British versions 7Ua. Young Ladies (Little Sparrow) Roud 6820
[There are four[1] extant UK versions of "Young Ladies" and several UK broadsides that supply stanzas to American versions. Here are the extant versions:
1. "The Lady's Address to the Fair Maidens" broadside printed by Angus of Newcastle c.1780[2].
2. "The Little Swallow" fragment given by Edward Bunting; The Ancient Music of Ireland, p. 96, 1840
3. "Consider All Ye Fair Pretty Maids," sung by J. Imray of c. Aberdeenshire[3] in June 1906, collected by Gavin Greig; from Greig-Duncan Collection, version A[4].
4. "Consider All Ye Fair Maids," sung by G. Baxter of c. Aberdeenshire, collected Greig about 1908; from Greig-Duncan Collection, version B.
Inexplicably Roud gives a different number (6820) for this and he doesn't know of the "The Lady's Address" broadside. The British versions do not have stanzas from "Love is Teasing" or "Wheel of Fortune" or any other broadsides, while the American versions draw from various broadsides and other sources. The American version still use the core stanzas from "The Lady's Address."
The antecedent, "The Lady's Address to the Fair Maidens," is a broadside printed by Angus of Newcastle c.1780 but dating earlier to c.1760 in a London collection. Previously unknown, it was rediscovered by Steve Gardham in his ballad collection on my urging to find an antecedent on March 13, 2017. Not only does it have the identifying stanza but stanza 7 has the swallow stanza followed by a different "swallow" stanza to conclude the broadside. These are the core stanzas. Here's the text with original spelling and capitalization:
"The Lady's Address to the Fair Maidens" c.1760 print
1. Come hither, all you pretty maidens,
Take Warning how you love a Man,
Like a bright star in a Summer's Morning
When day appears they are gone.
2. They'll talk and tell you pretty stories,
They'll vow and swear they love you true,
But it is all to blast your Glory
That's all the love they have for you.
3. It's I myself had once a Sweetheart,
He swore he lov'd me as his Life;
But that was only his false intention,
Ne'er to make me his lawful wife.
4. I was in his Eye a precious Jewel,
So tender was his love for me,
He swore his heart did burn like fuel
Whenever he my face did see.
5. But now, alas! that is all over,
He little thinks of what us past;
In Cupid's chains we were bound together,
There to remain while life did last.
6. May the heaven's bless that happy woman,
Who does enjoy my jewel bright;
His Wit and Beauty are more than common,
On him I place my chief Delight.
7. I wish I was a pretty swallow,
That nimbly in the Air could fly,
Then my false-hearted love I'd follow,
Whene'er he talk'd I would lie by.
8. Whene'er he talk'd then I would flutter,
All on his Breast with my tender Wings,
And ask him who it was that flatter'd,
And told so many deluding Things.
"The Lady's Address" has the core stanzas of 1, 7 and 8. The Scottish traditional version, "Consider All Ye Fair Maids," sung by G. Baxter has some of the secondary stanzas but the North American versions have replaced the secondary stanzas with stanzas from other sources.
Edward Bunting gives a fragment of "The Little Swallow," (No. 95 in the collection) which appears to be a version in his The Ancient Music of Ireland, p. 96, 1840. Bunting states, "the words which have been handed down by tradition are simple and appropriate for the air, commencing:
"I would I were a little swallow,
I would rise into the air and fly,
Away to that inconstant rover,"
&c &c
Of the two Scottish versions collected by Gavin Grieg about 1908 only the B version has a full text. The A text is nearly identical to the B's first stanza. The B text version is closely related to "The Lady's Address" showing that the broadside was probably printed in Scotland. Here's the B text in full:
B. Consider All Ye Fair Maids- sung by G. Baxter as collected Greig about 1908.
1. Consider all ye fair maids,
How ye learn to love young men,
Consider all ye fair maids,
How ye learn to love young men,
They're like a star in a summer mornin',
No sooner seen than it's gone again
They're like a star in a summer mornin',
No sooner seen than it's gone again.
2. They'll kiss and clap you, they'll tell you stories
They'll swear and vow that they love you true;
But as soon as they have their present glory,
They'll turn and answer-- I love not you,
But as soon as they have their present glory,
They'll turn and answer-- I love not you.
3. I myself once love a young man
He vowed and swore that he loved me true,
Ten thousand times that man swore and told me,
No other fair maid his bride would be,
Ten thousand times that man swore and told me,
No other fair maid his bride would be.
4. Oh happy, happy is the woman,
That shall enjoy his sweet angel bride,
For his wit and beauty is more than common,
On him I placed my heart's delight,
For his wit and beauty is more than common,
On him I placed my heart's delight.
5. I wish I were a little swallow,
Or if I had but wings to fly,
I would fly over yonder border,
To the place where my love he doth dwell,
I would ask of him what made him flatter,
Or why he told such deluding tales.
6. But yes and for all I will excuse him,
And keep a close and contented mind,
But yes and for all I will excuse him,
And keep a close and contented mind.
Both stanza 1 and 2 match the "The Lady's Address" broadside, the end of stanza 5 matches the end of "The Lady's Address." The only explanation for only one full version of the song being found in the UK is that it was once popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s in the UK and died out. But the settlers coming to America at that time brought it with them, reworking many of the stanzas that are floating love stanzas.
R. Matteson 2017]
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Footnotes:
1. The text for Paddy Tunney's version is found in the main headnotes. His source is an American singer and the text appears to be written (by Tunney?) from Bunting's fragment and may not be traditional. Tunney's version "Little Sparrow" appears in his 1991 book, "Where Songs Do Thunder: Travels in Traditional Song."
2. An early date of c. 1760 is given from a version published in a London collection.
3. Most of Greig's collecting was done around or in Aberdeenshire, I'm assuming Imray was local as most of his informants.
4. Version A Imray's text:
1. Consider all ye fair pretty maids,
Consider how ye love young men,
For they're like a star in a summer's mornin',
No sooner seen than they're gone again.
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CONTENTS: (found on this page)
1. "The Lady's Address to the Fair Maidens" broadside printed by Angus of Newcastle c.1780.
2. "Consider All Ye Fair Pretty Maids," sung by J. Imray of c. Aberdeenshire in June 1906, collected by Gavin Greig; from Greig-Duncan Collection, version A.
3. "Consider All Ye Fair Maids," sung by G. Baxter of c. Aberdeenshire, collected Greig about 1908; from Greig-Duncan Collection, version B.