Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...

Subject: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 06:53 PM

I'm trying to remember the words of a folk song.
It starts out ....
"Twas Early in the Springtime or "Morning" or something like that!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 06:57 PM

Uh . . . that could be any one of several dozen songs I can think of. Can you cut it down a little finer?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 07:11 PM

Oh Sure! It was about a soldier and his girl.
Or maybe it was about a sailor and his girl.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: LukeKellylives (Chris)
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 07:16 PM

Was it The Nightingale?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: GUEST,?????
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 07:22 PM

SO EARLY IN THE SPRING

It being early in the spring
I went on board to serve my king
Leaving my dearest dear behind
She oftimes swore her heart was mine

As I lay smiling in her arms
I thought I held ten thousand charms
With embraces kind and a kiss so sweet
Saying We'll be married when next we meet

As I was sailing on the sea
I took a kind opportunity
Of writing letters to my dear
But scarce one word from her did hear

As I was walking up London Street
I shoved a letter from under my feet
Straight lines being wrote without any blot
Saying seldom seen is soon forgot

I went up to her father's hall
And for my dearest dear did call
She's married, sir, she's better for life
For she has become a rich man's wife

If the girl is married, whom I adore
I'm sure I'll stay on land no more.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 07:37 PM

Jeeze that's a good one. What's the tune?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 07:52 PM

No Chris: It was in the morning, I think and the weather was fine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Declan
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 08:20 PM

I suspect Jim Lad is having a bit of fun here.

A bit like a thread requesting a Blues that starts with "I woke up this morning" or an Irish Ballad that starts "O Come all ye ..."

The song posted by our questionable Guest above seems to fit in with the air of the Croppy Boy (the one that starts with the opening from this thread) or McCafferty (same air).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 08:43 PM

The birds did whistle and sweetly sing .... Have a great weekend, one and all!

Subject: Lyr Add: A KISS IN THE MORNING EARLY
From: oldhippie
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 09:10 PM

A KISS IN THE MORNING EARLY
Sung by Mick Hanley, recorded by Niamh Parsons, and in O'Lochlainn's "More Irish Street Ballads"

'Twas early one morning a fair maid arose
And dressed herself up in the finest of clothes
And off to the shoemaker's shop sure she goes
For the kiss in the morning early
The cobbler arose and he soon let her in
His awl and his hammer were neat as a pin
And he had the will for to greet her so slim
With a kiss in the morning early

O Cobbler, o cobbler, 'tis soon we'll be wed
And nestling together in a fine feather bed
So give me two shoes with two buckles of red
For my kiss in the morning early
The maid hid the shoes at the back of her waist
She praised his good cobbling and shoemaker's taste
And home to her father she mournfully faced
And it was in the morning early

O Father, o Father, I've got me a man
And he is the one I would wed if I can
As handsome as ever in leather did stand
For my kiss in the morning early
So the father was thinking and thinking again
For to wed her to riches and have him for kin
Who knows but it might be a prince or a king
That she met in the morning early

Who knows but it might be a jobber from town
Or a wealthy sea captain who's sailed the world round
A man with some thousands and thousands of pounds
That she met in the morning early
So the father was smiling, his daughter embraced
And touching the buckles he drew back in haste
He spied the red shoes that were tied round her waist
Oh it was in the morning early

O daughter, o daughter, he started to shout
When he did discover what she was about
God knows 'twas none but that old cobbling clout
That you met in the morning early

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 05:43 AM

Vic Gammon sings a song called, 'Early, early all in the spring' on Dearman, Gammon and Harrison's CD, 'Black Crow White Crow' (EFDSS CD11, 2005). According to the CD notes this version was collected by Vaughan Williams from "Mr Stacey of Hollycombe in Sussex in 1904". It's the song with a line about "Cartagena's shore" (if that means anything to you!).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Twas Early in the ...
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 07:25 AM

The Croppy Boy starts that way but the rest doesn't fit in with what you want.

It was early, early in the spring,
The birds did whistle and sweetly sing,
Changing their notes from tree to tree,
And the song they sang was Old Ireland free.

I think Declan was right!

Hope you're having a good weekend Jim Lad.