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14 Mar 04 - 10:19 AM (#1136124) Subject: Lyr Add: THE TWO SISTERS (Frankie Armstrong) From: Roberto I'd like to get the correct text of this ballad as sung by Frankie Armstrong. The verse I think I don't get right is in stanza 13, but I'd like someone to check the rest as well. Thank you. Robetrto The Two Sisters Frankie Armstrong, Lovely On The Water, Fellside FECD151, ballad first released on Lovely On The Water, Topic 12TS216, 1972 There were two sisters lived in a bower Hey-O my nannie-O There came a knight to be their wooer And the swan swims so bonnie-O He courted the eldest with glove and rings Hey-O my nannie-O But he loved the youngest above all things And the swan swims so bonnie-O This grieved the eldest sister sair Hey-O my nannie-O And so she envied her sister fair And the swan swims so bonnie The eldest said to the youngest one Hey-O my nannie-O Let's go see our father's ships come in And the swan swims so bonnie-O The youngest stood all on a stone Hey-O my nannie-O The eldest came and pushed her in And the swan swims so bonnie-O Oh sister, give to me your hand Hey-O my nannie-O And I'll give you both house and land And the swan swims so bonnie-O Oh I'll give you neither hand nor glove Hey-O my nannie-O Unless you give me your own true love And the swan swims so bonnie-O So down she sank and away she swam Hey-O my nannie-O Until she reached the miller's dam And the swan swims so bonnie-O Oh miller, miller, come and draw your dam Hey-O my nannie-O There's either a mermaid or a swan And the swan swims so bonnie-O You couldn't see her yellow hair Hey-O my nannie-O For gold and jewels that were so rare And the swan swims so bonnie-O A famous harper passing by Hey-O my nannie-O A pale dead face he chanced to spy And the swan swims so bonnie-O He made a harp of her breast-bone Hey-O my nannie-O Whose notes would melt a heart of stone And the swan swims so bonnie-O He framed the strings of her yellow hair Hey-O my nannie-O Whose notes made sad a-listening here (??????) And the swan swims so bonnie-O He took this harp to her father' door Hey-O my nannie-O Where there were the court assembled all And the swan swims so bonnie-O He laid this harp all on a stone Hey-O my nannie-O And there it began to play alone And the swan swims so bonnie-O Oh yonder sits my father the king Hey-O my nannie-O And by him sits my mother the queen And the swan swims so bonnie-O And yonder sits my brother Hugh Hey-O my nannie-O And by him William, my love true And the swan swims so bonnie-O And the very last thing the harp played then Hey-O my nannie-O Was – Woe to my sister, false Helen! And the swan swims so bonnie-O |
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14 Mar 04 - 11:26 AM (#1136159) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Frankie Armstrong's Two Sisters From: GUEST, NOMADman I think that's "Whose notes made sad the listening ear." Regards, John |
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14 Mar 04 - 11:33 AM (#1136163) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Frankie Armstrong's Two Sisters From: Roberto Thank you, John. R |
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14 Mar 04 - 04:46 PM (#1136338) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Frankie Armstrong's Two Sisters From: Bev and Jerry We got the song from her (vinyl) recording when the song was new!! Well, almost. It's one of the first songs we ever learned and we still do it now and then. We have verse 13 as: He made the strings of her yellow hair Hey-O my nannie-O Whose notes made glad the listening ear And the swan swims so bonnie-O Bev and Jerry |
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14 Mar 04 - 09:01 PM (#1136504) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Frankie Armstrong's Two Sisters From: GUEST, NOMADman Hi Bev and Jerry, I got the lyrics also from Frankie's vinyl LP. I continue to hear it as "sad." That makes more sense. How could a narrative about an ugly murder make anyone glad? Listen again. Regards, John |