Lyr Req: The Greenwood Laddie

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Lyr Req: The Greenwood Laddie

11 Jul 97 - 01:06 PM (#8510)
Subject: The Green Wood Laddie
From: Suibhan Crawford

Does anyone know the lyrics to this Irish song?

15 Jul 97 - 04:49 AM (#8689)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREENWOOD LADDIE
From: Wolfgang Hell

here they are (as printed in P. Tunney, The Stone Fiddle):

THE GREENWOOD LADDIE

1. You Muses assist me, there's none can resist me,
only that fair one that I do adore,
and while others can tease me, he's the young man can please me,
and he's my Greenwood laddie whom I'll always adore.

2. If you had seen my dearest, with the eyes of the clearest,
his cheeks like the red blood that's new-dropped in snow.
He is neat, tall and slender and his hands soft and tender,
he's my Greenwood laddie wherever he go.

3. My parents, my darling, they slight you with scorn
because you've no riches all wrapped up in store.
But the more that they slight you, the more I'll invite you
to be my Greenwood laddie till time is no more.

4. For if I had the wealth of the East and West Indies
or if I had the gold of the African shore
or if I could gain thousands, I'd lie on your bosom
you'll be my Greenwood laddie I'll always adore.

5. It's down in yon bower, we spent many's the long hour
a-plucking the flowers in his company.
It was his stolen kisses gave me my heart's wishes,
he'll be my Greenwood laddie wherever he'll be.

Enjoy it Wolfgang

15 Jul 97 - 08:16 AM (#8703)
Subject: RE: The Green Wood Laddie
From:

the second "that" in line 2 should have been "whom" Wolfgang

15 Jul 97 - 07:17 PM (#8752)
Subject: RE: The Green Wood Laddie
From:

For recording see "GAN DHA PHINGIN SPRE" by Mairead Ni Dhomhnaill on Gael Linn CEF CD 152 (1991) . bigj

15 Jul 97 - 07:37 PM (#8754)
Subject: RE: The Green Wood Laddie
From:

PS re Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill's version which she got from Sean Corcoran who got it from Robert Cinnamond.

v4 And it's down in yonder bower, I spent many's the long hour, A plucking wild flowers by yon clear winding shore,. It was his stolen kisses, caused my fondest wishes He'll be my Green Wood Laddie, whom I'll always adore.

v5 And if I had the wealth of the East or West Indies, Or if I had the wealth of the African shore, Or if I could gain thousands,I'd lie in your bosom You'd be my Green Wood Laddie, whom I'd always adore.

03 Sep 06 - 04:05 AM (#1825764)
Subject: DT Correction: The Greenwood Laddie
From: Joe Offer

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

Greenwood Laddie, The

DESCRIPTION: Singer describes the beauty of her greenwood laddie. Her parents oppose the match because he has no riches, but she says "the more that they slight you, the more I'll invite you". She would still cherish him if she had the gold of the Indies or of Africa.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1952 (recorded from Charles Boyle)
KEYWORDS: love beauty gold money lyric nonballad lover father mother
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Kennedy 130, "The Greenwood Laddie" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2123
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Banks of the Bann (I)" [Laws O2] (lyrics)
Notes: In 1909 Joyce collected "The Greenwood Lad," but only the tune, and without seeing it I won't cite it as Earliest Date. This is similar in tone to "Banks of the Bann," and even shares a verse, but it's otherwise different enough that I split them without question. - PJS
Kennedy speculates that this might be somehow connected with a Gaelic song, and that the youth's "green-ness" might have political significance. Which strikes me as a rather forced interpretation. - RBW
File: K130

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Instructions

The version in the Digital Tradition is from Kennedy, Folksongs of Britain and Ireland. It's a pretty good transcription, but there are a couple of OCR errors. Here's a corrected text:
THE GREENWOOD LADDIE

If you had seen my dearest, and his eyes shine the clearest
His cheeks like the red blood that's new-dropped in snow
He is neat, tall and slender, and his hands soft and tender
He'll be my greenwood laddie wherever he go.

My parents, my darling, they slight you with scorn
Because you have no riches wrapped up in store.
But the more that they slight you, the more I'll invite you
To be my greenwood laddie, till time is no more.

For if I had the wealth of the East or West Indies
Or I had the gold of the African shore,
Or if I could gain thousands I'd lie on your bosom
You'd be my greenwood laddie whom I'll always adore.

It's down yonder bower I've spent many's the long hour
A-pulling the flowers by yon clear winding shore;
It was his stolen kisses caused my fondest wishes
He'll be my greenwood laddie and the boy I adore.

From Folksongs of Britain and Ireland, Kennedy

@love
filename[ GRNWDLAD
TUNE FILE: GRNWDLAD
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
apr00

I can't get the MIDI to work, but the downloadable version of the Digital Tradition has it. I can post a tune from Kennedy if somebody needs it.

04 Sep 06 - 03:32 AM (#1826368)
Subject: RE: The Greenwood Laddie
From: The Sandman

Ihave recorded this song so haveGraham AND EILEEN PRATT.

04 Sep 06 - 11:49 AM (#1826621)
Subject: RE: The Greenwood Laddie
From: GUEST,mary jo

Can this song be considered a ballad? I am singing a competition and want to get is passed by judges as a ballad...any insight? Some sources call it cong and others ballad...any insight or definitive source?

mj.

04 Sep 06 - 12:10 PM (#1826635)
Subject: RE: The Greenwood Laddie
From: Desert Dancer

Sorry, lyric love song, not a ballad. (It's in the first person, and not narrative.)

~ Becky in Tucson

04 Sep 06 - 01:04 PM (#1826672)
Subject: RE: The Greenwood Laddie
From: Joe Offer

Some people stretch the term "ballad" to include just about everything. I've heard ballad defined as "the slow songs Elvis sang." Becky's criteria seem to be pretty good, but aren't there some first-person ballads? The song is listed in the Traditional Ballad Index (see above) - but as a "nonballad."
Mary Jo, I would think your competition would have its own definition of "ballad" - better check with them.
-Joe-

10 Sep 06 - 11:41 PM (#1831604)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREENWOOD LADDY
From: Jim Dixon

Here's the text from a broadside at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, Harding B 26(236):

A NEW SONG, CALLED THE GREENWOOD LADDY

1. Ye muses assist me, no one can possess me
Only that young man that I do adore,
He's neat, tall, and slender, his hue soft and tender,
He's my Green-wood lad, and the boy I adore

2. O yonder's my dearest. his eyes are the clearest
His cheeks like the blood newly dropped down on snow,
He's neat, tall, and slender, his hearts soft, and tender,
Nature has formed him to be my overthrow.

3. Your parents my darling, owes you a great scorn,
Because I'm not fit your companion to be,
But do your endeavour my darling to please them,
Court some other young man think no more of me.

4. If your parents, my darling owe me a great scorn,
Because you'r not fit my companion to be,
But the more they do slight you the more I'll invite you,
You're the Greenwood lad and the boy I adore

5. Many's the hour we spent down in the bower,
Kissing and courting in your sweet company,
'Twas your soft melting kisses gained my fond wishes,
You're my greenwood lad and the boy I ador

6. O was I possess'd of the East or west Indias,
Or was I possess'd of the African store,
Or had I a thousand to my darling I'd give it
You're my greenwood lad and the boy I adore

7. This couple they hurried and quickly got married,
She has got her sweet heart with thousands in store,
She seems quite contented there's none could prevent it,
She got her greenwood lad and the boy she adored.

11 Sep 06 - 04:42 PM (#1832109)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Greenwood Laddie
From: GUEST,oldhippie

Also recorded by Caroline Lavelle on her CD A Distant Bell.