Origins: Sundown (Edith Sanford Tillotson)

Subject: RE: Origins: Sundown (Edith Sanford Tillotson)
From: GUEST,Tom Rothschild
Date: 03 Aug 21 - 12:54 AM

I learned this (and many other songs) from Margot Mayo, a folk singer and an early leader of square dance revival, in the early 1950's. My favorite lullaby that I sang for both my kids, and now my granddaughter. It's a slight variant on Tillotson's poem (and leaves out the third verse altogether), but I like it better--and not just because I learned it that way. See what you think.


There is a glen that lies beneath the hillcrest,
That looks across the valley and the town,
And there the clouds forever shine the brightest in the west,
And longest wait before the sun goes down.

So if the day has made your soul grow weary,
And brought your eyes the shadow of a frown,
Go climb the road that leads you to my highland glen,
And watch the clouds light up before the sun goes down.

The gentle breath that wafts along the mountainside,
Will soothe the cares, the sorrows of the day;
And on the breeze that drifts across the valley wide,
Each troubled thought will slowly float away.

So if the day has made your soul grow weary,
And brought your eyes the shadow of a frown,
Go climb the road that leads you to my highland glen,
And watch the clouds light up before the sun goes down.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sundown (Edith Sanford Tillotson)
From: GUEST,Michelle
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 12:08 AM

My Grandmother used to sing this to me every night when I would go to visit! Thank you for this as I have looked for ages to no avail! ??

Subject: RE: Origins: Sundown (Edith Sanford Tillotson)
From: GUEST,Crystal
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 11:16 PM

We sang this song back in high school back in 1981 and yes, it is absolutely to the tune of Danny boy.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sundown (Edith Sanford Tillotson)
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 01 May 20 - 07:41 PM

Only the front page and the second. I presume there's more than can be prewiewed.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sundown (Edith Sanford Tillotson)
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 01 May 20 - 07:37 PM

The sheet music was published in 1928. You can see it at

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Choral-Sheet-Music-Sundown-for-Mixed-Voices-11-Original-Copies-/124062881828

Subject: RE: Origins: Sundown (Edith Sanford Tillotson)
From: GUEST,Barbara
Date: 30 Apr 20 - 08:51 PM

Second verse
The solemn peace that breathes upon the hillside
Will heal the scars, the fevers of the day,
And on the breeze that gently moves across the valley wide
Each troubled thought, will idly flee away.

Then back to chorus
So if the day has made you seem quite weary
And brought your eyes the shadow of a frown.
Go climb the road that leads you to my highland glen,
And watch the clouds light up before the sun goes down.

Subject: RE: Origins: There is a glen that lies beneath the hil
From: GUEST,Janice
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 06:48 PM

This is a popular song that my choir sings in three-part harmony to the tune of "Danny Boy."

Subject: Lyr Add: SUNDOWN (Edith Sanford Tillotson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Sep 11 - 09:27 PM

Lyrics copied from http://prostores3.carrierzone.com/servlet/solo-finder_com/-strse-1462/Thirty-One-Popular-Sacred/Detail:


SUNDOWN
Words, Edith Sanford Tillotson; music, Londonderry Air, arr. Ira B. Wilson

There is a glen that lies beneath the hillcrest,
That looks across the valley and the town;
And there the light forever glows the softest in the west,
And longest waits before the sun goes down.

So if the day has made your soul grow weary,
And brought your eyes the shadow of a frown,
Go, climb the road that leads you to my highland glen,
And watch the clouds light up before the sun goes down.

The solemn peace that breathes upon the hillside,
Will heal the wounds, the fevers of the day;
And on the breeze that gently moves across the valley wide,
Each troubled thought will slowly fade away.

So if the day has made your soul grow weary,
And brought your eyes the shadow of a frown,
God, climb the road that leads you to my highland glen,
And watch the clouds light up before the sun goes down.

May life's whole span be just the rugged roadway
By which we reach the peaceful, sunlit height,
Where we can hear, like music, at the closing of the day,
God's word of old, that eventide brings light.

And tho' the day may make the soul grow weary,
May bring the eye the shadow of a frown,
We'll climb the road that leads us where His glories shine,
And see our clouds light up before life's sun goes down.

Subject: RE: Origins: There is a glen that lies beneath the hil
From: GUEST,Evelyn
Date: 23 Sep 11 - 08:09 AM

Start of 2nd verse:

And on the breeze that gently flows across the ________
Your ______ and cares will all be borne away.


And now I'm blank - I learned it under the name of "Sunset". We sang it in school chorus in 1940.

Subject: RE: Origins: There is a glen that lies beneath the hil
From: GUEST,Isabel
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 07:47 AM

It is a song set to Londonderry air (Danny Boy) - so you are right Dave.

Subject: RE: Origins: There is a glen that lies beneath the hil
From: GUEST,Isabel
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 07:42 AM

continuing on..

So if the day, has made your soul grow weary,
And brought your eyes the shadow of a frown,
Go climb that road, that leads you to my highland glen
and watch the clouds light up before the sun goes down.

I have the sheet music somewhere..

Subject: RE: Origins: Help needed-There Is a Glen...
From: Folkiedave
Date: 25 Feb 07 - 10:42 AM

Nope I have had a look through loads of old books and there is nothing....

Subject: RE: Origins: Help needed-There Is a Glen...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 02:12 PM

I have been checking old songbooks but no luck so far. Songs like this often were titled something like 'evening light,' or 'at twilight' and the words of the verses don't help.

Subject: RE: Origins: Help needed-There Is a Glen...
From: leeneia
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 11:45 PM

Sounds lovely, I hope you find it. (Posting to help keep the thead active.)

Subject: RE: Origins: Help needed-There Is a Glen...
From: Folkiedave
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 04:59 PM

Thanks for that Joe, lets hope someone else can come up trumps...


Dave

Subject: RE: Origins: Help needed-There Is a Glen...
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 01:40 AM

Hi, Dave-
this page (click) gives one more line:

There is a glen that lies beneath the hillcrest.
That looks across the valley and the town.
And there the lights forever shine,
the softest in the west,
and longest waits before the sun goes down."

That's the only reference to the song that I could find.
-Joe-

Subject: Origins: Help needed
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 04:57 AM

I am hoping Mudcat comes up trumps on this one.

I am seeking a song whose first verse goes:

There is a glen that lies beneath the hillcrest.
That looks across the valley and the town.
And there the lights forever shine, the softest in the west, ...

There is a suggestion that the tune may be Danny Boy, but I have difficulty making the words I have to that tune.

Dave