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22 Sep 00 - 08:23 PM (#303515) Subject: Lyr Add: FLOWERS IN THE VALLEY From: Malcolm Douglas While looking for tunes for songs in the DT that don't have any attached, I came across a transcription of Flowers in the Valley, taken from a record by Finbar and Eddie Furey. Their version is quite badly garbled (whether by them or their source, I have no idea) but it seems to derive originally from the version collected by Sabine Baring Gould in Cornwall, and set by him to a tune that he had heard Mr. Gilbert of The Falcon Inn at Mawgan in Pyder, Cornwall, sing to a different -though perhaps related- song. It was published in A Garland of Country Song (1895). This is the tune that the Fureys use, though they have loosened the rhythm quite a bit. Here is the text, which should also clear up any confusion as to where the refrain fits in (the DT transcription breaks the verses up in the wrong place): FLOWERS IN THE VALLEY O there was a woman, and she was a widow, Fair are the flowers in the valley, With a daughter as fair as a fresh sunny meadow, The Red, the Green and the Yellow. The Harp, the Lute, the Pipe, the Flute, the Cymbal. Sweet goes the treble Violin. The maid so rare and the flowers so fair Together they grew in the valley. There came a Knight all clothed in red, Fair are the flowers in the valley. "I would thou wert my bride" he said, The Red, the Green and the Yellow. The Harp, the Lute, the Pipe, the Flute, the Cymbal. Sweet goes the treble Violin. "I would", she sighed, "ne'er wins a bride!" Fair are the flowers in the valley. There came a Knight all clothed in green, Fair are the flowers in the valley. "This maid so sweet might be my queen." The Red, the Green and the Yellow. The Harp, the Lute, the Pipe, the Flute, the Cymbal. Sweet goes the treble Violin. "Might be", sighed she, "will ne'er win me!" Fair are the flowers in the valley. There came a Knight, in yellow was he, Fair are the flowers in the valley. "My bride, my queen, thou must be with me!" The Red, the Green and the Yellow. The Harp, the Lute, the Pipe, the Flute, the Cymbal. Sweet goes the treble Violin. With blushes red, "I come", she said; "Farewell to the flowers in the valley." A midi of the tune goes to Alan's Mudcat Midi Page, once the Olympics are over. Malcolm |
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22 Sep 00 - 08:27 PM (#303517) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Jon Freeman I learned that one from Singing Together! Jon |
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22 Sep 00 - 08:32 PM (#303519) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Malcolm Douglas If only Finbar and Eddie had, too, their recording might have made more sense.. Malcolm |
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22 Sep 00 - 09:10 PM (#303537) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Jon Freeman LOL. Seriously, I have just checked - if they had used Singing Together, Summer Schools 1968, they would have the identical lyrics to the version you have supplied. Jon |
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23 Sep 00 - 05:26 PM (#304002) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Malcolm Douglas I neglected to mention that this song appears to be a variant of The Cruel Brother (Child #11), with a more complicated refrain and a happy ending! Child's versions E, F, G, I, J, K, L & M all contain the three suitors dressed in different colours; version G also has the Fine flowers i' the valley/ Wi' the red, green , and the yellow interlaced refrain. Baring Gould, of course, had noticed this connection and mentions it in his notes. Malcolm |
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19 Feb 11 - 08:44 PM (#3098799) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Nigel Parsons Also appears exactly (and that's unusual) in English Folk-Songs for Schools collected and arranged by S. Baring Gould, M.A. & Cecil J. Sharp, B.A. That's one I don't need to type out! |
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20 Feb 11 - 02:44 AM (#3098916) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: RunrigFan From DT http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiFINEFLW2.html Flowers in the Valley Flowers in the Valley There was a woman, oh but she was a widow Fair as the flowers in the valley With a daughter as fair as a fray sunny meadow The red and the green and the yellow Ch.: No harp, no lute, nor pipe nor flute nor cymbal As sweet grows the treble violin This maiden so fair and the flower so rare Together they grew in the valley Oh, then came this knight all dressed in red Fair as the flowers in the valley "Thou art my bride ?I'll say? thou as thee said" The red and the green and the yellow "Oh no" said she "Oh thou'st never win me" As fair as the flowers in the valley Oh, then came this knight all dressed in green Fair as the flowers in the valley "Thou must be, I see thou as my queen" The red and the green and the yellow "Oh no" said she "Oh thou'st never win me" As fair as the flowers in the valley Oh, then came this knight all dressed in yellow Fair as the flowers in the valley "Thou art my love and my bride" said he The red and the green and the yellow "I'll come" said she "I'll go with thee" Farewell to the flowers in the valley |
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20 Feb 11 - 04:44 AM (#3098941) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Dave MacKenzie As far as I know, the Fureys learnt this song from Gordon Geekie, who is mentioned in the sleeve notes of TRA 168, though not as their source. As far as I remember, Gordon sang the words as per Baring-Gould, with and intricate guitar accompaniment. |
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19 Mar 13 - 04:27 PM (#3492322) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: GUEST,Joan M Dootson. (nee Pinnington) Remember this song as my favourite from Red Rock School, Haigh, nr Wigan. From about 1944. |
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19 Mar 13 - 05:21 PM (#3492336) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: GUEST,Tinker From Chicago You'll also find this on a Clancy Brothers album of the same name, featuring all four Clancys. |
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09 Feb 21 - 09:14 PM (#4092363) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Joe Offer Gayle Wade sent me a copy of the song from a school songbook. Sarah the Flute sang it wonderfully at Monday's Singaround. Click to display (joeweb) |
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10 Feb 21 - 03:50 AM (#4092386) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: GUEST,Gayle Wade The image is from Singing Together/Rhythm and Melody, which was a BBC radio broadcast for primary schools: this one was in Spring Term 1954. It also included a Mozart lullaby and a bit about Smetana's The Bartered Bride as well as British and European folk songs. ?? |
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10 Feb 21 - 04:26 AM (#4092390) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Sarah the flute Thanks Joe! I got it from another school song book I have English Folk-Songs for Schools Collected and Arranged by S. Baring Gould M.A. and Cecil J Sharp BA Curwen Edition 1920 I'd forgotten what a nice song it is, but also remember singing it at school. It's amazing what we were allowed to sing at school - I'm sure some of the content of this book would not be permissible today for all sorts of reasons!!! |
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10 Feb 21 - 12:26 PM (#4092467) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: leeneia Thanks for the sheet music, Gayle and Joe. It makes a song come alive. |
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11 Feb 21 - 09:20 AM (#4092616) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Mrrzy I knew this by the Clancies who did not sing the Red verse so I added it myself, pretty much the way the OP put it. Lovely song. |
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11 Feb 21 - 11:45 AM (#4092635) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: leeneia The image of the knight who shows up (weapons and all) and says "thou must..." strikes a nasty note in a song about love and flowers. Enter the folk process: There came a Knight, in yellow was he, Fair are the flowers in the valley. "My bride, my queen, I'll be loyal to thee!" The Red, the Green and the Yellow. A number of words might work where "loyal" is. True, faithful, loving, gentle...He offers her something rather than just wanting something for himself. I've made a file of Sarah's tune, and I'm going to put it in my booklet of recorder tunes. |
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12 Feb 21 - 02:34 PM (#4092835) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Flowers in the Valley From: Sarah the flute Yes that does sound less sinister Leeneia!!! Tune would work well for recorders too |
