Lord Gregory
(The Lass of Arran/Aughrim etc.)
| TYPE | 3 - Complex Melody |
| TOPIC | Love |
| TUNE STRUCTURE | A4 B4 rpt. |
| VERSE STRUCTURE | 9v 4l |
| TIME SIGNATURE | 34 |
| KEY SIGNATURE | ♯ |
| TONAL CENTRE | G |
| INCIPIT | GGAGF♯GF♯DDAB |
| GENRE | Ballad |
| TEXT SOURCE | The Songs of Elizabeth Cronin (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1999), p.83 |
| TUNE SOURCE | as above |
| FIRST LINE | I am a king's daughter that strayed from Cappoquin |
| NOTATED INCIPIT | |
| This is an Irish version of the famous song. Although the song is well-known in the English and Scottish traditions, Fred McCormick contextualises Cronin's setting as peculiarily Irish. (See 'Review of The Songs of Elizabeth Cronin', Musical Tradition Website (2000). MT062 <http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/cronin.htm>.) McCormick's analysis is based on the exclusion of the concluding verses of other settings which end in suicide, and the way in which the subject of illegitimacy is portrayed in the song. For further reading see: Hugh Shields, 'A History of the Lass of Aughrim' in Gerard Gillen and Harry White eds., Musicology in Ireland IMS vol. 1 (Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1991). | |
Lord GregoryI am a king's daughter that strayed from Cappoquin,In search of Lord Gregory, may God I'll find him in!The rain beats at my yellow locks, the dew wets me still,The babe is cold in my arms, Lord Gregory let me in!Lord Gregory is not here and henceforth can't be seen,He is gone to bonny Scotland to bring home his new queen.Leave now those windows, and likewise this hall,For it's deep in the sea you should hide your downfall!Who'll shoe my babe's little feet, who'll put gloves on her hands,And who'll tie my babe's middle with a long and green band?Who'll comb my babe's yellow locks with an ivory comb,And who'll be my babe's father till Lord Gregory comes home?I'll show your babe's little feet, I'll put gloves on her hands,And I'll tie your babe's middle with a long and green band.I'll comb your babe's yellow locks with an ivory comb,And I'll be your babe's father till Lord Gregory comes home.Leave now those windows and likewise this hall.For it's deep in the sea you should hide your downfall!Do you remember, Lord Gregory, that night at Cappoquin,When we both changed pocket handkerchiefs, and that against my will?Yours was pure linen, love, and mine was coarse cloth;Yours cost one guinea, love, and mine but one groat.Do you remember, Lord Gregory, that night at Cappoquin,When we both changed rings of our fingers, and that against my will?Yours was pure silver, love, and mine was block tin;Yours cost one guinea and mine but one cent.Do you remember, Lord Gregory, that night in my father's hall,When you stole away my fond heart, and that was worse than all?Leave now those windows, and likewise this hall,For it's deep in the sea you should hide your downfall!My curse on you mother, and my curse it being sore,For I dreamt the lass of arms came knocking to my door!Lie down, you foolish son, and lie down and sleep,For it's long ago her weary locks are waving in the deep!Come, saddle me the black horse, the brown or the bay!Come saddle me the best horse in my stable this day!Till I'll range over valleys, over mountains so wideUntil I find the lass of arms and lie by her side.
Lord Gregory (The Lass of Arran/Aughrim etc.)