Lord Lovell- Smith (KY-FL) 1935 Morris B
[From Morris; Folksongs of Florida; 1950. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
LORD LOVEL
(Child, No. 75) (Archive 262-82)
B. "LORD LOVELL." Recorded in 1935 from the singing of Miss Alice Louise Smith, Palatka, who learned the song from her mother, a native of Kentucky.
Lord Lowell rode up to his Lady's gate
Upon his milk-white steed;
"O come my Lady Nancy-cy,
And wish your lover speed, speed, speed,
And wish your lover speed."
"O where are you going, Lord Lowell?" she said.
"O where are you going?" said she,
"I'm going, my Lady Nancy-cy,
Strange countries for to see, see, see,
Strange countries for to see."
"How long will you be gone, Lord Lowell?" she said,
"How long will you be gone?" said she.
"In a year or two or three at the most,
I'll return to little Nancy-cy-cy.
I'll return to little Nancy."
He hadn't been gone but a very short while,
About six months and a day,
'Til the very first thought came to his mind,
Twas pretty little Nancy-cy-cy,
Twas pretty little Nancy.
He rode and he rode till he got to the town,
And there he all lay down;
He heard St. Anthony's bells a-ringin'
And the people all mourning around, round, round,
And the people all mourning around.
"Oh, what is the matter?" Lord Lowell said,
"Oh, what is the matter?" said he.
"Alas, your lady died last night;
Of a broken heart died she, she, she,
Of a broken heart died she." "
He ordered the coffin to be undone;
The crowd surrounded around;
He kissed her on her cold clay lips
'Til the tears came trickling down, down,
'Til the tears came trickling down.
O she was buried in the old churchyard
At nine o'clock today;
Lord Lowell said, "She died for me;
I'll die for her tomorrow, tomorrow,
I'll die for her tomorrow."