Lord Lovell- Martin (MO) pre1939 McDonald
[From: Grant McDonald, “A Study of Selected Folk-Songs of Southern Missouri” (master's thesis, University of Iowa, 1939). p. 23.
R. Matteson 2015]
Lord Lovell- sung by John Martin, Flood, Mo. before 1939
1 Lord Lovel he stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed;
When along come Lady Nancy Bell,
A-wishing her lover good speed, speed, speed,
A-wishing her lover good speed.
2 Oh, where are you going, Lord Lovell? says she,
Oh, where are you going? says she;
I’m going, my dear Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for to see, see, see,
Strange countries for to see.
When will you get back, Lord Lovell? she says,
When will you get back? says she;
In a year or two or three at the most,
I’ll return to my fair Nancy, -cy, cy,
I’ll return to my fair Nancy.
He hadn't been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see;
When languishing thoughts came into his head,
Lady Nancy Bell he would see, see, see,
Lady Nancy Bell he would see.
So he rode, and he rode on his milk-white steed,
Till he came to London town;
And there he heard St. Pancras bells,
And the people all mourning round, round,
And the people all mourning round.
Is anybody dead? Lord Lovell he said,
Is anybody dead? says he;
A lady is dead, the people all said,
And they called her Lady Nancy, cy, cy,
And they called her Lady Nancy.
7 He ordered the grave to be opened wide,
And the shroud was folded down,
And there he kissed her clay-cold lips,
Till the tears came a-trickling down, down, down,
Till the tears came a-trickling down.
8 Lady Nancy she died as it might be today,
Lord Lovell he died tomorrow;
Lady Nancy she died out of pure, pure grief,
Lord Lovell he died out of sorrow, 'row, 'row,
Lord Lovell he died out of sorrow.
9. Lord Lovell was buried in the green churchyard,
Lady Nancy was buried in the choir,
And out of his grave grew a red rose.
And our of hers a briar, briar, briar,
And out of hers a briar.
10. They grew and they grew to the top of the church,
Till they could not grow no higher;
They twined in a true lover's knot,
For all true lovers to admire, 'mire, 'mire,
For all lovers to admire.