A Love Song in the Modern Taste. Words by Dean Swift. Set by Mr Butler
| TYPE | 3 - Complex Melody |
| TOPIC | Parody of a Love Song |
| TUNE STRUCTURE | A16 B16 |
| VERSE STRUCTURE | 4v 4l |
| TIME SIGNATURE | 34 |
| KEY SIGNATURE | ♭ |
| TONAL CENTRE | F |
| INCIPIT | GABC'D'BE'F♯'G'E'D'C' |
| GENRE | Ballad |
| TEXT SOURCE | 'A Love Song in the Modern Taste' (London, c.1733) British Library G.316.d. (137) |
| TUNE SOURCE | as above |
| FIRST LINE | Flutt’ring spread thy purple Pinions |
| NOTATED INCIPIT | |
| Swift here satirises the convention of the love song. The text was first published in the Gentleman’s Magazine (June 1733) where it appeared as ‘A Song, by Dr Swift’. It was also reprinted in The Vocal Miscellany (London, 1734) and in A Complete Collection of […] Songs (London, 1735). | |
A Love Song in the Modern Taste.The Words by Dean Swift. Set by Mr Butler.Flutt’ring spread thy purple Pinions.Gentle Cupid o’er my Heart.I a slave in thy Dominions.Nature must give Way to Art.Mild Arcadians ever blooming, nightly nodding o’er your Flocks.See my weary Days consumingAll beneath yon flow’ry Rocks.Thus the Cyprian Goddess weening,Mourn’d Adonis, darling Youth:Him the Boar in Silence creepingGor’d with unrelenting Tooth.Cynthia tune harmonious Numbers.Fair Discretion string the Lyre:Sooth my ever waking Slumbers,Bright Apollo lend thy Choir.Gloomy Pluto King of Terrors,Arm’d in Adamantine Chains.Lead me to the Chrystal Mirrors.Wat’ring soft Elysian Plains.Mournful Cypress, Verdant Willow.Gilding my Aurelia’s Brows:Morpheus hov’ring o’er my Pillow.Hear me pay my dying Vows.Melancholly smooth Meander.Swiftly purling in a Round.On thy Margin Lovers wander,With thy flow’ry Chaplets crown’d.Thus when Philomela drooping,Softly seeks her silent Mate:See the Bird of Juno stooping.Melody resigns to Fate.