Thank you again!

Subject: Lyr Add: LOVE FAREWELL (from Jody Stecher)
From: Stewie
Date: 16 Nov 03 - 07:22 PM

As indicated by Leah, Stecher had only a fragment from John Cohen and constructed the rest:

LOVE FAREWELL

Oh my little hon', you know that I love you
There's nothing in this world I love like I love you
To my love farewell, (to) my land farewell
We're all a-marching away farewell

Oh my little hon', you don't do me better
I'll build me a boat and I'll float down the river
To my love farewell, (to) my land farewell
We're all a-marching away farewell

Goin' down the road, road mighty muddy
Slippin' and a-slidin' and I can't walk steady
To my love farewell, (to) my land farewell
We're all a-marching away farewell

Boat begin to rock, I begin to shiver
Oh my little hon', I'm a-floatin' down the river
To my love farewell, (to) my land farewell
We're all a-marching away farewell

I had a wife, she was a weaver
She wouldn't weave and I wouldn't either
To my love farewell, (to) my land farewell
We're all a-marching away farewell

Goodbye wife, goodbye baby
Goodbye biscuits sopped in gravy
To my love farewell, (to) my land farewell
We're all a-marching away farewell

Instrument

Repeat stanza 1.

Source: transcription of 'Love Farewell' on Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin 'A Song That Will Linger' Rounder CD 0274 [1989].


--Stewie.