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Blackest Crow/Dearest Dear/The Time Draws Near/I Love You Well/True Lover's Farewell/Lover's Lament/Banishment/The Slighted Girl/
Traditional Song and Waltz; Widely known; England US.
ARTIST: Bluegrass Messengers; Arranged Richard Matteson
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes;
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLiaiygkXtU&NR=1 Tatiana Hargreaves with Tristan Clarridge at Mount Shasta Camp Concert 2008;
Bruce Molsky with Julie Fowlis - The Blackest Crow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6jh1vqNvMs&feature=related
DATE: Late 1600's- early 1700s England; In US Belden published 1906 dates to Civil War period-1866;
RECORDING INFO: The Blackest Crow [Sh 114]
Rt - True Lover's Farewell ; Old True Love ; A-Roving on a Winter's Night ; My Dearest Dear
Atwater-Donnelly. Blackest Crow, RIM 1008-2, CD (2004), trk# 3
Haas, Brittany. Brittany Haas, Ook CD 001, CD (2004), trk# 14
Laughlin, Rose. Souvenir, Laughlin --, CD (2005), trk# 6
Naiman, Arnie. 5 Strings Attached with No Backing, Merriweather, CD (1997), trk# 5
Reams, James. Blackest Crow, Mountain Redbird MRM 001, CD (2000), trk# 4
Ritchie, Edna. Edna Ritchie, Viper Kentucky, Folk Legacy FSA 003, LP (1962), trk# B.04
Ritchie, Jean. Shivaree!, Esoteric ES-538, LP (1955), trk# B.02
RECORDING INFO: My Dearest Dear [Sh 77]
Rt - Blackest Crow ; Lover's Lament ; I Love You Well
Bostwick, Ed. Scarborough, Dorothy (ed.) / A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, AMS, Bk (1966/1937), p314b [1930] (Time Has Come My Dearest Dear)
Fly By Night String Band. Fly By Night String Band, Fretless 146, LP (1980), trk# A.04 (Blackest Crow)
Ill-Mo Boys. Fine As Frog's Hair, Marimac 9054, Cas (1992), trk# 12 (As Time Draws Near)
Jarrell, Tommy. Clawhammer Banjo, Vol. 3, County 757, CD/ (1978), trk# 2 (As Time Draws Near)
Keene, Laura. Scarborough, Dorothy (ed.) / A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, AMS, Bk (1966/1937), p315,440 [1930] (Time Has Come My Dearest Dear)
MacArthur, Margaret. Old Songs, Philo 1001, LP (1975), trk# 14
Molsky, Bruce. Lost Boy, Rounder 0361, CD (1996), trk# 17 (Blackest Crow)
Sands, Mary. Sharp, Cecil & Maude Karpeles (eds.) / Eighty English Folk Songs from th, MIT Press, Sof (1968), p 63 [1917ca]
Sands, Mary. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p 13/# 77 [1916/08/05]
Sands, Mary. Clayre, Alasdair (ed.) / 100 Folk Songs and New Songs, Wolfe, Sof (1968), p118 [1916]
Seeger, Peggy. Folk Songs with the Seegers, Prestige PR 7375, LP (1965), trk# 10
Sorrels, Rosalie. Miscellaneous Abstract Record No. 1, Green Linnet SIF 1042, LP (1982), trk# B.06
Sweeney's Men. Sweeney's Men, Transatlantic ESM CD 435, CD (1996), trk# 4 [1968]
Tate, Dan. Abrahams, Roger; & George Foss / Anglo-American Folksong Style, Prentice-Hall, Sof (1968), 3-7 [1962] (Time Draws Near)
Wallin, Doug. Appalachia, The Old Traditions, Vol. 2, Home Made Music LP-002, LP (1983), trk# B.02 [1983/05/23] (Time Draws Near)
My Dearest Dear, (Lyric Variant 02) Greer Collection NC
There is a secret in my heart
A letter sealed with gold
There is a secret in my heart
A letter sealed with gold
A letter sealed with gold my love
Remember what I say
You are the girl that I
Love best until my dying day
The crow is so black my love
Altho it may turn white
If ever I prove false to you
Bright day shall turn to night
[ditto marks]
My love remember what
I say you are the girl
that I love best until
my dying day.
RECORDING INFO: The True Lover's Farewell [Sh 114/Ch 76]
Rt - A-Roving on a Winter's Night ; Ten Thousand Miles ; Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet/Foot ; Blackest Crow ; False Young Man ; Red Red Rose ; Mary Ann/Anne
At - Fourth of July
Sandburg, Carl (ed.) / American Songbag, Harcourt, Sof (1955/1928), p 98
Friedman, Albert B. (ed.) / Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English-S, Viking, sof (1963), p 83 (False True Lover)
Sandburg, Helga (ed.) / Sweet Music, Dial, Bk (1963), p 97 [1940s]
Bryant, Bertha. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p118/# 114H [1918/07/27]
Cannady, Sarah Virginia. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p115/# 114E [1918/08/23]
Davis, Gladys Helen; and Flossie Ellen Evans. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p140 [1937] (My Old True Love)
Donald, Laura Virginia (V.). Sharp, Cecil & Maude Karpeles (eds.) / Eighty English Folk Songs from th, MIT Press, Sof (1968), p 61a [1917ca]
Donald, Laura Virginia (V.). Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p116/# 114F [1918/06/08]
Edwards, George. Cazden, Norman, et.al. / Folk Songs of the Catskills, SUNY Press, sof (1982), p175/# 44 [1940s] (Fare You Well, My Own True Love)
Edwards, George. Cazden, Norman / Abelard Folk Song Book, Abelard-Schuman, Bk (1958), p 49 (Fare You Well, My Own True Love)
Ford, Carrie. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p115/# 114D [1916/09/18]
Hensley, Rosie. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p113/# 114A [1916/08/10]
Johnson, Ellie. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p114/# 114C [1916/09/14]
McClellan, Mrs. C. S.. Morris, Alton C. / Folksongs of Florida, Univ. Florida, Bk (1950), p349/#187 [1934-39]
Merinar, Elmer K.. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p413/#137 [1915/11/09]
Patrick, Polly. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p118/# 114I [1917/08/14]
Ramsey, Mrs. Sylvaney. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p114/# 114B [1916/09/01]
Richards, Frances (Mrs.). Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p117/# 114G [1918/08/16]
Smith, Betty. For My Friends of Song, June Appal JA 018, LP (1977), trk# 15
Sorrels, Rosalie. Lonesome Roving Wolves. Songs & Ballads of the West, Green Linnet SIF 1024, CD (1980), trk# 13 (Fourth of July)
Sorrels, Rosalie. Rosalie's Songbag, Prestige International INT 13025, LP (196?), trk# 2 (Fourth of July)
Summers, Andrew Rowan. Unquiet Grave, Folkways FA 2364/FP 64, LP (1951), trk# A.04
Swindel, Hettie. Emrich, Duncan / Folklore on the American Land, Little, Brown, sof (1972), p545 [1939] (False True Lover)
RECORDING INFO: I Love You Well
Rt - My Dearest Dear ; Sweet Ellen (Song)
Arthur, Mrs. W. D.. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume IV, Religous Songs and Others, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p265/#760E [1939/02/05]
Burdick, Rose. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume IV, Religous Songs and Others, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p263/#760C [1928/09/12]
Lynch, Miriam. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume IV, Religous Songs and Others, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p264/#760D [1934/09/12]
McCord, May Kennedy. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume IV, Religous Songs and Others, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p262/#760A [1941/10/21] (Lover's Song)
Payne, Frank. Randolph, Vance / Ozark Folksongs. Volume IV, Religous Songs and Others, Univ. of Missouri, Bk (1980/1946), p263/#760B [1934/05/14]
OTHER NAMES: Dearest Dear/The Time Draws Near/I Love You Well/True Lover's Farewell/Lover's Lament/Banishment/The Slighted Girl/Fare You Well, My Own True Love/
RELATED TO: A-Roving on a Winter's Night; Foreign Lander; Who Will Shoe Your Pretty Little Foot" (floating lyrics) and references there; "Fare You Well, My Own True Love (The Storms Are on the Ocean, The False True Lover, The True Lover's Farewell, Red Rosy Bush, Turtle Dove)"
SOURCES (Traditional Ballad index):
Bronson 76, "The Lass of Roch Royal" (23 versions, of which #18, #20, and #22 perhaps go here)
Belden, pp. 484-486, "Banishment" (1 text)
Randolph 18, "Oh Who Will Shoe My Foot?" (8 texts, 5 tunes; the "B," "D," "F," and "H" versions are of this sort) {F=Bronson's #18}; 760, "I Love You Well" (4 texts plus an excerpt, 1 tune)
Davis-Ballads 21, "The Lass of Roch Royal" (of the various texts in the appendices, at least "G" seems to belong here) {Bronson's #20}
Scarborough-SongCatcher, pp. 314-317, "The Time Has Come, My Dearest Dear" (2 texts; 1 tune on p. 440)
Brewster 90, "The True Lover's Farewell" (1 text, which despite the title appears closer to this song than that)
SharpAp 77, "My Dearest Dear" (1 text, 1 tune)
Sharp/Karpeles-80E 40, "My Dearest Dear" (1 text, 1 tune)
GreigDuncan8 1540, "Time's Drawing On, Love" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fuson, p. 112, "When You and I Must Part" (1 text)
Abrahams/Foss, pp. 52-53, "Time Draws Near" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-FSNA 108, "Winter's Night" (1 text, 1 tune, beginning with lyrics from this song but with final verses more characteristic of "The Storms Are on the Ocean")
Sandburg, pp. 126-127, "The Lover's Lament" (1 text plus a fragment, 1 tune)
Sandburg, Carl (ed.) / American Songbag, Harcourt, Sof (1955/1928), p 98
Friedman, Albert B. (ed.) / Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English-S, Viking, sof (1963), p 83 (False True Lover)
Sandburg, Helga (ed.) / Sweet Music, Dial, Bk (1963), p 97 [1940s]
Bryant, Bertha. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p118/# 114H [1918/07/27]
Cannady, Sarah Virginia. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p115/# 114E [1918/08/23]
Davis, Gladys Helen; and Flossie Ellen Evans. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p140 [1937] (My Old True Love)
Donald, Laura Virginia (V.). Sharp, Cecil & Maude Karpeles (eds.) / Eighty English Folk Songs from th, MIT Press, Sof (1968), p 61a [1917ca]
Donald, Laura Virginia (V.). Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p116/# 114F [1918/06/08]
Edwards, George. Cazden, Norman, et.al. / Folk Songs of the Catskills, SUNY Press, sof (1982), p175/# 44 [1940s] (Fare You Well, My Own True Love)
Edwards, George. Cazden, Norman / Abelard Folk Song Book, Abelard-Schuman, Bk (1958), p 49 (Fare You Well, My Own True Love)
Ford, Carrie. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p115/# 114D [1916/09/18]
Hensley, Rosie. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p113/# 114A [1916/08/10]
Johnson, Ellie. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p114/# 114C [1916/09/14]
McClellan, Mrs. C. S.. Morris, Alton C. / Folksongs of Florida, Univ. Florida, Bk (1950), p349/#187 [1934-39]
Merinar, Elmer K.. Cox, John Harrington (ed.) / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover, Sof (1967/1925), p413/#137 [1915/11/09]
Patrick, Polly. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p118/# 114I [1917/08/14]
Ramsey, Mrs. Sylvaney. Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p114/# 114B [1916/09/01]
Richards, Frances (Mrs.). Sharp & Karpeles / English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians II, Oxford, Bk (1932/1917), p117/# 114G [1918/08/16]
Smith, Betty. For My Friends of Song, June Appal JA 018, LP (1977), trk# 15
Sorrels, Rosalie. Lonesome Roving Wolves. Songs & Ballads of the West, Green Linnet SIF 1024, CD (1980), trk# 13 (Fourth of July)
Sorrels, Rosalie. Rosalie's Songbag, Prestige International INT 13025, LP (196?), trk# 2 (Fourth of July)
Summers, Andrew Rowan. Unquiet Grave, Folkways FA 2364/FP 64, LP (1951), trk# A.04
Swindel, Hettie. Emrich, Duncan / Folklore on the American Land, Little, Brown, sof (1972), p545 [1939] (False True Lover)
NOTES: Usually 3/4 time- key of G/Em or C/Am as fiddle tune. The Blackest Crow is one of a large group of True Lover's Farewell Songs usually categorized under Dearest Dear. Typical lyrics include:
My dearest dear, the time draws near
When I and you must part,
And no one knows the inner grief
Of my poor aching heart.
The blackest crow that e'er did fly,
Will surely turn to white,
If ever I prove false to you,
Bright day will turn to night.
The (girl) wishes that they could stay together; (s)he promises to love (him) till (s)he dies, and begs that he write to her.
The song is included as a fiddle tune in Wayne Erbsen's book, Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus! and a good fiddle version in C/Am can be heard on youtube: Tatiana Hargreaves - The Blackest Crow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLiaiygkXtU&NR=1 A great version by uncle Earl of the song in the same key C/Am can be hear on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzI8Lpg09pA&feature=related
A more upbeat fiddle version in G/Em is Bruce Molsky with Julie Fowlis - The Blackest Crow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6jh1vqNvMs&feature=related
The song under the title Banishment was first published in the US by Belden in 1906. The Belden text from 1906 was taken from the Civil War diary of E. J. Sims, "sent to me in 1906..." Belden's text is incomplete, as shown below.
BANISHMENT- Date circa 1866; Found in Belden, H. M., editor, 1940 (1973). Ballads and Songs, Univ. Missouri Studies, vol. XV, no. 1.
My dearest dear, the time draws near
When you and I must part,
But little do you know of the grief and the woe
Of my poor troubled heart heart heart heart.
Or what I suffer for your sake,
You who I hold so dear,
-------
-------
I've one request to make of you,
If I may be so bold:
To place a room within your heart
My secrets for to hold
-------
-------
That this vain world may never know
How deep I am in love with you.
I wish my heart was made of glass,
That in it you might behold
Your name in secret there lies wrote
In letters bright as gold.
-----
-----
If I prove false to you, my love
The raging sea will burn.
If I prove false to you, my love,
-----
The crow that is so black
Will surely turn to white.
Oh, do you see your turtle dove
A-sitting on yonder barn,
A-mourning for its own true love
As I do mourn for mine?
Other similar versions abound with similar lyrics. Most versions are in waltz time or 3/4 time.
This appears to be one of the earliest related texts, the English broadside called 'The Unkind Parents, or, The Languishing Lamentation of two Loyal Lovers'. It was printed for C. Bates, next the Crown-Tavern in West-Smithfield. The Bodleian dates Bates' operation to "between 1685 and 1714."
Here are two of sixteen verses:
Now fare thou well my Dearest Dear, and fare thou well a while,
Altho' I go, I'll come again; if I go ten thousand mile,
Dear Love, if I go ten thousand mile.
Mountains and Rocks on wings shall fly, and roaring Billows burn.
E're I will act Disloyalty; then wait for my return,
Dear Love, then wait for my return.
Traditional Ballad Index NOTES: This is basically a lyric piece assembled from all sorts of floating materials. The first two lines are characteristic; what follows can come from almost anywhere. Doc Watson sings a version which combines parts of this song (notably the verse "A-roving on a winter's night") with portions of "My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose" (see DT REDREDR2). - RBW
The one verse of GreigDuncan8, "Time's drawing on love, when you and I must part; There's none knows the sorrows of my poor wounded heart, For already I have suffered much and sighed many a tear, I wish I were to go with you, or you to tarry here" is very close to verses 1 and 2 of Brewster: "O to me the time draws nigh When you and I must part; But little do you think or know The grief of my poor heart.... Sure I am troubled for your sake Since you I loved too dear; I wish that I could go with you Or that you could stay here."
FINAL NOTES: The fourth common verse is:
4. And when you're on some distant shore,
Think of your absent friend,
And when the wind blows high and clear,
A line to me, pray send.
And when the wind blows high and clear,
Pray send a note to me,
That I might know by your handwrite
How time has gone with thee.
The common lyrics found in the blackest crow verse are wrong. I know it's a folk song and people sing whatever and change the lyrics. It's the intent:
"Bright day will turn to night my love the elements will mourn
If ever I prove false to you the seas will rage and burn."
I think it should be "turn" not burn:
"Bright day will turn to night my love the elements will turn
If ever I prove false to you the seas will rage and burn."
The elements are turning from one thing to another, they are not mourning. Also this is not the best line. The best line has the fire freezing and the sea burning (See: Jean Ritchie's father's song, Foreign Lander, in Mudcat).
One other verse has:
'Tis but I suffer for your sake, believe me dear it's true.
Perhaps another wording (from a traditional version) could be:
Or would I suffer for your sake, believe me dear it's true.
Also I think "How little you know of the grief.." is better than:
"How little do you know of the grief.." which is hard to sing.
One last thing; many versions have "As time grows near..." This seems wrong- but I'm not an English teacher:
THE BLACKEST CROW
As time grows near my dearest dear when you and I must part
How little you know of the grief and woe in my poor aching heart
So would you say, "As time grows near when you and I must part"? I hope not- it has to be "As time grows near, you and I must part." Can a "when" be in this verse- doesn't sound right to my ear. Or you can just sing "The time grows near when you an I must part..."
The Blackest Crow- Bluegrass Messengers (Arranged R. Matteson 2011)
The time draws near my dearest dear, for you and I to part
How little you know of the grief and woe, in my poor aching heart.
Or what I suffer for your sake, believe me dear it's true
I wish that you would stay with me, or I was going with you.
The blackest crow that e'er did fly, will surely turn to white,
If ever I prove false to you, bright day will turn to night.
Bright day will turn to night my dear, the elements will turn,
The fires will freeze to ice my dear, and the raging seas will burn.
I wish my breast were made of glass, wherein you might behold,
That there your name is writ my dear, in letters made of gold.
In letters made of gold my dear, believe me when I say
You are the only one for me, until my dying day.
TAG: You are the only one for me, until my dying day.
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