Where is this stanza from?

Subject: Where is this stanza from?
From: Stephen R.
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 08:34 PM

Can someone identify:

Her cheeks they are a ruby red,
Her hair a lovely brown,
And o'er her milk-white shoulders
It carelessly hangs down.

Stephen

Subject: Lyr Add: THE FLOWER OF SWEET STRABANE
From: beardedbruce
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 08:37 PM

The Flower of Sweet Strabane
(Trad. 19th century, but might be earlier.)

If I were King of Ireland's Isle
And had all things at my will
I'd roam for recreation
And I'd seek for comfort still.
The comfort I would ask for,
So that you may understand
Is to win the heart of Martha,
The Flower of Sweet Strabane.

Her cheeks they are a ruby red,
Her hair a lovely brown
And o'er her milk-white shoulders
It carelessly hangs down.
She is the fairest creature
And the pride of all her clan
And my heart is captivated
By the Flower of Sweet Strabane.

Well I've been in the Phoenix Park
And in Killarney fair,
The lovely glens of Antrim
And the winding banks of Clare.
In all my earthly travels
I never yet met one
That could compare, I do declare,
With the Flower of Sweet Strabane.

But since I cannot gain her love
No joy there is for me,
And I must seek forgetfulness
In lands across the sea.
Unless she cares to follow me,
I swear by my right hand
McKenna's face you'll ne'er more see,
My Flower of Sweet Strabane.

So it's farewell to sweet Derry Quay,
New Mills and Waterside
I'll sail out o'er the ocean,
Whatever may betide.
I'll sail away from Derry Quay
Out by the Isle of Man,
And I'll bid farewell to Martha,
The Flower of Sweet Strabane.

Subject: RE: Where is this stanza from?
From: Peace
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 09:44 PM

Jaysus, bbruce, what took you so long?

Subject: RE: Where is this stanza from?
From: TIA
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 09:47 PM

Also remarkably similar to a verse of Shady Grove my father used to sing. Could be he mixed it up a bit with Strabane. But that's Folk ain't it?

Subject: RE: Where is this stanza from?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 09:58 PM

This one is in the DT, and see other versions in thread 8569: Strabane

Subject: RE: Where is this stanza from?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:12 PM

brucie,

I have stated that I am a lousy typist.

Slow, too.

Subject: RE: Where is this stanza from?
From: LadyJean
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:13 PM

I believe the verse in Shady Grove is:
Cheeks as red as a blooming rose
Eyes as brown as brown
You are the darling of my heart
Stay til the sun goes down.

Subject: RE: Where is this stanza from?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:22 PM

Shady Grove also in the DT; variants in thread 15883: Shady Grove

Subject: RE: Where is this stanza from?
From: Stephen R.
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 12:12 PM

Thanks, beardedbruce and all! The Shady Grove stanza is somewhat similar, but here we get into such folksong commonplace that similarities will turn up all over the place. I'm particularly interested in the collocation of hair, esp. brown hair, and shoulders.

'The Black Velvet Band' (Roud 2146)
'The Blazing Star of Drim' (Roud 2945)
'The Dawning of the Day' (Roud 370)
('The Flower of Sweet Strabane' is Roud 2745.)

Certainly looks like an Irish thing. 'The Blazing Star of Drim' and 'The Dawning of the Day' have *white* shoulders, which after all give us the proper name Fionnula or Finnoula.

Stephen