by John Irvine (1903 - 1964)
My Lady Greensleeves
Language: English
Oh who is fair as she is fair And who can such a grace posess! The rose itself could not compare Nor rob her of her comeliness. Come love be all my joy, Thou alone are my delight. Come love be my heart of gold And who but my lady Greensleeves. Oh who is sweet as she is sweet Above all things that mortals prize: I’d lay a kingdom at her feet Nor seek a richer merchandise Come love… Oh who is rare as she is rare And who is such a charming maid. The lute shall tell her my despair And fill with song the myrtle shade. Come love… Oh who is kind as she is kind. Whose gentle heart could ne’er betray! If Argus prove himself but blind. Yet she would have my constancy. Come love…
Text Authorship:
- by John Irvine (1903 - 1964) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953), "My Lady Greensleeves", 1942, published 1942 [ vocal duet with piano ], from The Arnold Book of Old Songs, no. 3, London, Boosey & Hawkes [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Malcolm Gain
This text was added to the website: 2022-06-26
Line count: 23
Word count: 138