Lord Lovell- McGregor (IN) 1935 Brewster F
[From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1940. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
12. LORD LOVEL (Child, No. 75)
"Lord Lovel" is one of the best-known ballads in Indiana, though both "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet" and "Barbara Allen" have yielded more texts to the present collection. It was also the first traditional ballad to be contributed. Seven variants have been recovered, all of them belonging to Child B. In Indiana B, however, the vow of Lord Lovel to the dead Nancy Belle shows a closer relationship to the D version of Child.
American texts are to be found in Barry, No. 14; Barry, Eckstonn, and Smyth, p. 139; Belden, No. 6; Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 18; Cox, p. 78; Davis, p. 240 (fifteen variants) and p. 573 (tunes); Hudson, Folksongs, p. 90; Jones, p. 301; Journal, XVIII, 291; XIX, 283; XXIV, 337 (Irish air); XXVIII, 199; XXIX, 160; XXXV, 343; McGill, p. 9; Pound, p. 4; Sandburg, p. 70; Scarborough, p. 55; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 99; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Shoemaker, p. 124; Smith, p. 121; Randolph, Ozark Mountain Folks, p. 193; Smith and Rufty, American Anthology, p. 20; JFSS, II, 289; III, 64; Gardner, Folklore from the Scoharie Hills, p. 203; Cox, Traditional Ballads, pp. 24, 26. Irish text and air: BFSSNE, I, 5.
F. "Lord Lovell." Contributed by Mr. James McGregor, of Oakland City, Indiana. Gibson County. January 8, 1935. With music.
LORD LOVEL
her lov- er good speed.
1. Lord Lovell stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed,
When along came Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing her lover good speed, speed, speed,
A-wishing her lover good speed.
2. "O where are you going, Lord Lovell?" she said;
"O where are you going ?" said she.
"I'm going away, Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see, see, see,
Strange countries for to see."
3. "O when will you be back, Lord Lovell?" she said;
"O when will you be back?" said she.
"In a year or two or three at most
I'll return to your fair body, -dy, -dy,
I'll return to your fair body."
4. He'd been gone away but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see,
When a longing came into his head
Lady Nancy Bell he would see, see, see,
Lady Nancy Bell he would see.
5. He rode and he rode on his milk-white steed
Till he came to London Town,
And people all mourning round, round, round,
And people all mourning round.
6. "Is somebody dead?" Lord Lovell he said;
"Is somebody dead?" said he.
"A lord's daughter," a lady replied;
"Some call her Lady Nancy, -cy, -cy,
Some call her Lady Nancy."
7. He ordered the grave to be opened forthwith,
And the shroud to be folded down;
Then he kissed her clay-cold lips
While the tears came trickling down, down, down,
While the tears came trickling down.
8. Lady Nancy died as might be today;
Lord Lovell died on the morrow;
And out of her bosom there grew a red rose,
And out of Lord Lovell's a briar, -iar, -iar,
And out of Lord Lovell's a briar.
9. They grew and they grew till they reached the church top,
And then they could grow no higher;
And then they twined in a true-lover's knot,
Which all true lovers admire, -ire, -ire,
Which all true lovers admire.