Cold and Rough the North Wind Blows

 COLD AND ROUGH THE NORTH WIND BLOWS. Irish, Air (6/8 time). E Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. P.W. Joyce (Ancient Irish Music, 1873) notes: "The song to this air is common I believe to England, Ireland and Scotland. It has been long known in the south of Ireland, and is still printed as a street ballad. The English version originated with Tom D'Urfey, a well known song writer, who died in the beginning of the last century. The old version of the Irish song differs a good deal from it; and may be questioned which is the original. Both are however low in point of literary merit as well as of morality; and they are not worth disputing about. The air to which the song is sung in England is also claimed by Scotland; and it is published both in Chappell's Popular Music of the Olden Time, and in Wood's Songs of Scotland. But the Irish air, which I think very graceful and beautiful, is entirely different; so that we may claim undisputed possession of it. I give it here as I learned it long ago, with one verse of the song. In the last line I have thought it better to substitute the words in italics for those in the original." Cold and rough the north wind blows, Black in the morning early, When all the fields were cover'd with snow, And winter came in severly. As I was riding out one day, I met a farmer's daughter, With cherry cheeks, and smiles most sweet, (By sweet Glangarriff's) water. Printed source: Joyce (Ancient Irish Music), 1873; No. 55, p. 56.

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