Just as the tide was flowing (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
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- (Posted 2023-12-05) CPDL #77852:
- Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-12-05). Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 454 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: Just as the tide was flowing
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 1913 Stainer & Bell
Description: Five English Folk Songs, No. 3
Note in original publication: The words in this ballad have been slightly revised.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
One morning in the month of May,
Down by some rolling river,
A jolly sailor, I did stray,
When I beheld my lover.
She carelessly along did stray,
A-picking of the daisies gay;
And sweetly sang her roundelay,
Just as the tide was flowing.
O! her dress, it was so white as milk,
And jewels did adorn her;
Her shoes were made of the crimson silk,
Just like some lady of honour.
Her cheeks were red, her eyes were brown,
Her hair in ringlets hanging down;
She’d a lovely brow without a frown,
Just as the tide was flowing.
I made a bow and said, “Fair Maid,
How came you here so early;
My heart by you, it is betrayed,
For I do love you dearly.
I am a sailor come by sea,
If you will accept of my company
To walk and view the fishes play,”
Just as the tide was flowing.
No more was said, but on our way
We ganged along together;
The small birds sang, and the lambs did play,
And pleasant was the weather.
When we were weary, we did sit down
Beneath a tree with branches round;
For my true love at last I’d found,
Just as the tide was flowing.