A Girl Who Led a Life So Straight- Stan Walters (Essex) 1989 REC
[From: Veteran VT135CD ('The Fox and the Hare'), 2012. Song notes by John Howson follow.
R. Matteson 2017]
Usually known as Died for Love this song is found all over England, finding particular favor with servicemen during the Second World War: it was probably while in the Royal Navy that Stan Walters learned it. Another full version can be found in Roy Palmer's book 'What a Lovely War' (Michael Joseph 1990) with the text coming from Sussex singer Gordon Hall. The song is a remnant from several older songs. Its theme, where the father /sailor /farmer /miner comes home late to find his daughter hanging from a beam, is often where these older songs begin. It is suggested that this newer form originated in America where it gained great popularity. In England the song was sung by many Gypsy singers and Jasper Smith's version on TSCD600 'Hidden English' is a good example. In Suffolk, Geoff Ling of Blaxhall called it Change the Old Love for the New and his rendition can be heard on VTC1CD 'Stepping it Out!'.
A Girl Who Led a Life so Straight- sung by Stan Walters Stansted Mountfitchet (Essex) in 1989 (date ref. Roud).
A girl who led a life so straight,
Who lived in high society,
A matelot[1] coming home from sea,
He stole that girl’s virginity.
Her father coming home one night,
He found the house without a light,
He went upstairs to go to bed,
When a sudden thought came to his head.
He went into his daughter’s room,
And found her hanging by a beam,
He took his knife and cut her down,
And on her breast these words he found:
“I wish my baby had been born,
And all my troubles would be gone,
So dig my grave and dig it deep,
And place white lilies at my feet.”
Though they dug her grave and dug it deep,
And placed white lilies at her feet,
And on her tomb they placed a dove,
To show that she had died for love.
Now all you maidens bear in mind,
A matelot’s love is hard to find,
So if you find one good and true,
Don’t change the old love for the new.
1. A "matelot," matlo or matlow is UK reference to sailor.