Katey's Letter
| TYPE | 3 - Complex Melody |
| TUNE STRUCTURE | A16 B6 |
| VERSE STRUCTURE | 4v 4l + 2l ch |
| TIME SIGNATURE | 24 |
| KEY SIGNATURE | ♭♭♭ |
| TONAL CENTRE | E- |
| INCIPIT | GGGGGF♯F♯F♯F♯EEE |
| GENRE | Art Song |
| TEXT SOURCE | A Selection Of The Songs of Lady Dufferin … set to music by herself & others (London: John Murray, 1895), pp.20-25 |
| TUNE SOURCE | as above |
| FIRST LINE | Och girls dear, did you ever hear. I wrote my love a letter |
| NOTATED INCIPIT | |
| Lady Dufferin (1807-1867) composed both the verse and air of this song. Digitised by the Irish Traditional Music Archive. | |
Katey's LetterOch, girls dear, did you ever hear, I wrote my love a letter,And although he cannot read, sure I thought 'twas all the better.For why should he be puzzled,with hard spelling in the matter,When the maning was so plain, that I love him faithfully.I love him faithfully, And he knows it, oh! he knows it, without one word from me.I wrote it, and I folded it, and put a seal upon it, 'Twas a seal almost as big, As the crown of my best bonnet,For I would not have the Postmaster make his remarks upon itAs I'd said inside the letter, that I lov'd him faithfull y.I love him faithfully, And he knows it, oh! he knows it, without one word from me.My heart was full but when I wrote, I dar'd not put the half in,The neighbours know I love him,and they're mighty fond of chaffing,So I dar'd not write his name outside, For fear they would be laughing,so I wrote from little Kate to one whom she loves faithfully.I love him faithfully, And he knows it, oh! he knows it! without one word from me. Now girls would you believe it, that Postman so consated No answer will he bring me, so long as I have waited;But may-be – there may’nt be one, for the rason that I stated,That my love can neither read nor write, but he loves me faithfully.He loves me faithfully – He loves me faithfully;And I know wher’e’er my love is, that he is true to me