Annotation:On a May Day Morning Early
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ON A MAY DAY MORNING EARLY. English, Air and Jig (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. A popular 19th century song air and country dance tune that appears in numerous songsters, with various sets of lyrics but usually with the burden: "On a May day morning early." This lyric was printed by John Diprose in his Diprose's modern song book; comic and sentimental (1857):
To the fields I carried my milking can,
On a May day morning early,
And there I met with a smart young man,
Who said that he lov'd me dearly.
I made him a curtsey, he made me a bow,
He kiss'd me and promised to marry I vow,
Oh I wish that young fellow was with me just now,
On a May day morning early.
I try to forget him, but all in vain,
On a May day morning early;
And if I never should see him again,
It will break my heart--or nearly.
I can't bear the sight of a sheep or a cow;
I want to be married and can't tell how,
Oh! I wish that young fellow was with me just now,
On a May day morning early.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 127. Westrop (T. Westrop's 120 Country Dances), c. 1860's; No. 55, p. 10.
Recorded sources: