I came across this one while resesarching "Barbara Allen". Reading the words on a page, I thought "how on earth would I even begin to sing this" until I stumbled onto a recording by Peter Bellamy and I realized not only could it be sung, but it could be absolutely one of the most beautiful things I'd ever heard. Apart from the literal shared lines at the end, the songs seem to share a sort of meandering rhythm to them that makes me feel a bit like I'm in the backseat of a poorly driven car - speeding up, slowing down, missing the chord change, oops. Still, the melody and story utterly transcend the confines of a fixed tempo. Letting the verses ring and take as much time as they need just feels right.
lyrics
Lord Lovel he stood at his own castle gate,
A combing his milk-white steed,
When up came Lady Nancy Belle
To wish her lover good speed, good speed.
To wish her lover good speed.
"Where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"Where are you going?" said she.
"I'm going, my love," Lord Lovel replied.
"my fortune for to seek, to seek"
my fortune for to seek
Lord Lovel was gone just a year and a day,
his fortune still for to heed
When a dreadful feeling pierced his heart,
Lady Nancy he must go see, go see,
Lady Nancy he must go see.
He mounted upon his milk-white steed,
And rode to far London town.
And there he heard St. Patrick's bells,
And the people mourning all around, around,
And the people mourning all around.
"O who hath died?" Lord Lovel said,
"O who hath died?" said he.
"A fair young maid," a woman replied,
"And they call her Lady Nancy, Nancy,
And they call her Lady Nancy."
He ordered her grave to be opened wide,
Her shroud to be folded down,
And there he kissed her pale clay cheeks
while his teardrops marked the cold ground, cold ground
while his teardrops marked the cold ground
Lady Nancy she died on Good Friday,
Lord Lovel he died on the morrow;
Lady Nancy she died for pure true love,
Lord Lovel he died for sorrow.
Lord Lovel he died for sorrow
Lord Lovel was buried in the lower chancel,
Lady Nancy in the high'r.
From one sprang out a gallant red rose,
From the other came green briar, briar
from the other came green briar
And there they grew and turn'd and twined,
Till they gain'd the chancel top,
And where they met at the top of church
they tied in a true lover's knot, knot, knot
they tied in a true lover's knot.
credits
from Crossroads of Galahad,
released May 3, 2021
Guitar and Vocals - Austin Moffa
Traditional
Austin Moffa is a musician based out of Fairfax, VA. He has previously released 10 industrial/ambient albums under the pseudonym "ROZKOL". Moffa was born and grew up in a small Pennsylvanian town along the Allegheny Mountain Range.
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