Early, Early- Maria Doherty (Mag) 1925 Henry
[From Sam Henry's collection. Reprinted in Sam Henry's Songs of the People by Gale Huntington, 2010.
On July 25, 1925 Sam Henry collected a version he titled, "Early Early," that was sung by Maria Doherty of Clooney, Magilligan (Ireland). It was known to the informant as Ellen Lowry's song because Ellen Lowry was the only one who sang it. Maria Doherty brought the song from Dungiven a district which she was a native, to Clooney. The text is short and is given in full:
Even this fragment of "Early, Early" shows that the ballad has a theme similar to "Constant Lady and the False-Hearted Squire" it's related ballads ("Love Has Brought Me to Despair") and the "Died for love" songs.
R. Matteson 2017]
"Early, Early" sung by Maria Doherty of Clooney, Magilligan (Ireland) on July 25, 1925. From Sam Henry's collection.
Oh, it's early, early by the break of day,
Down by yon green fields I chanced to stray,
I heard a fair maid to sigh and say,
'The lad I love is gone far away.
'He's gone and left me now in grief and woe,
And where to find him I do not know
I'll search those green fields and valleys low,
Should the hills be clad, ay, with frost and snow.
'What voice , what voice now is yon I hear?
It's like the voice of my Willie dear.
Oh, had I the wings, love, I'd feel no fear,
But fly forever till I knew thee near.'