Henry Dear- Frances Repetto (TC) c.1938 Munch
[From: The Song Tradition of Tristan da Cunha; Peter Munch, 1970. Collected during the Norwegian scientific expedition to the island in 1938-9, by Peter Munch, who was the sociologist. His notes follow.
The whole of first stanza id from "The Seaman's Complaint for his Unkind Mistress, of Wapping," dated circa 1694.
R. Matteson 2017]
The first phrase of the tune is similar, and the second phrase identical, to that of "The Butcher Boy," also obtained from Alice Swain (p. 80). For the text, cf. "The Sailor Boy" (Leach, 1955, p. 736 f., Laws, 1957, p. 146). 6/3 should probably read:
Saying, "Happy, happy, o, is the bride"
Henry Dear- text written down from Frances Repetto of Tristan da Cunha about 1938; Tune: Alice Swain (Glass).
1. It was early all in the spring,
when Henry went for to serve his King;
He left his dearest true love behind,
and he ofttimes told me his heart was mine.
2. Come all you sailors, stand in a row,
my Henry he is the greatest show[1],
He's the greatest show, O, amongst them all,
if I don't have him, I'll have none at all.
3. Come build for me a little boat,
that I may on the wide ocean float
And view the shipping as we pass by.
Come and weep for me and my sailor boy.
4. I had not gone far across the sea,
before some Queen's ship I chance to meet.
"Say, Captain, Captain, come tell me true,
Is my sweet sailor among your crew?"
5. "Oh no, fair lady, he is not here,
oh yes, fair lady, he is drowned I fear;
Tis yonder green island as we pass by,
it was there we lost your sweet sailor boy."
6. She wrung her hands and she tore her hair
like some poor virgin in deep despair,
Saying, "Happy, happy, O, is the girl
that have her true love down by her side."
7. She sat right down and she wrote a song,
she wrote it true and she wrote it long,
And on every line she did drop a tear,
and on every verse she cried, "Henry dear."
1. probably a misprint originally, "I how,"