Early in the Spring
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
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Lyrics:
It was early, early all in a spring
I went on board for to serve the king,
I'd left my dearest dearie behind,
That often told me her heart was mine.
I dreamt last night I was in my love's arms,
And that she gave me ten thousand charms,
Ten thousand charms and kisses sweet.
We were to be married next time we'd meet.
When I was sailing on the salt sea,
Still looking for an opportunity,
I, too, sent letters for my dear,
But one answer from her I'd ne'er could hear.
“Ah, you sent letters all over the town.
I avow and swear that I ne'er got one.
'Twas my father's fault, love, and none of mine.
You need not speak hard of womankind.”
I went down into her father's hall.
On my true love loudly I did call.
Her father answered, made this reply,
“Your true love, young man, I must deny.”
“Come tell me quickly what do you mean?
Come tell me quickly, tell me the truth.”
“She has got married to a rich man for life.
I'd have you to go and choose some other wife.”
Now, my curse on gold and on silver, too.
And to all false lovers that won't be true,
To all false lovers that would vows make
And marry others for riches' sake.
Now, since all bad fortune has on me frowned,
Since all bad fortune has on me frowned,
I will sail the seas to the day I die
And I'll topple those waves that roll mountains high.
"Early, Early in the Spring", "As I Was Walking Up London Street", "I Was Forced on Board to<br> Serve My King", "The Sailor Deceived", Sweet William" (or Willie), and "The Disappointed Sailor"<br> is a British song that has been collected from traditional singers in England, Scotland,<br> Ireland, Canada and the United States. In a few American versions the betrayed lover is a cowboy.<br> Some American cowboy variants are called "Cowboy's Girl", "Following the Cow Trail" and "The<br> Trail to Mexico".<br> It is in the Roud Folk Song Index as #152. The Roud Index lists 75 versions of this song<br> collected from traditional singers - 15 from England, 7 from Scotland, 3 from Ireland, 8 from<br> Canada and 42 from the USA, plus 3 cowboy variants, all from Arkansas.<br> It was printed in many publications including<br> Sharp's English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians (1932),<br> Henry's Songs Sung in the Southern Appalachians (1934),<br> Scarborough's A Song Catcher in Southern Mountains (1937),<br> Randolph's Ozark Folksongs (1946-1950),<br> Greig's Folk-Song in Buchan and Folk-Song of the North-East (1963),<br> Laws' Native American Balladry: A descriptive study and bibliographical syllabus (1964),<br> Moore & Moore's Ballads and Folk Songs of the Southwest (1964),<br> Seeger's Folk Songs of Peggy Seeger (1964),<br> Creighton & Senior's Traditional Songs of Nova Scotia (1960),<br> Creighton's Maritime Folk Songs (1962),<br> Karpeles' Folk Songs from Newfoundland (1970),<br> Greig & Duncan's The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection, Volume 1 (1981).<br> It was recorded by<br> Peggy Seeger on Early in the Spring (1962),<br> Cyril Tawney on Farewell Nancy (1964) and Blow the Man Down (1993),<br> Tina Greer on The Watson Family Tradition (1965),<br> Bob Davenport on Bob Davenport and the Marsden Rattlers (1971),<br> Judy Collins on Fifth Album (1965) and<br> several other singers.<br>
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