Lyr Req: I Am A Young Maiden (The Blackbird)

20 May 02 - 12:04 PM (#713930)
Subject: Lyr. I Am A Young Maiden (Blackbird)
From: Alice

I don't have a complete copy of Colm O'Lochlainn's "Irish Street Ballads", so I am hoping that someone who does have a copy can provide the lyrics for "I Am A Young Maiden" (the Blackbird). A forum search brings up several threads on the Blackbird, but no one has posted the lyrics exactly as O'Lochlainn collected in Dublin. If anyone has the book, please post the verson O'Lochlainn collected.

Thanks!

Alice

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20 May 02 - 01:28 PM (#713983)
Subject: Lyr Add: IF I WAS A BLACKBIRD
From: Malcolm Douglas

Presumably you mean If I Was a Blackbird?

IF I WAS A BLACKBIRD

("Dublin street singers about 1920; and afterwards from J.M. Kerrigan")

I am a young maiden and my story is sad
For once I was courted by a brave sailor lad.
He courted me strongly by night and by day,
But now my dear sailor is gone far away.

Chorus:

If I was a blackbird, I'd whistle and sing
And I'd follow the ship that my true love sails in,
And on the top riggings I'd there build my nest,
And I'd pillow my head on his lily white breast.

He promised to take me to Donnybrook fair
To buy me red ribbons to bind up my hair.
And when he'd return from the ocean so wide,
He'd take me and make me his own loving bride.

His parents they slight me and will not agree
That I and my sailor boy married should be.
But when he comes home I will greet him with joy
And I'll take to my bosom my dear sailor boy.

Text as printed in Colm O Lochlainn's Irish Street Ballads, 1939.  The tune given is very close to that already in the DT:  IF I WAS A BLACKBIRD.

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20 May 02 - 01:37 PM (#713990)
Subject: Lyr Add: IF I WAS A BLACKBIRD
From: Bonnie Shaljean

It's actually called "If I Was A Blackbird" in O'Lochlainn, not to be confused with "The Blackbird" which appears in the second volume (More Irish Street Ballads). The words are:

I am a young maiden and my story is sad
For once I was courted by a brave sailor lad
He courted me strongly by night and by day
But now my dear sailor is gone far away

CHORUS:
If I was a blackbird I'd whistle and sing
And follow the ship that my true love sails in
And on the top riggings I'd build there my nest
And pillow my head on his lily white breast

He promised to take me to Donnybrook fair
To buy me red ribbons to bind up my hair
And when he'd return from the ocean so wide
He'd take me and make me his own loving bride

His parents they slight me and will not agree
That I and my sailor boy married should be
But when he comes home I will greet him with joy
And I'll take to my bosom my dear sailor boy

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20 May 02 - 01:41 PM (#713993)
Subject: RE: Colm O Lochlainn, I Am A Young Maiden
From: Bonnie Shaljean

Sorry, Malcolm - you weren't there a minute ago when I started typing!!

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20 May 02 - 02:06 PM (#714013)
Subject: RE: Colm O Lochlainn, I Am A Young Maiden
From: Alice

Yes, I know it is called If I Was A Blackbird, but another older title, as mentioned in previous threads, is I Am A Young Maiden. There are various verses here in the forum and DT, but not the exact O'Lochlainn collected version until you (both) posted it.

Thanks a bunch.

Alice

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