Black is the Colour

 

Black is the colour, of my true loves hair

Her lips are like the roses fair

She’s the sweetest smile, and the gentlest hands

I love the ground whereon she stands

 

I love my love, and well she knows

I love the ground whereon she stands

And I wish that the day would surely come

When She and I would be as one

 

I walk to the Clyde for to mourn and for to weep

But satisfied I never shall be

I’ll write her a letter, just a few short lines

And suffer death ten thousand times

 

Black is the colour, of my true loves hair

Her lips are like the roses fair

She’s the sweetest smile, and the gentlest hands

I love the ground whereon she stands

 

 

 

 

The Blacksmith

 

A blacksmith courted me nine months and better

He fairly won my heart, wrote me a letter

With a hammer all in his hand he looked quite clever

And if I was with my love, I’d live forever

 

But where is my love gone with his cheeks like roses?

And his good black billycock on, decked round with primroses?

I fear the shining sun may burn and scorch his beauty

And if I was with my love I’d do my duty

 

Strange news has come to town, strange news has carried

Strange news runs up and down, that my love is married

I wish them both much joy, though they can’t hear me

And may God reward him well for the slighting of me

 

Don’t you remember when you laid beside me?

And you said you’d marry me, and not deny me?

If I said I’ve marry you, it was only for to try you

So bring your witness love, and I’ll not deny you

 

No witness have I, none, save God almighty

And may he reward you well for the slighting of me

Her lips grew pale and wan; it makes a poor heart to tremble

To think she loves a one and he proved deceitful!

 

A blacksmith courted me nine months and better

He fairly won my heart, wrote me a letter

With a hammer all in his hand he looked quite clever

And if I was with my love, I’d live forever

 

 

 

 

Ten Thousand Miles

 

Fare thee well my own true love

And farewell for a while

I’m going away, but I’ll be back

If I go ten thousand miles

 

Ten thousand miles my own true love

Ten thousand miles or more

And the rocks may melt, and the seas may burn

If I never more return

 

Don’t you see yon turtle dove

Sitting on yon ivy tree

She’s weeping for her own true love

As I shall weep for thee

 

Oh come back, my own true love

And stay a while with me

For if I’d a friend on all the earth

You’ve been a friend to me

 

So, fare thee well my own true love

And farewell for a while

I’m going away, but I’ll be back

If I go ten thousand miles

 

 

 

 

She moved through the Fair

 

My young love said to me, my mother won’t mind

And my father won’t slight you for your lack of kind

Then she stepped away from me and this she did say

It will not be long love til our wedding day

 

She stepped away from me and she moved through the fair

And fondly I watched her move here and move there

Then she went her way homeward with one star awake

As the swan in the evening moves over the lake

 

Last night she came to me, my young love came in

So softly she came that her feet made no din

Then she laid her hand on me and this she did say

It will not be long love til our wedding day

 

 

 

 

The Snow it melts the soonest

 

The snow it melts the soonest when the wind begins to sing

The corn is ripens fastest when the frosts are settling in

And when a woman tells me that my face she’ll soon forget

Before we part, I’ll wage a crown that she will follow yet

 

The snow it melts the soonest when the wind begins to sing

The swallow flies without a though so long as it is spring

But when spring goes, and winter blows my love then you will be fain

For all your pride to follow me across the watery main

 

The snow it melts the soonest when the wind begins to sing

The bee that flew when summer shone, in winter cannot sting

I’ve seen a woman’s anger melt between the night and morn

It’s surely not a harder thing to melt a woman’s scorn

 

So never bid me fare-thee-well, no farewell I’ll receive

For you would lie with me my lass, then kiss and take your leave

I’ll wait until the Moorcock crows, the Martin takes the wing

The snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing

 

 

 

 

Greenwood

 

As I’ve walked down me neighbourhood town

I spied me a maiden so pretty and fair

I’ve sat down, and we’ve passed the time

All of the while I’ve made my design

 

Chorus:

Come dancing with me my pretty fair maid

Come dancing with me, me dear

Come dancing with me, me pretty fair maid

And I’ll have the better of thee

 

She said to me, if I might make so bold

To ask you to come to the greenwood with me

We walked round the back streets of town

All of the while I thought on her worth

 

Chorus

 

We sat down, and I lit the fire

And with me prize put paid to desire

In the morning, the cold light of day

Hands in me pockets, empty of pay

 

Chorus

 

 

 

 

Rosebud in June

 

It’s a rosebud in June and violets in full bloom

And the small birds singing love songs on each spray

 

Chorus:

We’ll pipe and we’ll sing love, we’ll dance in a ring love

When each lad takes his lass all on the green grass

And it’s all to plough

Where the fat oxen graze low, and the lads and the lasses

Do sheep shearing go.

 

When we have all sheered our jolly, jolly sheep

What joy could be greater than to talk of their increase

 

Chorus

 

For their flesh, it is good, it’s the best of all food

And their wool it will cloth us and keep our back from cold

 

Chorus

 

Here’s the ewes and the lambs, here’s the hogs and the rams

And the fat wethers too, they will make a fine show

 

Chorus

 

 

 

 

South Australia

 

In South Australia I was born

Heave away, Haul away

In South Australia round Cape Horn

We’re bound for South Australia

 

Heave-away you ruler king

Heave away, Haul away

Heave-away oh hear me sing

We’re bound for South Australia

 

See my wife standing on the quay

Heave away, Haul away

Tears do fall as she waves to me

We’re bound for South Australia

 

Heave-away you ruler king…

 

Ain’t but one thing grieves my mind

Heave away, Haul away

To leave my wife and child behind

We’re bound for South Australia

 

Heave-away you ruler king…

 

I'll drink a glass to that foreign shore

Heave away, Haul away

One to the girl that I adore

We’re bound for South Australia

 

Heave-away you ruler king…

 

As we wallop around Cape Horn

Heave away, Haul away

Wish to God we'd never been born

We’re bound for South Australia

 

Heave-away you ruler king…

 

As I stand on some foreign strand

Heave away, Haul away

Glass of whiskey in my hand

We’re bound for South Australia

 

Heave-away you ruler king…

 

Now fare-thee-well and fare-the-well

Heave away, Haul away

For sweet news to my girl I'll tell

We’re bound for South Australia

 

Heave-away you ruler king…

 

 

Three Songs