by Anonymous / Unidentified Author and sometimes misattributed to Victor Neuberg (1873 - 1940)
One morning very early, one morning in...
Language: English
One morning very early, one morning in the spring, I heard a maid in Bedlam who mournfully did sing. Her chains she rattled on her hands while sweetly thus sang she, I love my love because I know my love loves me. Oh cruel were his parents who sent my love to sea, And cruel, cruel was the ship that bore my love from me. Yet I love his parents since they're his, although they've ruined me, And I love my love because I know my love loves me. Oh should it please the pitying powers to call me to the sky, I'll claim a guardian angel's charge around my love to fly. To guard him from all dangers how happy I should be, For I love my love because I know my love loves me. I'll make a strawy garland, I'll make it wondrous fine, With roses, lilies, daisies I'll mix the eglantine, And I'll present it to my love when he returns from sea, For I love my love because I know my love loves me. Oh if I were a little bird to build upon his breast, Or if I were a nightingale to sing my love to rest, To gaze upon his lovely eyes all my reward should be, For I love my love because I know my love loves me. Oh if I were an eagle to soar in to the sky, I'd gaze around with piercing eyes where I my love might spy. But ah, unhappy maiden, that love you ne'er shall see, Yet I love my love because I know my love loves me.
J. Haydn sets stanzas 1-2, 6
About the headline (FAQ)
Note from the Haydn song: "Said to have been written in Bedlam by a Negro"Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- sometimes misattributed to Victor Neuberg (1873 - 1940)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Gramachree", Hob. XXXIa:13bis, JHW. XXXII/3 no. 214, stanzas 1-2,6. [voice and piano] [text verified 1 time]
- by Peter Warlock (1894 - 1930), "The distracted maid", 1922, published 1923, from Lillygay, no. 1. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 271