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06 Aug 00 - 08:38 AM (#272278) Subject: Tune Add: I WONDER WHAT IS KEEPING MY TRUE LOVE ^^ From: Ed Pellow The lyrics are in the DT: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love Tonight This version of the tune is taken from Peter Kennedy's 'Folksongs of Britain and Ireland' where it is given the title "Green Grass It Grows Bonny." Unusually, Kennedy has almost nothing to say on the song's origin. Does anyone have any info? Ed Click to playABC format: X:1 ^^ To play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net
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06 Aug 00 - 11:25 AM (#272337) Subject: RE: Tune Add: I wonder what is keeping my true lo From: okthen dear ed this is a lovely song,Kate Rusby does a great version on her "sleepless" album. one of the differences in her version is the line".....as the dew on the thorn that's there in the evening and away with the dawn" cheers bill |
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14 Aug 00 - 05:00 AM (#277281) Subject: RE: Tune Add: I wonder what is keeping my true lo From: Ed Pellow Refresh. Does any one know anything about the history / origin of this song? Also if you can help with my query regarding posting the miditext of the tune, please see this messsage Many thanks Ed |
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14 Aug 00 - 10:53 AM (#277407) Subject: RE: Tune Add: I wonder what is keeping my true lo From: GeorgeH Does anyone know the origin of the Mudcat word set? It seems to have a number of mistakes (i.e. differences from the other versions I've heard which seem to make less sense . . ) And sorry, I find Kate Rusby's version a pale shadow of that by June Tabor (which still feels short of the version where she duets it with Tommas Lynch . . . ) G. |
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06 Apr 07 - 07:45 PM (#2018716) Subject: RE: Tune Add: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: dj bass I have to say I agree with George H. June Tabor's version knocks spots off Kate Rusby's. Yet I very much like Kate's albums and live performances, more so than June's, as a rule. Somehow June really lives this song ( yes I know she lives all her songs, but this one seems special). Any info on the origins yet, by the way? dj |
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07 Apr 07 - 04:55 AM (#2018942) Subject: RE: Tune Add: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: Declan The late great Dublin singer and song collector Frank Harte recorded this song on his album Daybreak and the Candle End. I would suspect Frank's version was the source for many of the singers mentioned here. In the sleeve notes Frank says "This another of the beautiful Ulster love songs which have many versions. This version was collected by the late Sean O Boyle from Armagh" |
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11 Nov 10 - 12:02 AM (#3028976) Subject: Origins: I Wonder What is Keeping My True Love From: GUEST,Alanna Eileen Hello! I'm enquiring as to whether anyone knows anything about the song 'I Wonder What is Keeping My True Love This Night'. I have heard it sung by Deirdre Starr and Kate Rusby but I am unable to glean any information from internet sources as to its origin. Perhaps the song also goes under a different title? As it is so beautifully written I am curious as to why it appears to be generally unknown; not many people seem to have recorded it. Any information would be greatly appreciated. |
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11 Nov 10 - 01:14 AM (#3028994) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: Joe Offer Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love Tonight (Green Grass It Grows Bonny)DESCRIPTION: Woman sings, "I wonder what is keeping my true love tonight?" He sings that he hasn't got anyone else, but he no longer loves her; he can't truly love a woman with two sweethearts. She warns other girls to beware false young menAUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1930 (Ord) KEYWORDS: infidelity love warning lover FOUND IN: Ireland Scotland(Aber) REFERENCES (4 citations): Kennedy 157, "Green Grass It Grows Bonny" (1 text, 1 tune) Tunney-StoneFiddle, pp. 87-88, "Green Grass It Grows Bonnie" (1 text, 1 tune) Ord, p. 187, "The Rose and the Thyme" (1 text, with the plot of this song but introductory stanzas from "Green Grows the Laurel") DT, KEEPLOVE Roud #858 RECORDINGS: McBride 38, "Green Grass it Grows Bonnie" (1 text, 1 tune) CROSS-REFERENCES: cf. "Green Grows the Laurel (Green Grow the Lilacs)" (lyrics) Notes: *She* should talk! - PJS Oh, I don't know; they sound perfect for each other. Interestingly, Ord's text (which seems to mash together this song and "Green Grows the Laurel") doesn't mention the bit about the girl having two sweethearts. Neither does the version in the Digital Tradition, which, however, does not list a source. - RBW File: K157 Go to the Ballad Search form The Ballad Index Copyright 2009 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. |
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11 Nov 10 - 01:39 AM (#3028998) Subject: ADD Version: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love From: Joe Offer This YouTube recording of the song is from Kate Rusby's second album, Sleepless (1999) I WONDER WHAT IS KEEPING MY TRUE LOVE THIS NIGHT I wonder what is keeping my true love this night I wonder what is keeping him out of my sight I wonder if he knows of the pain I endure And stays from me this night I'm not sure Oh love are you coming your cause to advance Or yet are you waiting for a far far better chance Are you coming for to tell me you've a new love in store Or are you coming for to tell me you love me no more For I can love lightly and I can love strong I can love the old love till the new love comes on I only said I loved you for to give your heart ease For when I'm not with you I'll love whom I please Oh, There's gold in my pocket and pain in my heart For I can't love a man with too many sweethearts You're my first and only false love but it's lately I knew That the stronger I loved you the falser you grew Oh, the spring grass grows the greenest and spring water runs clear I'm sorry and tormented for the love of my dear Your love it lies so lightly as the dew on the thorn That's there in the evening and away with the dawn That's there in the evening and away with the dawn |
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11 Nov 10 - 01:53 AM (#3029001) Subject: ADD Version: Green Grass It Grows Bonny From: Joe Offer This version is #157 from Peter Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain and Ireland. Source for this version was Mary McGarvey of Donegal, recorded by Seamus Ennis in 1954 GREEN GRASS IT GROWS BONNY I wonder what is keeping my true-love tonight I wonder what is keeping him out of my sight Little he knows all the pain I endure He would not stay from me this night I am sure O, love, are you not coming my pain to advance Or, love, do you wait on a far better chance Or have you but a sweetheart laid by you in store Or are you coming to tell me you love me no more? Love, I'm not coming your pain to advance Or, love, do I wait on a far better chance Or have I but a sweetheart laid by me in store But I'm coming to tell you: I love you no more I have gold in my pocket and love in my heart But I can't love a maiden that has got two sweethearts I love you just lightly like the dew on the thorn That falls down at night and goes away in the morn Green grass it grows bonny, spring water runs clear I weary, I weary, when I think of you, dear You were my first in true love, but it's now do I rue The fonder I loved you, the falser you grew Come, all young maidens, take a warning from me Never build your nest on the top of the tree The roots they will wither, the branches decay Like that false-hearted young man, they will soon fade away Niamh Parsons sings a lovely version of this song that is very close to this, but with the gender changed.< Click to play |
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11 Nov 10 - 02:31 AM (#3029013) Subject: ADD Version: The Rose and the Thyme From: Joe Offer Here's the version from Ord's Bothy Songs and Ballads (1930), page 187. No tune - but it scans to the tune provided by Kennedy. The Ord book does not have any background notes or source information. THE ROSE AND THE THYME. I'm sorry, I'm sorry that my fortune's been so bad, Since I've fa'en in love wi' a young sailor lad; He courted me by night and he courted me by day, And now he has left me and went far away. My love sent me a letter that he was lying bad, I sent him another I did not him regard; He sent me another wi' the red rose so fine, I sent him another wi' the rue and the thyme. Keep ye the red rose, love, and I'll keep my thyme, Drink ye to your true love, and I'll drink to mine; I'll eat when I'm hungry, and drink when I'm dry, And rest when I am wearied, contented am I. Oh! are ye waiting your fortune to advance? Or are ye awaiting a far better chance? Ore are ye keeping me laid up for you in store? Or do ye mean to tell me that ye love me no more? I am not waiting my fortune to advance, Nor am I awaiting a far better chance; Nor am I keeping you laid up for me in store, Nor do I intend for to mind you any more. Once did love you but now I you disdain, And it's not for all the world I would e'er love you again; The more that I loved you the prouder still you grew, So ye may keep the thyme, love, and I will keep the rue. |
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11 Nov 10 - 06:13 AM (#3029146) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: GUEST,Badjelly I knew Peter Kennedy, who sadly passed away a few years ago. He published many books of music which he had collected. He used to come to a session at the Coach and Horses, Gloucester armed with fiddle and melodeons. By this time he was in his 80s. An endearing habit, which I share when trying to apply mascara, is that he could not play the melodeon without sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth! The Pub, was always full of Gypsy men, who enjoyed the music and occasionally sang, as the women had all gone to Bingo. The gypsies would actually seek out singers, from among their ranks, to bring them to come and sing there. Various people used to turn up over the weeks with new tunes and songs which they had 'found'. They would play them, usually on fiddle, and Peter would listen intently and join in on the fiddle. If it was a tune he had heard previously he would state the title, where it was collected originally and usually when. I witnessed one occasion when a fiddler travelled up up from Cornwall to play 3 tunes. The first 2 Peter had heard but the last one was new to him and he got quite excited. A lovely gentleman. Incidentally, he later told me that Ralph Vaughn Williams was his godfather, so he definitely came from a strong musical tradition. |
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11 Nov 10 - 07:00 AM (#3029171) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: GUEST,John Moulden This song is widespread in tradition in Ireland, especially in Donegal. I collected a version from Seán MacAoidh (John McHugh) at Doochary in that county in 1961 and have heard it many times since. This song and the one from Ord seem to be comprised of different but overlapping sets of lyrical verses (often called 'floating verses).. |
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16 Jun 11 - 12:45 PM (#3171524) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: GUEST A version was collected by Ann Gilchrist in 1904 from a J Collinson at the Westmorland Festival, who is probably the same person who gave Cecil Sharp a version of the Cock Fight the following year at the Kendal Folk Song Competition. He was a Mr J Collinson from Casterton near Kirkby Lonsdale. I wonder what's keeping my love all this night I wonder what's keeping him out of my sight He doesn't consider the pain I endure Oh since he has wounded my poor heart so sure I have not been waiting your pain to advance Nor I have not been waiting on a better chance Nor I have not got gold for to lay up in store But I've come for to tell you I can love you no more I wonder what in the wide world blind folded my eyes I could not see the mountains for the fog in my eyes The moon it shone clear as you plainly may see Since I've got the lost love which is better than thee He sent me a posy of the red rose so fine I sent back another, being the rue mixed with thyme Saying if thou'll keep the rose lad, oh I'll keep the rue So fare thee well me laddie for ever adieu |
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16 Jun 11 - 03:15 PM (#3171604) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: GUEST,leeneia Thanks for posting the tune, Joe. I'm adding it to my flute repertoire. |
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16 Jun 11 - 05:58 PM (#3171683) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: Steve Gardham Here we have yet another typical example of the non-narrative 'Lover's lament' genre. Typically the stanzas come in almost any order, half stanzas can be shunted around at random, and stanzas from other similar pieces frequently become attached. Other examples are the 'Died for Love' family, 'Down in the Meadows/Must I go Bound', 'Waly Waly,' etc. However, some conclusions can be suggested as to its origins. the 10 versions in Greig-Duncan Vol 6, p156-161, one with 9 stanzas seem to suggest a scottish origin with a little overspill into N Ireland. Discounting the 1 or 2 commonplaces that have become attached, the main stock of stanzas draws upon 2 broadside laments of the 17th century, one a rare piece 'The Cruel Nymph/The Brown Girl' (Child 295A), definitely printed in newcastle, and very likely in Scotland; and the other the well-known 'Green Grow the Laurels' printed all over. A typicalbroadside hack's trick was to take 2 or more successful pieces and with some added fresh, cobble together a seemingly new piece. The lines from 'The Cruel Nymph' are the 'sent me a letter' ones, but a similar line occurs in 'Green Grow the Laurels'. The lines from 'Green grow the Laurels' are: 'Green grow the leaves and the water runs clear....' The stanza...'My love sent me some red roses fine....thyme...rue....I'll drink to mine' And...'I can love little I can love long.....love whom I please. The Greig-Duncan umbrella title is 'The Rue and the Thyme' which I have followed in my Master Titles Index. |
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03 Jan 12 - 05:42 AM (#3283930) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: MartinRyan Refresh |
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20 Jan 12 - 02:40 AM (#3293191) Subject: RE Orins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: GUEST,sandra nielson Has anyone thought "Perhaps he has a split personality. I know when going though such heart break one tends to think:' this can not be happening to me!!These things only happen in the movies:but " Has anyone consindethe possibility thay manyh is man has a "has a split personality"I know that when one is experiencing so much pain and heartbreak so much itate life,perhaps he does not know "Why?? He may live a life time before he knows but at times life does Life is "Just life" this man does not know he has a split personlity he just seems confused. These thinks do happen in living real life. This comes from a woman who has lived a long life....70 years and am happy to survived living |
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20 Jan 12 - 10:27 AM (#3293361) Subject: RE: Origins: I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love... From: GUEST,leeneia That could be the answer, but split personality is rare. I think he was just using the girl for company and affection till somebody prettier or richer came along. Then he found all sorts of things wrong with the first girl to justify his actions. Steve, thanks for your explanation of how the broadside printers worked and reworked songs. |