Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter (Barry Taylor)

Subject: Lyr Add: AN EMIGRANT'S DAUGHTER (Barry Taylor)
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 21 Dec 04 - 07:43 AM

Not only is Barry Taylor one of the finest arrangers of folk music in MIDI format, he has penned lyrics to create a very fine song in my opinion.

The MIDI can be found RIGHT CLICK HERE.

The sheet music in PDF format, with delightful guitar chords, can be found HERE.

AN EMIGRANT'S DAUGHTER

Tune: The Grenadier and the Lady
Lyrics by Barry Taylor 1998

Oh please ne'er forget me though waves now lie o'er me
I was once young and pretty and my spirit ran free
But destiny tore me from country and loved ones
And from the new land I was never to see.
A poor emigrant's daughter too frightened to know
I was leaving forever the land of my soul
Amid struggle and fear my parents did pray
To place courage to leave o'er the longing to stay.

They spoke of a new land far away 'cross the sea
And of peace and good fortune for my brothers and me
So we parted from townland with much weeping and pain
'Kissed the loved ones and the friends we would ne'er see again.
The vessel was crowded with disquieted folk
The escape from past hardship sustaining their hope
But as the last glimpse of Ireland faded into the mist
Each one fought back tears and felt strangely alone.

The seas roared in anger, making desperate our plight
And a fever came o'er me that worsened next night
Then delirium possessed me and clouded my mind
And I, for a moment, saw that land left behind.
I could hear in the distance my dear mother's wailing
And the prayers of three brothers that I'd see no more
And I felt father's tears as he begged for forgiveness
For seeking a new life on the still distant shore.

Oh please ne'er forget me though waves now lie o'er me
I was once young and pretty and my spirit ran free
But destiny tore me from country and loved ones
And from the new land I was never to see.


This ballad tells the true story of the emigration of my
Irish ancestors. In 1842 my great great great grandfather,
Samuel Huston, his wife Elizabeth and his four children
left County Tyrone, Ireland, to emigrate to Canada. Their
only daughter, whom I believe to have been in her early
teens, died during that voyage. This is her story... as seen
through her eyes and as sung through her voice.
The tune is an adaptation of an old English ballad 'The
Grenadier and the Lady'; the lyrics are new; the story is but
one of the many recalling the courage of the pioneer settlers
who built our great country.

Note to Performers: This song is royalty-free for both
performance and recording purposes, but I would
appreciate an acknowledgement. Barry Taylor, Victoria,
British Columbia, Canada

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: MMario
Date: 21 Dec 04 - 08:33 AM

a marvelous song

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: Dani
Date: 21 Dec 04 - 08:52 AM

I love this song. I learned it (poorly) from the midi when it was posted some ago, and can make myself cry every time I sing it.

Mmario, this would be a great song for your repertoire.

Dani

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: GUEST,Barry T
Date: 23 Mar 06 - 09:53 PM

I am posting this follow-up message to share something I myself was never capable of producing, namely an arrangement of this song for piano!

A chance visit to my Canadian tunebook site by Russian musician, Denis Khvatov, led to Denis and his family performing a selection of Canadian folksongs in concert in Moscow. Our tentative initial email exchanges evolved into a wonderful cyber friendship. Denis is a classical musician who also specializes in music publishing.

When I learned that, I asked Denis if he would be willing to craft a simple sheet for piano and voice to replace the (lousy) version I had on my own site. Not only did he produce that elementary melody-and-chord version, but also went beyond the call to create a beautiful original arrangement. He also assembled in pdf format a superb notation package for the song... cover page, piano arrangement, voice-and- chord version, and song notes.

So it is with a little pride... and a lot of thanks to Denis... that I am able to share this with the resident keyboarders here at the Mudcat. 'Hope you enjoy it... and share it!

Hear it

Download it

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: MMario
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 07:53 AM

one I've got to put back in my repetoire...I haven't sung it in several seasons.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: JedMarum
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:03 AM

I love this song too! I've thought about using the melody for a song, and I have just the story in mind. We'll see.

Thanks for posting the lyrics and the midis - both midis are quite beautiful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: JedMarum
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:05 AM

.. and thanks very much for the piano transcription.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: JedMarum
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:14 AM

I hadn't noticed that you/Barry had written these lyrics. I read them some time ago at your website - and presumed they were old as well. There is no need for me to write yet another set of lyrics, since you've told such an important story so eloquently.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: An Emigrant's Daughter - Barry Taylor
From: MMario
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:20 AM

Ratz! Here I thought I was gonna get a twofor tune!

Subject: Lyr Add: GRENADIER AND THE LADY (trad Dorset)
From: JedMarum
Date: 24 Mar 06 - 11:24 AM

You DO get two for one, MMario. Here're the older lyrics:

THE GRENADIER AND THE LADY
Trad. Dorsetshire
As I was a walking one morning in May,
I spied a young couple a-making of hay,
O one was a pretty maid and her beauty shone clear,
And the other was a soldier, a bold grenadier.

A-walking and a-talking and a-walking together,
O a-walking so far till they couldn't tell whither,
So they sat themselves down by the clear crystal stream
For to see the flowers grow and hear the nightingale sing.

In kisses and compliments he took her round the middle,
And out of his knapsack he drew forth his fiddle,
And he play'd such a fine tune as made the groves ring:
"Hark hark" said the fair maid, "How the nightingale sings."

"O come," said the soldier, "tis time to give o'er."
"O no," said the fair maid, "we will have one tune more,
I do like your music and the tune of your string,
I do like to see the flowers grow and hear the nightingale sing."

"Then come," says the fair maid, "will you marry me?"
"O no!," says the soldier, "O that can never be,
For I've got me a wife in my own counteree,
O so fair a woman that ever you see."

"I've got me a wife there, and child-er-en three,
Two wives in the army 's too many for me,
But if I should return, O! 't will be in the spring,
I will show you how the flowers grow, make the nightingale sing."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: AN EMIGRANT'S DAUGHTER (Barry Taylor)
From: GUEST,willow
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 10:36 PM

I love this song. so sad yet beautiful