Recordings & Info 8C. On a Mountain Stands a Lady
[There is no listing for On a Mountain Stands a Lady in the Trad. Ballad Index or Keefer "Folk Index" while Roud index has 62 listings.
R. Matteson 2017]
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Random versions- most missing and notes
On a Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S308976)
First Line: On a mountain stands a lady
Source: Ballads & Songs 5 (n.d.)
Performer: Smith, Georgina
Date:
Place: England : Yorkshire : Sheffield
Collector: Smith, Georgina
Roud No: 2603
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There Stands a Lady on the Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S192238)
First Line: There stands a lady on the mountain
Source: Kerr's Guild of Play (1912) p.33
Performer:
Date:
Place: Scotland?
On a Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S276459)
First Line: On a mountain stands a lady
Source: Sinclair, Murder Murder Polis (1986) p.49
Performer:
Date:
Place: Scotland : Glasgow
Collector: Sinclair, Maureen
Lady on the Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S241817)
First Line: There stands a lady on the mountain
Source: Leyden, Boys & Girls Come Out to Play (1993) pp.14-15
Performer:
Date:
Place: Ireland
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Southern California Jump-Rope Rhymes: A Study in Variants
by Ray B. Browne
from Western Folklore,
Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jan., 1955), pp. 3-22
On a Hillside Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S247764)
First Line: On a hillside stands a lady
Source: Western Folklore 14 (1955) p.14
Performer:
Date:
Place: USA : California
Collector: Browne, Ray B.
Roud No: 2603
On the Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S297674)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Smith, Blue Bell Hill Games (1982) p.9
Performer:
Date: 1980c
Place: England : Nottinghamshire : Nottingham
Collector: Smith, R.A.
Roud No: 2603
On the Hillside
Roud Folksong Index (S303425)
First Line: On the hillside stands a lady
Source: Ulster Folk & Transport Museum Year Book (1971/1972) p.23 (version a)
Performer: Schoolchildren
Date: 1963
Place: USA : Texas
Lady on the Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S212129)
First Line: There lives a lady on the mountain
Source: Occomore & Spratley, Bushes & Briars (1979) p.89
Performer:
Date:
Place: England : Essex : Colchester
Collector:
Roud No: 2603
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S297675)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Shaw, You Know Me Anty Nelly? (Rev. edn., 1970) p.85
Performer:
Date:
Place: England : Liverpool
Collector: Shaw, Frank
On a Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S186511)
First Line: On a mountain stands a lady
Source: Fowke, Sally Go Round the Sun (1969) p.66
Performer: East York Children
Date: 1959
Place: Canada : Ontario : Toronto
Collector: Fowke, Edith
On the Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S275951)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Cosbey, All in Together Girls (1980) p.85
Performer:
Date: 1972-1978
Place: Canada : Saskatchewan : Regina
Collector: Cosbey, Robert C.
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S303429)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Coppock & Hill, Headington Quarry & Shotover (1933) pp.60-61
Performer:
Date: 1933c
Place: England : Oxfordshire : Headington Quarry | Shotover
There Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S317685)
First Line: There stands a lady on the mountain
Source: Douglas, London Street Games (1st edition, 1916) pp.85-87
Performer:
Date: 1916c
Place: England : London
Collector: Douglas, Norman
Lady on the Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S325808)
First Line:
Source: Anne Gilchrist MSS Collection (Vaughan Williams Memorial Library) AGG/1/18/41b
Performer:
Date: 1915 (7 Oct)
Place: England : Lancashire : Southport : Girls' Orphanage
Collector: Gilchrist Anne G.
Roud No: 2603
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On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S156978)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Polwarth, Folk Songs from the North p.41
Performer: Elliott, Mrs. Em
Date:
Place:
Collector: Polwarth, Gwen & Mary
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On a Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S263274)
First Line:
Source: Library of Congress recording 3625 B1
Performer: Nidleman, Beatrice
Date: 1938
Place: USA : New York
Collector: Halpert, Herbert
Roud No: 2603
On the Hillside
Roud Folksong Index (S303426)
First Line: On the hillside stands a lady
Source: Ulster Folk & Transport Museum Year Book (1971/1972) p.23 (version b)
Performer: Schoolchildren
Date: 1968
Place: N. Ireland : Belfast
Collector: McCaughan, Michael
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S263298)
First Line:
Source: Library of Congress recording 3650 A1
Performer: Girls skipping
Date: 1939
Place: USA : New York
Collector: Halpert, Herbert
Roud No: 2603
On the Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S302442)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Peirce, Keep the Kettle Boiling (1983) p.23
Performer: Peirce, Maggi Kerr
Date: 1942c
Place: N. Ireland : Belfast
Collector: Peirce, Maggi Kerr
On a Mountain
Roud Folksong Index (S275949)
First Line: On a mountain stands a lady
Source: Sinclair, Games a Bogie (1989) p.84
Performer:
Date: 1950s
Place: Scotland : Glasgow
Collector: Sinclair, Maureen
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S303430)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Cumnock Academy, Bluebells My Cockle Shells (1961) p.14
Performer:
Date: 1961c
Place: Scotland : Ayrshire : Cumnock
Collector: Cumnock Academy Pupils
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S339532)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Brumfield, Hot Peas and Barley-O (2006) p.13
Performer: [Schoolchildren]
Date: 1954
Place: Scotland : Edinburgh
Collector: Henderson, Hamish
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S339532)
First Line: On the mountain stands a lady
Source: Brumfield, Hot Peas and Barley-O (2006) p.13
Performer: [Schoolchildren]
Date: 1954
Place: Scotland : Edinburgh
Collector: Henderson, Hamish
On the Mountains Stands a Lady
Roud Folksong Index (S329337)
First Line: On the mountains stands a lady
Source: James Madison Carpenter MSS Collection (American Folklife Center, Library of Congress / VWML, London) p.01090
Performer: Thomas, Miss Phyllis
Date: 1929c-1935c
Place: England : Cornwall : Camborne
Collector: Carpenter, James Madison
Children's games with things: marbles, fivestones, throwing and catching, gambling, hopscotch, chucking and pitching, ball-bouncing, skipping, tops and tipcat
Front Cover
Iona Archibald Opie, Peter Opie
Oxford University Press, 1997
ona Archibald Opie, Peter Opie - 1997
Upon a hill there stands a lady, Who she is I do not know. IH go and court her for her beauty, She will answer yes or no. (Cleethorpes, 1952. Folk-song version) On the mountain stands a lady, Who she is I do not know, All she wants is gold and
The Lore of the Playground: One hundred years of children's games, ...
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1407089323
Steve Roud - 2010 -
FORFAR, Q1950 Being a relative newcomer to the stable of children's games, it was natural for skipping to acquire some rhymes from older forms of entertainment. On a Mountain Stands a lady is an example of a rhyme that was formerly found ...
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Title - On a Mountain Stands a Lady
Contributors - Unknown (multi)
Reporters - Hamish Henderson
Summary - On a mountain stands a lady,
Who she is I do not know,
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man,
So call on my somebody dear ... somebody dear ... Samuel dear,
So call on my Samuel dear, we all fade away.
Track Duration (h:m:s) - 00:00:27
Date Recorded - 1954.08
Language - English
Genre - Song
Collection - School of Scottish Studies
Track ID - 38069
Original Tape ID - SA1954.103
Original Track ID - SA1954.103.B1(a)
Audio Quality - Good
Audio Format - R2R
Classification - GD1588; R2603;
Recording Location:
County - Midlothian
Parish - Edinburgh
Village - Edinburgh
Title - On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Contributors - Lucy Stewart
Reporters - Prof. Kenneth Goldstein
Summary - A children's skipping rhyme:
On the mountain stands a lady,
Who she is I do not know,
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
So call out my Margaret
As I have done before.
Track Duration (h:m:s) - 00:00:22
Date Recorded - 1960.05
Language - English
Genre - Song
Collection - School of Scottish Studies
Track ID - 24270
Original Tape ID - SA1960.171
Original Track ID - SA1960.171.B8
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Liverpool anon
This is a thread for the girls. As a rope holder I know a few myself but I wondered could we jog a few memories of the rhymes we skipped too.
On a Mountain
On a mountain stands a lady,
Who she is I do not know,
All she wears is Gold and Silver,
All she needs is a fine young man,
So I call in _______ dear, ________dear, _________dear,
So I call in _______ dear, while I go out to play,
Good-day.
(The named girl jumps in when called, and the original girl jumps out on Good-day)
We sang call in my very best friend!
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Post by STRAVAIG » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:12 am
hi lesley, on the mountain stands a lady who she is i do not know, all she wants is gold and silver all she wants is a nice young man , so call in my lesley dear, lesley dear lesley ,lesley dear, so call in my lesley dear, as i go out to play.
vote vote vote for lesley-------- in comes jean at the door , jean is the one and the only only one so we dont want lesley any more, and so on
both these were played with the long rope and perhaps anything up to twenty odd girls. once you start thinking they just keep coming back ,
remember this wee song ....down in yonder meadow where the green grass grows sits lesley----- bleaching all her clothes and she sighed and she sighed and she sang so sweet, that she sang john mctavish across the street, and he's kissed her he's cuddled her and took her on his knee and said dear lesley i hope you will agree, agree, agree, i hope you will agree, for tomorrow is our wedding day, i hope you will agree.....
now i wont get to sleep for all these wee songs and games going though my head, its been nice to step back in time, goodnight,lesley.
jean
researching gr granparents john mcquarry/mcquarrie/mary alexander married 1836 girthon sw scotland both worked in cottonmill, ,would like to get back a bit further ,....if i could only find out where john was born.............
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:27 pm
Location: south west scotland
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Alternative game to jump rope: Class stands in a circle with one child in the middle.Whole class sings “On the mountain stands the lady, who she is I do not know.All she wants is gold and silver, all she wants is ice cream cones.”The child in the middle sings “So jump in another student so jump out my student in the middle”. Repeat with a new student in the middle.
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FROM THE SINGING GAME by IONA & PETER OPIE (pub 1985)
Stands a lady on the mountain,
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
Madam will you walk,
Madam will you talk,
Madam will you marry me?
No!
Not if I buy you a nice armchair
To sit in the garden when you take the air?
No!
Not if I buy you a nice silver spoon
To feed your baby in the afternoon?
No!
Not if I buy you a nice straw hat
With three coloured ribbons hanging down the back?
Yes!
Go to church, luv,
Go to church, luv, farewell.
Go to church, luv,
Go to church, luv, farewell.
Back from church, luv,
Back from church, luv, farewell.
Back from church, luv,
Back from church, luv, farewell.
What’s for breakfast, luv,
What’s for breakfast, luv, farewell?
What’s for breakfast, luv,
What’s for breakfast, luv, farewell?
Bread and butter and watercress,
Bread and butter and watercress,
Bread and butter and watercress,
And you shall have some.
What’s for dinner, luv,
What’s for dinner, luv, farewell?
What’s for dinner, luv,
What’s for dinner, luv, farewell?
Bread and butter and beetles,
Bread and butter and beetles,
Bread and butter and beetles,
And you shall have some.
What’s for supper, luv,
What’s for supper, luv, farewell?
What’s for supper, luv,
What’s for supper, luv, farewell?
Bread and butter and rats,
Bread and butter and rats,
Bread and butter and rats,
And you shall have some.
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Journal of American Folklore, Volumes 30-31
Canadian Folk-Lore from Ontario
by F.W. Waugh
Play Rhymes
A Cornwall informant quotes (Dec. 11, 1909) a version formerly heard at Colborne, Ont., which he supposes to be Irish.
“Here sits a Spanish lady,
Who she is I do not know.
Come and court her for her beauty,
Whether she say yes or no.”
The next verse began, –
“Madam, I have come a-courting,
Your kind favor to obtain.”
The young man set forth his qualifications: —
“Madam, I have gold and silver,
Madam, I have houses and land;
Madam, I have ships on the ocean,
And they're all at your command.”
The lady then scornfully remarked,
“What care I for your gold and silver?
What care I for your houses and land?
What care I for ships on the ocean?
All I want is a nice young man.”
The young man then returned, –
“Madam, I have gold, etc.,
And, besides, I'm a nice young man,” —
after which they both lived happily.
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Jimmy C (Mudcat) 2000
The little girls in Belfast and probably other places used to sing a skipping song that went:
On the hillside stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is a fine young man
Lady, Lady, touch the ground
Lady, Lady spin around
Lady, Lady, touch your shoe
Lady, Lady, go right through.
During the singing of the second part the skipper would have to spin, touch her shoe etc, without getting tangled in the rope. If successful she would pass on and rejoin the line, if not she had to take the end of the rope and do the turning, this went on until everybody got a chance to skip. My sisters would sing it often, I suppose there are other verses but I can't recall any.
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[no name post]
For skipping we would sing (in the 1960s in northern Canada)
On a moutain stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is ice and snow
So come in my lady, lady, lady
So come in my lady,
While I go out to tea
(this was an invitation for one girl to skip in and take the rope and the other girl to skip out)
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On a mountain stands a lady
From: Darowyn - PM
Date: 24 Apr 11 - 04:37 AM
I know a much longer version which goes to the tune used as the theme to the old TV series "The Liver Birds".
Everybody sings
Stands a lady, on the mountain
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man"
the 'young man' then sings (to different tune)
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What if I buy you a nice arm chair,
to sit in the garden when you take the air?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What if I buy you a silver spoon,
To feed your baby in the afternoon?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What If I buy you a nice straw hat,
With long green ribbons hanging down the back?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
Yes!
Everybody (another different tune)
Off to church love, off to church love, farewell!
Home from church love, home from church love, farewell!
Young man+ all the boys
What's for breakfast love, What's for breakfast love, farewell!
What's for breakfast love, What's for breakfast love, farewell!
lady,+ all the girls
Bread and butter and watercress. Bread and butter and watercress.
Bread and butter and watercress, and you shall have some!
Young man
What's for dinner love, What's for dinner love, farewell!
What's for dinner love, What's for dinner love, farewell!
lady,
Bread and butter and beetles. Bread and butter and beetles.
Bread and butter and beetles, and you shall have some!
Young man
What's for supper love, What's for supper love, farewell!
What's for supper love, What's for supper love, farewell!
lady,
Bread and butter and RATS. Bread and butter and RATS.
Bread and butter and RATS, and you shall have some!
Then everyone runs about screaming for a while, then they all come back into the circle to start again.
My class of eight year olds used to play this in Leeds in the early 80's, and the fact that I remember it accounts for the reason that I made a birthday cake for one of my grandsons that was decorated with bread and butter and beetles one year. Two years later his little brother asked me "When you make my birthday cake granddad, will you put bugs on it please?"
Cheers
Dave
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On a mountain stands a lady
From: Steve Gardham - PM
Date: 26 Apr 11 - 02:09 PM
The above question and answer version seems to be related to the versions used as rural stage pieces at village concerts in the nineteenth century. It also seems to be based on 2 songs, one 'Madam, will you walk', followed by, 'Shepherd, oh, shepherd, will you come home'.
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On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 09:28 PM
My mom sang it much different:
On the mountain, stands a lady,
Who she is I do not know
All she wears is gold and silver
All she needs is a punch in the nose
So I'm calling *( insert name here)* dear,
*Katie * dear, *Katie* dear
So I'm calling Katie dear,
when I go out to play.
Good day!
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On a mountain stands a lady
From: Joybell - PM US
Date: 04 Jul 13 - 05:53 PM
As a skipping song in the 1950s we sang "On a hill there stands a creature..."
I always loved that image. A dragon? A lady griffin? A she-bear?
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On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST,Shay - PM
Date: 14 May 14 - 02:34 AM
When I was a kid in the 1990s we used to sing:
on a mountain stands a lady
who she is i do know
all she wants is gold and silver
all she needs is a punch in the
So out goes *name of kid who was jumping*
and in goes *name of the next kid in line*
then we would start again.
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Dictionary of British Folk-lore, Volume 1
edited by G. Laurence Gomme, 1894
I. There stands a lady on the mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
Choose one, choose two, choose the fairest one of the two.
The fairest one that I can see,
Is pretty, walk with me.
—Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme).
II. There lives a lady on the mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
Choose one, choose two,
Choose the fairest of the few.
Now you're married I wish you joy,
Father and mother you must obey;
Love one another like sister and brother,
And pray, young couple, come kiss one another.
—Colchester (Miss G. M. Frances).
III. Here stands a lady on a mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
Choose you east, and choose you west,
Choose you the one as you love best.
Now Sally's got married we wish her good joy,
First a girl and then a boy;
Twelve months a'ter a son and da'ter,
Pray young couple, kiss together.
—Berrington (Shropshire Folk-lore, pp. 509, 510).
IV. Stands a lady on the mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young beau.
Take her by the lily-white hand,
Lead her across the water;
Give her kisses, one, two, three,
For she is her mother's daughter.
—Shipley, Horsham (Notes and Queries,
8th series, i. 210, Miss Husk).
V. There stands a lady on a mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
Now she's married I wish her joy,
First a girl and then a boy;
Seven years after son and daughter,
Pray young couple kiss together.
Kiss her once, kiss her twice,
Kiss her three times three.
—Wrotham, Kent (Miss D. Kimball).
VI. There stands a lady on the ocean [mountain],
Who she is I do not know her;
All she wants is gold or silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
Choose once, choose twice,
Choose three times over.
VOL. I. X
Now you're married I wish you joy,
First a girl and then a boy;
Seven years old a son and daughter,
Play and cuddle and kiss together.
Kiss her once, kiss her twice,
Kiss her three times over. —Deptford (Miss Chase).
VII. There stands a lady on the mountain,
Who she is I do not know:
Oh! she wants such gold and silver!
Oh! she wants such a nice young man!
Now you're married I wish you joy,
First a girl and then a boy;
Seven years after a son and a daughter,
Kiss your bride and come out of the ring.
—Berkshire (Miss Thoyts, Antiquary, xxvii. 254).
(V) A ring is formed, one child in the centre. The ring sing the first verse, and then the centre child chooses one from the ring. The chosen pair kiss when the ring has sung the second. The first child then joins the ring, and the game begins again. In the Barnes version the centre child calls one to her from the ring by singing the second verse and naming the child she chooses.
(c) A version from Lady C. Gurdon's Suffolk County Folklore (p. 62) is the same as previous versions, except that it ends— Now you're married you must be good,
Make your husband chop the wood; Chop it fine and bring it in, Give three kisses in the ring. Other versions are much the same as the examples given.
(d) This game has probably had its origin in a ballad. Miss Burne draws attention to its resemblance to the "Disdainful Lady" (Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 561), and Halliwell mentions a nursery rhyme (No. cccclxxix.) which is very similar. Mr. Newell (Games, p. 55) prints words and tune of a song which is very similar to that ballad, and he mentions the fact that he has seen it played as a round by the "Arabs of the street." He considers it to be an old English song which has been fitted for a ring game by the addition of a verse. See "Lady on Yonder Hill."
Lady on Yonder Hill
I. Yonder stands a lovely lady,
Whom she be I do not know;
I'll go court her for my beauty,
Whether she say me yea or nay.
Madam, to thee I humbly bow and bend.
Sir, I take thee not to be my friend.
Oh, if the good fairy doesn't come I shall die.
—Derbyshire (Folk-lore Journal, i. 387).
11. There stands a lady on yonder hill,
Who she is I cannot tell;
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
Whether she answers me yes or no.
Madam, I bow vounce to thee.
Sir, have I done thee any harm?
Coxconian!
Coxconian is not my name;
'tis Hers and Kers, and Willis and Cave.
Stab me, ha! ha! little I fear.
Over the waters there are but nine,
I'll meet you a man alive.
Over the waters there are but ten,
I'll meet you there five thousand.
Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
You're only in a trance;
Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
And we will have a dance.
—Lady C. Gurdon's Su/olk County Folk-lore, p. 65.
(b) In the Suffolk game the children form a ring, a boy and girl being in the centre. The boy is called a gentleman and the girl a lady. The gentleman commences by singing the first verse. Then they say alternately the questions and answers. When the gentleman says the lines commencing, "Stab me," he pretends to stab the lady, who falls on the ground. Then he walks round the lady and sings the last verse, "Rise up," and lifts up the lady. In the Derbyshire game only three children play, the lover, lady, and fairy. The girl stands a little distance oft". The lover says the first four lines, then approaches the lady, falls on one knee, and says the next line. The lady replies, and retires further away. The lover then falls on the ground and says the next line. As this is said the good fairy appears, touches the fallen lover with her hand, and he is immediately well again.
(c) This is a curious game, and is perhaps derived from a ballad which had been popular from some more or less local circumstance, or more probably it may be a portion of an old play acted in booths at fair times by strolling players. It is not, as far as I can find out, played in any other counties. The lines—
Over the water at the hour of ten,
I'll meet you with five thousand men;
Over the water at the hour of five,
I'll meet you there if I'm alive,
are portions of a dialogue familiar to Mr. Emslie, and also occur in some mumming plays. It may also be noted that the curing of illness or death from a stab is an incident in these plays, as is also the method of playing. The first lines are similar to those of " Lady on the Mountain," which see.
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The Study of Man
By Alfred Cort Haddon 1898
Or there is the very practical young lady on the mountain:
"There stands a lady on a mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man.
"Now she's married I wish her joy,
First a girl and then a boy;
Seven years after son and daughter:
Pray, young couple, kiss together.
"Kiss her once, kiss her twice,
Kiss her three times three."
The marriage formula of the second verse is a very common one, subject, of course, to numerous variations. That this enshrines some ancient and widely spread sentiment there can be little doubt.
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Gloucestershire, Volume 1, Issues 1-3
edited by Edwin Sidney Hartland, 1895
VIII.
Make a Ring.
All join hands, enclosing a boy and girl, the boy standing a distance from the girl. The boy is called a gentleman, and the girl a lady.
Gentleman:
"There stands a lady on yonder hill,
Who she is I cannot tell;
I'll go and court her for her beauty
Whether she answers me yes or no.
Madam I bow vounee to thee."
Lady: 'Sir, have I done thee any harm?'
Gentleman: 'Coxconian.'
Lady: 'Coxconian is not my name, 'tis Hers and Kers and Willis and Cave.'
Gentleman: 'Stab me Ha! Ha! little I fear, over the waters there are but nine, I'll meet you a man alive. Over the waters there are but ten, I'll meet you there five thousand.'
Then the gentleman pretends to stab the lady, and she falls on the ground. Then he walks round the lady and sings:
'Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
You're only in a trance;
Rise up, rise up, my pretty fair maid,
And we will have a dance.'
Then he lifts up the lady and the game is finished.
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Singing games
by Pollard, Josephine, 1834-1892; Mathews, F. Schuyler (Ferdinand Schuyler), 1854-1938
Publication date 1890
Topics Games, Children's songs
Publisher New York, McLoughlin Bros
Here Stands a Lovely Creature
HERE SHE STANDS, A LOVELY CREATURE.
"Madam, I have gold and silver,
Madam, I have house and lands,
Madam, I have ships on the ocean,
All I have is at your command."
110
' What care I for gold and silver ?
What care I for house and lands ?
What care I for ships on the ocean ?
All I want is a nice young man! "
The players go round in a ring. One
of their number stands in the center, and
at the last verse chooses a partner. The
two kiss, and the one who was first in the
center takes her place in the ring, and the game goes on.
ther she stands a beauty creature,
who she is I do not know,
I will court her for her beauty,
Whether she says yes or no.
-----------------
Around the Tea-table
By Thomas De Witt Talmage, 1875
After tea the parlour is full of romp. The children are playing ' Ugly Mug, ' and 'Mrs Wiggins, ' and ' Stage Coach/ and 'Bear/ and 'Tag/ and 'Yonder stands a lovely creature.'
---------------
The Singing Game - Page 177
Iona Opie - 1977 -
This game, often reported in the last years of the nineteenth century (Alice Gomme gave eight versions), seems to be related to a further ring game 'Yonder Stands a Lovely Lady' or 'There She Stands a Lovely Creature' of which a version,
-------------------
Sharp Gomme 1912
There Stands a Lady- Somerset
Collected from girls at Littleport Town Girls' School by Cecil Sharp. 8 Sept 1911 Littleport, Cambridgeshire.
London: Novello and Co. 1912
Circle Game
All the players join hands in a ring except one, A, who stands in the centre. They then sing and act as follows:—
The players dance round in the ring and sing these lines. A says “No” very decidedly. The players then stand still and sing the last two lines. A again says " No.”
1 There I stands a lady on the mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver.
All she wants is a nice young man.
Madam will you walk? Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me? No!
Not if I buy you a nice arm chair
To sit in your garden when you take the air? No!
2 There I stands a lady I on the mountain.
Who she is I do not know ;
All she wants is I gold and silver,
All she wants is a I nice young man.
Madam will you walk? Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me? No
Not if I buy you a silver spoon
To I feed your baby every afternoon? No
3 There I stands a lady on the mountain,
Who she is I do not know;
All she wants is gold and silver.
All she wants is a nice young man.
[As in first stanza, except that on the second interrogation A says “Yes.” A then chooses a partner from the ring, B.]
Madam will you walk? Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me! No!
Not if I buy you a nice straw hat,
With three yards of ribbon a-hanging down your back? Yes
A and B, arm in arm, walk out from the ring under the raised arms of two of the players. B puts a ring on A’s finger,
4 Go to I church, love,
Go to I church, love, farewelL
5 Put the I ring on,
Put the I ring on, fare-I-well.
6 Say your | prayers, love, [A and B kneel down]
Say your I prayers, love, fare-I-wcll.
7 Back from I church, love, [A and B, arm in arm, walk back into the centre of the ring,]
Back from I church, love, fare-well.
8 What’s for breakfast, love, [Sung by A and B.]
What’s for I breakfast, love, fare-I-well'?
9 Bread and butter and watercress, [Sung by the ring]
Bread and I butter and I watercress,
Bread and I butter and I watercress,
And I you shall have I some.
10 Bread and I butter and | beetles, [Sung by the ring],
Bread and I butter and | beetles,
Bread and I butter and I beetles,
And I you shall have I some.
12 What’s for I tea, love, [Music as for sung by A and B.
What’s for I tea, love, farewell ?
1;; Bread and I butter and | rats,* Sung by the ring
Bread and I butter and I rats, Music as for
Bread and I butter and | rats,
And I you shall have I some.
In some versions the game concludes with the, “Marriage Formula (ace last stanza or “Poor Mary sits a-weeping.”
* Sometimes “Roast beef and plum pudding, or “Roast beef and fried hedgehog."
----------------------
Subject: ADD: On the hillside stands a lady
From: Jimmy C - PM
Date: 26 Jul 00 - 09:21 AM
The little girls in Belfast and probably other places used to sing a skipping song that went:
On the hillside stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is a fine young man
Lady, Lady, touch the ground
Lady, Lady spin around
Lady, Lady, touch your shoe
Lady, Lady, go right through.
During the singing of the second part the skipper would have to spin, touch her shoe etc, without getting tangled in the rope. If successful she would pass on and rejoin the line, if not she had to take the end of the rope and do the turning, this went on until everybody got a chance to skip. My sisters would sing it often, I suppose there are other verses but I can't recall any.
-------------
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST,Canada - PM
Date: 20 May 10 - 02:26 AM
For skipping we would sing (in the 1960s in northern Canada)
On a Mtn stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is ice and snow
So come in my lady, lady, lady
So come in my lady,
While I go out to tea
(this was an invitation for one girl to skip in and take the rope and the other girl to skip out)
-------------
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: Darowyn - PM
Date: 24 Apr 11 - 04:37 AM
I know a much longer version which goes to the tune used as the theme to the old TV series "The Liver Birds".
Everybody sings
Stands a lady, on the mountain
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man"
the 'young man' then sings (to different tune)
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What if I buy you a nice arm chair,
to sit in the garden when you take the air?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What if I buy you a silver spoon,
To feed your baby in the afternoon?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What If I buy you a nice straw hat,
With long green ribbons hanging down the back?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
Yes!
Everybody (another different tune)
Off to church love, off to church love, farewell!
Home from church love, home from church love, farewell!
Young man+ all the boys
What's for breakfast love, What's for breakfast love, farewell!
What's for breakfast love, What's for breakfast love, farewell!
lady,+ all the girls
Bread and butter and watercress. Bread and butter and watercress.
Bread and butter and watercress, and you shall have some!
Young man
What's for dinner love, What's for dinner love, farewell!
What's for dinner love, What's for dinner love, farewell!
lady,
Bread and butter and beetles. Bread and butter and beetles.
Bread and butter and beetles, and you shall have some!
Young man
What's for supper love, What's for supper love, farewell!
What's for supper love, What's for supper love, farewell!
lady,
Bread and butter and RATS. Bread and butter and RATS.
Bread and butter and RATS, and you shall have some!
Then everyone runs about screaming for a while, then they all come back into the circle to start again.
My class of eight year olds used to play this in Leeds in the early 80's, and the fact that I remember it accounts for the reason that I made a birthday cake for one of my grandsons that was decorated with bread and butter and beetles one year. Two years later his little brother asked me "When you make my birthday cake granddad, will you put bugs on it please?"
Cheers
Dave
-----------
ect: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: Steve Gardham - PM
Date: 26 Apr 11 - 02:09 PM
The above question and answer version seems to be related to the versions used as rural stage pieces at village concerts in the nineteenth century. It also seems to be based on 2 songs, one 'Madam, will you walk', followed by, 'Shepherd, oh, shepherd, will you come home'.
----------
ct: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST
Date: 11 May 11 - 09:49 PM
my mother used to sing...on a mountain stands a lady who she is i do not know...all she wants is gold and silver...all she wants is a fine young beau- which makes more sense because it rhymes
---------------
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 09:28 PM
My mom sang it much different:
On the mountain, stands a lady,
Who she is I do not know
All she wears is gold and silver
All she needs is a punch in the nose
So I'm calling *( insert name here)* dear,
*Katie *dear,
*Katie* dear
So I'm calling Katie dear, when I go out to play.
Good day!
-----------------------
Songs and rhymes from Canada
We did the ball in stocking game, but I remember singing 'On the Mountain Stands a Lady' to it..." -Heather
"A rubber ball was inserted into a woman's single stocking. You would find a wide wall and with your back against it you would outstretch your arm and horizontally move the stocking from side to side while singing a song." -Pam
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Children's Song
On the mountain stands a lady
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver.
All she needs is a nice young man.
--------------
ogmundson stories
On the mountain stands a lady
Recess bell rings—out the door we go. The boys run to play baseball or soccer or marbles. Most of the girls run out to play hopscotch, bounce the ball or to skip rope. It is grade 5. We are all expert skippers in our little plaid school dresses with leotards and oxford shoes. There is a paved area where we take turns turning the rope for the line of singing friends. Everyone is welcome to take a turn. We know how to skip regular, slow rope, high rope (the rope a few inches from the ground), run through (run through the turning rope without stopping it or tripping), jolly-o (skipping while twirling around), coming in the door and going out the door on cue, and PEPPER (skipping as fast as the rope can be turned). We play all the time and we always chant a skipping song.
No one supervises us or makes us sign out a skipping rope. There might be a teacher out on the school property but most likely he came out for a quick smoke. We skip through recess and then again at lunch break and for a while after school if we can.
Song
On the mountain stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is a fine young man
So come in dear Lindy, dear Lindy, dear Lindy (Lindy comes in and skips with Rosie)
So come in dear Lindy and I’ll go out to play (Rosie goes out the door)
We do not ask ourselves where this song came from. No one knows. We are all in the same boat as the lady on the mountain. We would love gold and silver and a fine young man, but none of us would know what to do with them if they fell into our lap.
-----------------
Journal of the Welsh Folk-Song Society: Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Alawon ...
https://books.google.com/books?id=j1svAQAAIAAJ
Welsh Folk-Song Society - 1948 -
Variants are found in children's game-songs, e.g., 'Lady on the Mountain,' 'Madam I am come to court you.' 'Yonder stands a lovely creature,' &c, and in the old Ranters' tune, 'Where is now the prophet Daniel?' or the 'Hebrew children' printed
------------------
Subject: ADD: On the hillside stands a lady
From: Jimmy C - PM
Date: 26 Jul 00 - 09:21 AM
The little girls in Belfast and probably other places used to sing a skipping song that went:
On the hillside stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is a fine young man
Lady, Lady, touch the ground
Lady, Lady spin around
Lady, Lady, touch your shoe
Lady, Lady, go right through.
During the singing of the second part the skipper would have to spin, touch her shoe etc, without getting tangled in the rope. If successful she would pass on and rejoin the line, if not she had to take the end of the rope and do the turning, this went on until everybody got a chance to skip. My sisters would sing it often, I suppose there are other verses but I can't recall any.
-------------
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST,Canada - PM
Date: 20 May 10 - 02:26 AM
-------------
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST,Desideratum1731 - PM
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 02:11 PM
We girls sang it when skipping in the 40s and 50s in London. Two girls turned the rope while singing: 'On the mountain stands a lady, who she is I do not know. All she wants is gold and silver, all she wants is a fine young man. So come in my XXXX dear, XXXXX dear, XXXXX dear, so come in my XXXXX dear before I run away. Either a boys name or a girl's name would be called to take their place skipping over the rope.
--------------
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: Darowyn - PM
Date: 24 Apr 11 - 04:37 AM
I know a much longer version which goes to the tune used as the theme to the old TV series "The Liver Birds".
Everybody sings
Stands a lady, on the mountain
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a nice young man"
the 'young man' then sings (to different tune)
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What if I buy you a nice arm chair,
to sit in the garden when you take the air?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What if I buy you a silver spoon,
To feed your baby in the afternoon?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
No!
'young man'
What If I buy you a nice straw hat,
With long green ribbons hanging down the back?
Madam will you walk?
Madam will you talk?
Madam will you marry me?
lady,
Yes!
Everybody (another different tune)
Off to church love, off to church love, farewell!
Home from church love, home from church love, farewell!
Young man+ all the boys
What's for breakfast love, What's for breakfast love, farewell!
What's for breakfast love, What's for breakfast love, farewell!
lady,+ all the girls
Bread and butter and watercress. Bread and butter and watercress.
Bread and butter and watercress, and you shall have some!
Young man
What's for dinner love, What's for dinner love, farewell!
What's for dinner love, What's for dinner love, farewell!
lady,
Bread and butter and beetles. Bread and butter and beetles.
Bread and butter and beetles, and you shall have some!
Young man
What's for supper love, What's for supper love, farewell!
What's for supper love, What's for supper love, farewell!
lady,
Bread and butter and RATS. Bread and butter and RATS.
Bread and butter and RATS, and you shall have some!
Then everyone runs about screaming for a while, then they all come back into the circle to start again.
My class of eight year olds used to play this in Leeds in the early 80's, and the fact that I remember it accounts for the reason that I made a birthday cake for one of my grandsons that was decorated with bread and butter and beetles one year. Two years later his little brother asked me "When you make my birthday cake granddad, will you put bugs on it please?"
Cheers
Dave
-----------
ect: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: Steve Gardham - PM
Date: 26 Apr 11 - 02:09 PM
The above question and answer version seems to be related to the versions used as rural stage pieces at village concerts in the nineteenth century. It also seems to be based on 2 songs, one 'Madam, will you walk', followed by, 'Shepherd, oh, shepherd, will you come home'.
----------
ct: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST
Date: 11 May 11 - 09:49 PM
my mother used to sing...on a mountain stands a lady who she is i do not know...all she wants is gold and silver...all she wants is a fine young beau- which makes more sense because it rhymes
---------------
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain stands a lady
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jun 12 - 09:28 PM
My mom sang it much different:
On the mountain, stands a lady,
Who she is I do not know
All she wears is gold and silver
All she needs is a punch in the nose
So I'm calling *( insert name here)* dear,
*Katie *dear,
*Katie* dear
So I'm calling Katie dear, when I go out to play.
Good day!
----------------------------
Singing Games and Playparty Games
By Richard Chase
----
There stands a lady on the mountain all she wants is a nice young man
all she wants is gold and silver all she wants is a nice young man
Madam will you walk Madam will you talk Madam will you walk and talk with me
Not if I buy you a nice arm chair to set in the garden to get fresh air
Madam will you not walk etc.
Ring , A in middle . Above sung by ring who continue
Not is I buy you a nice straw hat
With 3 yards of ribbon hanging down you bak
Madam etc No!
Not if I buy you a nice silver spoon
To feed your baby every afternoon
Madam etc No!
Not if I buy you the keys of heaven
To let you in at half past seven?
Madam etc. Yes!
Go to Church Lane go to Church Lane go to Church Lane fare well
Say you prayer love
Stand up love
Put the ring on
Ring a ding love
Come back love
What had you for dinner for dinner for dinner what
had you for dinner farewell
Sometimes Roast Beef and a fried hedgehog
To which A & B reply Roast beef and plum pudding
Now you're married you must obey, you must be true to all you say you
must be very kind a good and helpful wife to chop the wood
Chop it fine and carry it and kiss together in the ring
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/2639)
There Stands A Lady (Ch. Game) [Children's Game] / Keys Of Heaven
First Line: There stands a lady on the mountain
Performer: [Girls at Littleport Town Girl's School]
Date: 8 Dec 1911
Place: England : Cambridgeshire : Littleport
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J.
Roud No: 2603
---------------------------
---------------
" These rhymes were given me largely by my wife, Olwyn Orde Browne, who got them some
fifteen years ago in Eagle Rock; others came from the following persons: Mrs. Leonard Mikules,
who obtained them from pupils at the UCLA University Elementary School; Miss Imelda Mc-
Namee, Altadena; Miss Andyce Orde, Eagle Rock, who heard them ten years ago; Mrs. Dorothy
Mitchell, Los Angeles
22. On a hillside stands a lady;
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver;
All she wants is a handsome beau.
So, come in my (---) dear,
My (---) dear, my (---) dear.
So, come in my (---) dear,
And I shall go out.
--------------
2 Washington, Babcock, 247 (verbal changes only first two lines); 1. 3: For her beauty I will
choose her, / Whether she says Yes or No. / Madam, I have gold and silver; / Madam, I have
ships on the ocean; / Madam, I have house and land. / What care I for your gold and silver? /
What care I for ships on the ocean? / What care I for house and land? / All I want is a fine young
man-General, Newell, 55 (verbal changes only first two lines); 1. 3: I have caught her for her
beauty;- / Let her answer, Yes or No. / Madam, I have gold and silver; / Lady, I have houses
and lands; / Lady, I have ships on the ocean; / All I have is at thy command. / What care I for
your gold and silver? / What care I for your houses and lands? / What care I for your ships on the
ocean?- / All I want is a nice young man-London, Douglas, 49-50 (verbal changes only first four
lines; version goes on at some length.
When They Were Young Girls: A Singing Game through the Century
Author(s): N. G. N. Kelsey
Source:
Folklore,
Vol. 92, No. 1 (1981), pp. 104-109
[recordinf Walworth 1979]
Currently, April 1979, there are one or two songs which
include a number of lines unchanged since the days of Alice Gomme, such as:
On a mountain stands a lady
Who she is I do not know
All she wants is gold and silver
All she wants is a nice young man.
-----------
Three Generations of Children's Singing Games in St. Louis
Author(s): Leah Rachel Clara Yoffie
Source:
The Journal of American Folklore,
Vol. 60, No. 235 (Jan. - Mar., 1947), pp. 1-51
Journal of American Folklore
mountain versions,28 and in a modern songbook for playground workers.29
There are a number of British songs which are closely related to "A Paper
of Pins" or "The Keys of Heaven." These are: "Yonder She Stands a Lovely
Creature," "Lady of the Mountain," "Lady on Yonder Hill," and "NO, Sir!"30
In modern American songbooks "0 No, John!" is a variant of "NO, Sir!"
combined with "A Paper of Pins." This modern song begins: "On yonder hill
there stands a creature," and contains the lines: "0 madam, I will give you
jewels... I will give you silken dresses."31 An English song which more
nearly resembles "The Keys of Heaven," not recorded by either Gomme or
Botkin, is "My Man John." The dialogue in this song begins with the master's
asking his servant why the lady whom the master loves will not return his
affections. Acting upon the servant's advice, the master offers the lady a
little greyhound, an ivory comb, and finally the keys of his heart. The song
ends happily for all, the master giving the servant fifty pounds for his good
counsel.32 A Scotch version called "The Tempted Lady" merges three ele-
ments and is undoubtedly related to "My Man John." It contains the offer
of gifts, the appeal to the servant, and the theme of the temptation in the
wilderness. The lady is tempted with "a pennyworth o'preens," then "with a
bonny silver box, a pair o' bonny shoes, the half of Bristol town," and "The
hale of Bristol town." When she finally yields, the moral lesson is pointed at
the end: "And aff he flew wi' her!"33 Still another interesting English parallel
is found in the Percy Society Publications. It is "The Wooing Song of a Yeo-
man of Kent's Son" (Copied from Melismata [London, I6II]). The song be-
28 Richardson, American Mountain Songs, p. 52:
Oh, young miss, if this be true,
If you love money better than man,
Go an' git it where you can.
For you love coffee, and I love tea;
You love my money, but you don't love me,
And I'll not marry you, etc.;
Niles, More Songs of the Hill Folk:
You love coffee and you love tea;
You love money, but you don't love me;
So I won't marry you, so I won't, etc.
Ah, then I'll be a withered old maid,
I'll take my stool and sit in the shade,
If you don't marry me, etc.
29 Lynn Rohrbaugh, ed., Short Songs ("Handy" Co-operative Recreation Service, Pub-
lishers, Delaware, Ohio, 1937), p. 15:
Ha, ha, ha, and that's enough,
And you're not worth a pinch of snuff;
And I'll not marry you, you, you, etc.
gins "I have house and land in Kent, And if you'll love me, love me now."
In one of the stanzas, the wooer says, "One time I gave thee a paper of pins,
Anoder time a taudry lace."34
Some nursery book versions of "A Paper of Pins" combine the English
"Keys of Canterbury" with "My Man John."35 In one of these the lady is
offered a fine silken gown, and in others rings and diamonds; the servant is
given a crown for his encouragement of the master in his wooing.35 Other
versions are a fusion of "The Keys of Heaven," "My Man John," and "A
Paper of Pins."36 A French version of "A Paper of Pins" in Louisiana is mani-
festly a translation of the American children's game.3
---------------------------------
The Social Art: Language and Its Uses - Page 186
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0199908419
Ronald Macaulay - 2006 - Preview - More editions
Here is a rhyme that in its original version (somewhat different) goes back to the 1880s: On the mountain stands a lady who she is I do not know all she wants is gold and silver all she wants is a nice young man so call in my Jacqueline dear
On the Mountain Margaret Talt
Measure of the Year: Reflections on Home, Family and a Life Fully Lived
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1926971663
Roderick L. Haig-Brown - 2011 - Preview - More editions
... the rhymes, brought from the Lord knows where, mutilated and adapted by the Lord knows how many generations of February children, but holding always the rhythms ofjumping feet and challenging rope. “On the mountain stands a lady.
The Undercut Reader: Critical Writings on Artists' Film and Video
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1903364477
Nina Danino, Michael Mazière - 2003 - Preview - More editions
The title refers to the words of a childrens' song, a recurring theme in the film: 'On the Mountain stands a lady, who she is I do not know'. We are never told who she is. Could it be some reference to the castle on the rock? The location, Rose .
Children's games with things: marbles, fivestones, throwing and ...
https://books.google.com/books?id=_Ku1AAAAIAAJ
Iona Archibald Opie, Peter Opie - 1997 - Snippet view
Folk-song version) On the mountain stands a lady, Who she is I do not know, All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a very fine man. Lady, lady, touch the ground, Lady, lady, turn around. Lady, lady, do the kicks, Lady, lady, do the
Growth Through Play - Page 106
https://books.google.com/books?id=L3NYAAAAYAAJ
Albert M. Farina - 1959 - Snippet view - More editions
ON THE MOUNTAIN STANDS A LADY On the mountain stands a lady, Who she is I do not know. All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young man. So jump in my (call next jumper's name) So jump out my (call jumper's name).
---------------
There Stands a Lady- children (Rutland) c.1896 Lucy Finch
[From "Children's Singing-Games"published in the Monthly Packet edited by Colreidge and Innes (London)- page 345, 1897 dated circa May 1896 from a paper compiled by Lucy Finch on the games played at Wing, Rutlandshire. Reprinted in Hinkson's "Victorian Singing Games" (1991) p.37.
******
Lucy Fitch's paper is a long one, and though it was sent in last May I have only now reached it, so that her games have nearly all been anticipated. However, she has well earned the book-prize, which goes to her this month.
Miss Payne sends me from Chester a song her mother used to sing, which resembles the 'Keys of Heaven,' given in a former paper. This bears out my idea that the singing-games are occasionally scraps of ballads. The Girls' Room will be interested in this old song.
Madam, I present you with three rows of pins,
And that's the very way that true love begins;
And, Madam, will you walk with me, me, me?
Madam, will you walk with me?
Oh, IH not accept your three rows of pins,
Though that's the very way that true love begins;
And neither will I walk with you, you, you,
And neither will I walk with you.
Oh, my man John, what can the matter be,
That I should love a lady fair and she should not love me?
It is all forsaken, I shall die, die, die;
It is all forsaken, I shall die.
Oh, master, oh, master, you have no need to fear;
Some day she will marry you, and you will be her dear;
And then she will walk with you, you, you, you,
And then she will walk with you.
Madam, I present you with a little greyhound,
And every hair upon its back shall be a thousand pound.
And, Madam, will you walk with me, me, me?
Madam, will you walk with me?
No, I'll not accept your little greyhound,
Though every hair upon its back should be five thousand pound..
And neither will I walk with you, you, you,
And neither will I walk with you.
{Third and fourth verses repeated.
Madam, I present you with the keys of Canterbury,
And all the little bells shall ring to make us merry.
And, Madam, will you walk with me, me, me?
Madam, will you walk with me?
Oh, yes, I'll accept the keys of Canterbury,
And all the little bells shall ring to make us merry;
And then I will walk with you, you, you.
Then I will walk with you.
• * • • * •
This kind correspondent asks if any reader knows anything of a fairy-tale (Irish probably) in which a little blue man figures, who is always ' so cold.' If any one can give the information, let it be to Miss Albinia Payne, 4, Abbey Green, Chester.
Here is an entirely new one : There stands a lady on the mountains, Who she is I do not know ; All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young man. Now I am forsaken, Fifty years ago I knew you, Give me a kiss and go.
Lore and Language - Volumes 4-5 - Page 82
https://books.google.com/books?id=eY4eAQAAMAAJ
1985 - Snippet view - More editions
I have been told however of a version in 1974 commencing: “There's a Lady on the Mountain”,
which had admixtures of “Babylon” and “Isabella”. Two printed versions vary also: Evans (San Francisco, 1954)”
with “On the hillside stands a lady”,
What's for supper love? belongs to isabella." Almost all versions of "Lady on hte Mountain published since World War Two end
Almost all versions of “Lady on the Mountain” published since World War Two, and in all those I have come across, the rhyme begins: “On a Mountain Stands a Lady", as Botkin (U.S.A. 1944),” Ritchie (Edinburgh 1965)," Turner (Australia, 1972,
Jump Rope Rhymes - Page 11
https://books.google.com/books?id=JpPfAAAAMAAJ
Patricia Evans - 1954 - Snippet view
name of girl jumping. t name of her boy-friend. On the hillside, Stands a lady, All she wants Is gold and silver. All she wants Is the pretty little girl. Jump in the pretty little girl. Jump out the ugly little girl. '
Catalina
1) Take Care- Imany-
2) Slow Down - Imany-
3) You may never know- Imany-
4) Hay Amores- Shakira
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1. a line is missing in this stanza
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Finnigan's Wake
golden syrup - syrup of a bright golden-yellow colour, drained off in the process of obtaining refined crystallized sugar [(notebook 1930): 'goltin sylvup' (an uncrayoned 'r' is situated above the letters 'vu')].
ploung jamm (notebook 1930) → Children's game: Lady of the mountain ('There stands a lady on the mountain, Who she is I do not know; All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young man.') + plum jam.
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Hope Place
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0571318177
Michael Wynne - 2014 - Preview - More editions
'The big ship sails' and 'On a mountain stands a lady ...' Veronica starts singing at the top of ... Lady, lady, touch the ground, Lady, lady spin around, Lady, lady, touch your shoe, Lady, lady,go right through. Eric What you playingat? Veronica I
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English Dance and Song - Volumes 62-63
https://books.google.com/books?id=7fbZAAAAMAAJ
2000 - Snippet view - More editions
It was sung by primary school age girls in Boswell Road, in the suburbs of North Birmingham. The girls would link hands, using the ... All she wants is gold and silver, all she wants is a nice young man. So come pretty (child's name) and go ...
So come pretty (child's name) and go along with me So come pretty (child's name) and go along with me. The first part is familiar, but can anyone come up with any more information on the game. Several readers have sent newspaper cutting
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Under the Bramble Bushes, Down by the Sea: Folklore and the Formations of Identity on the Playgrounds of Belfast, Northern Ireland
Front Cover
Donna Michelle Lanclos
University of California, Berkeley, 1999
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Chapbook - Volume 4 - Page 6
https://books.google.com/books?id=P_nZAAAAMAAJ
Chapbook, Volume 4 Chapbook Publications
Title Chapbook, Volume 4
Contributors Federation of Scottish Folk-Song Clubs, Aberdeen Folk-Song Club
Publisher Chapbook Publications
Original from Indiana University
Digitized Jul 21, 2009
On a mountain stands a lady,
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver,
All she wants is a handsome beau.
Call on the one you love,
The one you love, the one you love,
Call on the one you love,
And tell me who 'twill be-O.
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The Lady on the Mountain: A Century of Play Rhyme Tradition
Nigel G.N. Kelsey, 1985
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Mama Lisa's World
International Music & Culture
Songs & Rhymes From Canada
"We did the ball in stocking game, but I remember singing 'On the Mountain Stands a Lady' to it..." -Heather
"A rubber ball was inserted into a woman's single stocking. You would find a wide wall and with your back against it you would outstretch your arm and horizontally move the stocking from side to side while singing a song." -Pam
On the Mountain Stands a Lady
Children's Song
On the mountain stands a lady
Who she is I do not know.
All she wants is gold and silver.
All she needs is a nice young man.
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The New Companion to Scottish Culture - Page 49
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0748661484
David Daiches - 1993 - Snippet view - More editions
And the old ring-games keep to the fore . Poor Tommy is Dead, Here's a Poor Widow, In and Out the Dusting Bluebells, The Big Ship Sails through the Eely-Alley-O . . . On the mountain stands a lady Who she is I cannot tell All she wants is gold