“The Faithful Rambler (Jamie and Mary, Love's Parting)”

Description

"I am a young man delights in sport; To a strange country I mean to steer, And leave my home... Also the girl that I love dear." The girl promises to be true, but says that he will forget her. He says he will be faithful, and wishes her good fortune

Notes

Neither Sam Henry nor the notes in Henry/Huntington/Herrmann hint that these two are the same song. But they have identical plots, and there are extreme lyric similarities in both the first verse (about the young man who must ramble) and the scenes where the lovers promise faithfulness. If they aren't originally one song, they have cross-fertilized to the point where they might as well be. - RBW

Cross references

References

  1. SHenry H825, pp. 299-300, "The Faithful Rambler" (1 text, 1 tune); H788, p. 300, "Love's Parting (Jamie and Mary)" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. Roud #6896 and 6897
  3. BI, HHH825

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1939 (Sam Henry collection)
Found in: Ireland