British & Other Versions 7R. Yon Green Valley--Roud 2125 (Green Valley)
[Two versions of Yon Green Valley have been collected in the British Isles and another was collected in Boston but learned in Tyrone County Ireland[1]. Perhaps the oldest UK version was sung by Mrs. Anderson of Aberdeenshire in November, 1909. The aged informant was the mother-in-law of Rev. Duncan of the Greig-Duncan Collection. This version dates far back into the 1800s.
The 1952 UK version titled "Yon Green Valley" was sung by Bruce Laurenson of Bressay, Shetland, one of the best informants of Patrick Shuldham-Shaw. It was printed in Kennedy, Folksongs of Britain & Ireland (1975) p.368. In 1972 Frankie Armstrong sang a cover of Laurenson's The Green Valley on her LP, Lovely on the Water[2]. Years later cover songs of Laurenson's version were made by both Debra Cowan and also Chris Coe.
R. Matteson 2017]
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Footnotes:
1. "Early In the Spring," from Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States, from S. C, Boston, Mass., native of Co. Tyrone was collected by Phillips Barry. Reprinted in JAF, Vol. 22 on October 1, 1909 by Phillips Barry in his article, Irish Come-All-Ye's.
2. See details on main headnotes page. Armstrong's source is not mentioned by Lloyd in his notes. In her version she leaves off Laurenson's 2ns stanza.
CONTENTS:
1) Green Valley- Mrs. Anderson (Aber) 1909 Greig
2) Yon Green Valley- Bruce Laurenson (Shetland) 1952 Patrick Shuldham-Shaw
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[related?]
Celtic Songs and Slow Airs for the Mountain Dulcimer - Page 73
Christiansen, Corey, Neal Hellman - 2004
Courting is a pleasure between my love and I,
And it's down in yon green valley that I'll meet her by and by.
It's down in yon green valley, she is my heart's delight,
Molly, lovely Molly, I will stay 'til the broad daylight.
2. Going to church last . . .
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The Green Valley [Mainly Norfolk notes]
[Roud 2125 ; G/D 6:1183 ; Ballad Index K168 ; trad.]
Frankie Armstrong sang The Green Valley in 1972 on her LP Lovely on the Water. A.L. Lloyd commented in the album's sleeve notes:
Most of our lost-love songs are from the girl’s viewpoint. On this theme, girls’ songs probably outnumber the boys’ five to one, the proportion established by Bartók after a statistical survey of his huge East European collection, he concluded that “the figures mean that love relations are far more momentous to girls”: fair enough. They’re a confusing lot, these songs that tell no tale but convey a mood. They merely take a stock of images and commonplace verses, and combine and recombine them till one hardly knows whether one’s hearing a dozen different songs or a dozen versions of the same lyrical piece. So it is with this one, entirely constructed of verses that crop up here and there in countless lost-love songs, Nor does the tune help much to distinguish one piece from the other. In this case it’s a member of that vast melody-family of which Died for Love is the central figure.
Chris Coe sang Yon Green Valley in 2001 on her CD A Wiser Fool She noted:
I think of this as being a very English song, but it was in fact collected from Bruce Laurenson of Bressay, Shetland, by Pat Shuldham-Shaw.
The Devil's Interval (Emily Portman, Lauren McCormick and Jim Causley) sang Green Valley in 2008 on their WildGoose CD Blood and Honey. They commented:
From the inimitable singing of Chris Coe; this song got mangled up in Jim's head together with John Kirkpatrick's tune to Tarry Trousers. This is the monster that was spawned. The last line has become our motto for life.
Frankie Armstrong sings The Green Valley
A young man courted me all on sly,
And to his vices I did comply.
'Twas his false vows and flattering tongue,
He beguiled me, love, when I was young.
As I sat down at my love's right hand,
He swore by Heaven, by sea and land
That the rising sun he never would see
If ever that he proved false to me
For nine long months he proved true and kind,
A short time after he changed his mind.
He changed his mind to a high degree
And said farewell to yon green valley.
I mind the promise I made to you,
I'll have no more to do with you,
My father's choice I must obey,
So farewell darling, I cannot stay.
So off he's gone and I wish him well,
For to get married 'tis I hear tell.
My innocent babe I'll tend and care,
And to his false, false you soon beware.
Oh am I bound or am I free?
Oh am I bound to marry thee?
A single life is the best I see,
A contented mind bears no slavery.
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