Lord Lover- Griffin (GA-FL) pre1877 Morris A
[From Morris; Folksongs of Florida; 1950. His notes follow. Griffin left her father and moved to Florida by 1877.
R. Matteson 2015]
LORD LOVEL
(Child, No. 75) (Archive 262-82)
A. "LORD LOVER." Recorded from the singing of Mrs. G. A. Griffin, Newberry, who learned the song from her father.
Lord Lover, Lord Lover stood at the castle gate,
All dressed and ready to go,
When up stepped Lady Nancy Bell
To bid her lover goodbye,
When up stepped Lady Nancy Bell
To bid her lover goodbye.
"O, where are you going, Lord Lover?" she said.
"O, where are you going?" said she.
"I'm going away,Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see;
I'm going away, Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see."
"O, when will you be back, Lord Lover?" she said.
"O, when will you be back?" said she.
"In a year or so or three or more,
I'll return to my fair Nancy;
In a year or so or three of more,
I'll return to my fair Nancy."
He hadn't been gone but twelve months to a day,
Strange countries for to see,
For an angry thought came into his mind,
Lady Nancy Bell he must see;
For an angry thought came into his mind,
Lady Nancy Bell he must see.
He rode and he rode a milk-white steed,
Till London he did ride,
And there heard King Patsy bell's[1] ringing,
And the people all mourning round;
And there heard King Patsy bells ringing,
And the people all mourning round.
"O what's the matter?" Lord Lover he said.
"O what's the matter?" says he.
"There's a young lady dead," the old woman said,
"And some called her Lady Nancy;
There's a young lady dead," the old woman said,
"And some called her Lady Nancy."
He ordered the grave to be opened;
He ordered it opened wide,
And there he kissed her cold, white lips,
And the tears came trickling down;
And there he kissed her cold, white lips,
And the tears came trickling down.
1. King Patsy bells is probably a corruption of St. Pancras bells.