“Oh Lily, Dear Lily”
Description
"My foot is in the stirrup, My bridle's in my hand, I'll go court another And marry if I can. Oh Lily, oh Lily, my Lily fare you well. I'm sorry to leave you, For I love you so well." "So fare you well, (Molly), I'll bid you adieu, I'm ruined forever..."
Notes
I don't think there is a single line in Randolph's texts that is not paralleled elsewhere. But he treats this as a separate song, and he collected it, so I follow his lead. Similarly the longer version in Brown; the editors give notes about all the various parallels. The possibility must be admitted, however, that this is a worn-down form of something else -- or even that Randolph's two versions, and Brown's one, are separate pieces. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. ""The Wagoner's Lad" (floating lyrics)
- cf. "Farewell, Sweet Mary" (floating lyrics)
- cf. "My Foot Is in the Stirrup"
References
- Randolph 731, "Oh Lily, Dear Lily" (2 short texts, 1 tune)
- BrownII 139, "Sweet Lily" (1 text)
- Roud #7583
- BI, R731