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My Mind From Love Being Free

by Lindsay Straw

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1.
Far over the forth, I look at the north But what is the north with its highlands to me? The south nor the east give ease to my breast It’s a far foreign land o’er the wild rolling sea. Ah, the long summer day, amid the heather and the bracken The joy and delight in his bonny blue eyes It’s little I knew that the wild western ocean, Would be rolling this day between my laddie and me. His father he frowned on the love of his boyhood And oh, his proud mother looked cold upon me But he still followed me to my home in the shieling And the hills of Breadalbane rung wild with our glee. We trysted our love on the cairn, on the mountains The deer and the roe stood bridemaiden to me And my love’s trying glass was a pure crystal fountain What then was the world to my laddie and me? So I look at the west as I go to my rest That happy my dreams and my slumbers may be. For far in the west lives a lad I love best He is seeking a home for my baby and me.
2.
When Bony commanded his troops for to stand, He leveled his cannon all over the land. He leveled his cannon the whole victory for to gain, And he slew my light horseman returning from Spain. CHORUS: Broken hearted I will wander, broken hearted I will remain, For my bonny light horseman in the war he was slain. Now the dove, she laments for her mate as she flies. “Oh, where tell me where is my true love?” she cries. And where in this wide world is there one that can compare With my bonny light horseman, who was slain in the war? CHORUS If I was a small bird and had wings to fly, I’d fly o’er the salt seas where my true love does lie. And with my fond wings I’d beat over his grave, And I’d kiss the cold lips that lie dead in the clay. CHORUS
3.
Lord Lovat 03:56
Lord Lovat he stands at his stable door He was brushing his milk steed down When who passed by but Lady Nancy Bell She was wishing her lover godspeed, She was wishing her lover godspeed. “Oh, where are you going, Lord Lovat?” she said, “Come promise, tell me true.” “I’m going over the seas, strange countries to see. Lady Nancy Bell, I’ll come and see you, Lady Nancy Bell, I’ll come and see.” He hadn’t been gone a year or two Scarcely had been three When a mightiful dream came into his head. “Lady Nancy Bell, I’ll come and see you, Lady Nancy Bell, I’ll come and see.” Oh, he’s passed down to Capelton’s church And down through Mary’s Hall. And the ladies were all weeping for, And the ladies were all weeping for. “Oh, who is dead?” Lord Lovat, he said, “Come promise, tell me true.” “Lady Nancy Bell died for her true lover’s sake. And Lord Lovat was his name, And Lord Lovat was his name.”
4.
When I was not but sweet sixteen And beauty just a-­blooming-­o. Oh, little, little, did I think At nineteen I’d be grieving­-o. CHORUS: For the ploughman lads, the gay wee lads, They’re false and they’re deceiving-­o. They’ll take your all and they’ll go away And they leave their lassies grieving-­o Oh, if I’d have known what I now know I’d have taken my mother’s warning­-o. And I wouldn’t be sitting by your fireside, Crying hush­-a-­bye my baby­-o CHORUS Oh, hush-­a-­bye, for I’m your ma, And lord knows where is your daddy-­o. But I’ll take good care and I’ll be aware Of the young men in the gloaming­-o. CHORUS
5.
Awake, Awake 04:49
Awake, awake, you drowsy sleeper Awake, awake, it is almost day How can you sleep, you cruel creature Since you have stolen my heart away? Oh, hush, hush, hush, don’t you wake my mother No songs of love will she let me hear If you sing songs, go pray court some other Or whisper lowly in my ear My father lies in the next room simple Taking of his natural rest And in his right hand he holds a weapon He says he’ll kill the one I love best Come Polly Von, come, you’ll stop my pining Sit you down by the side of me And put your loving arms around me And say you’ll love no one but me I’ll go with you in some lonesome valley There I will spend my days with you Though all my meals will be of the freshest berries And the water I drink of the morning dew Pretty flowers were made to bloom, love Pretty stars were made to shine Pretty girls were made for boys to love And maybe you were made for mine
6.
When I was in my prime, I flourished like a vine There came along a false young man that stole the heart of mine, That stole the heart of mine. The gardener standing by, three offers he made to me The pink, the violet, and red rose, but I refused all three, But I refused all three. For the pink’s no flower at all, for it fades away too soon And the violet is too pale a hue, I think I’ll wait ‘til June, I think I’ll wait ‘til June. In June the red rose blooms, that’s not the flower for me For then I’ll pluck the red rose up and plant a willow tree, And plant a willow tree. And the willow tree shall weep, and the willow tree shall wind I wish I was in the young man’s arms that stole the heart of mine, That stole the heart of mine.
7.
Lovely Molly 04:14
I once was a ploughboy, but a soldier I am now I courted with lovely Molly as I followed the plough I courted with lovely Molly at the age of sixteen But now I must leave her and serve James my king. Lovely Molly, lovely Molly, despite all your charms There is many’s a night you have laid in my arms And if ever I return again it will be in the spring Where the mavis and the turtledove and the nightingale sing. You may go to the market, you may go to the fair You may go to the church Sunday and meet your new love there. And if anybody loves you half as much as I do Then I won’t stop your marriage, farewell love, adieu. Lovely Molly, lovely Molly, despite all your charms There is many’s a night you have laid in my arms And if ever I return again it will be in the spring Where the mavis and the turtledove and the nightingale sing.
8.
The Mermaid 02:52
It seems you’ve withered and forsaken sport The snow is higher along the port Your mouth mellifluous and your ringlets gold, You’re weary, Mary Kinney, and the Erne is cold. Oh, faithful mother, cried her daughter fair I’ve searched the seashore and the rocks bone bare But my mermaid mother I failed to find You were swimming the Erne through the wave and wind. I am so weary as night turns day With my Mary and Patrick, I’d feign to stay On the crest of the billow through froth and foam Pity poor Mary Kinney in her watery home.
9.
Yarrow 05:40
There was a lady in the north You scarce would find her marrow. She was courted by nine gentlemen And the ploughboy lad from Yarrow. These nine sat drinking at the wine As oft they’d done before-­o. And they made a vow among them all To fight for her on Yarrow. He’s come over hill and over dale Down by the streams so narrow. And there he spied nine armed men Come to fight with him on Yarrow. “There’s nine of you and but one of me, It’s an unequal marrow. But I’ll fight you all one by one On the dewy dens of Yarrow.” So it’s three he slew and three withdrew, And three he wounded sorely. ‘Til her brother he came from behind And he wounded him most cruelly. “Go home, go home, you false young man And bring your sister sorrow. For her true love John lies pale and wan On the dewy dens of Yarrow.” “Oh, brother I have dreamed a dream, A dream of grief and sorrow. I dreamed I was pulling the heather bells On the dewy dens of Yarrow.” “Oh, sister, dear, I can read your dream Read in it grief and sorrow. Your true love John lies dead and gone On the dewy dens of Yarrow.” She wrung her hands and tore her hair All in grief and sorrow She tore a ribbon from out her hair That she had received in Yarrow. Then over hill and over dale And to the streams so narrow, ‘Til she came upon her true love John, All dead and gone in Yarrow. Her hair it was three quarters long The color it was yellow. She tied it round his middle so small And she bore him home from Yarrow. “Oh, daughter dear, don’t weep and mourn In mortal grief and sorrow. I can marry you to a much nobler man Than the one you lost in Yarrow.” “Oh, father, you have seven sons, You can wed them each tomorrow. But the fairest flower among them all Was the one I lost in Yarrow.” “Oh, mother, mother, go make my bed, Go make it long and narrow. For my love has died for me this day, I will die for him tomorrow.”
10.
Lurgy Stream 03:59
When to this country I first came, my mind from love being free ‘Til the beauty of a female fair it so enticed me Her cheeks were like the roses red and her breath it smelled perfumed Her golden hair waved in the air, most comely to be seen. It being a Monday evening, my love I chanced to meet I took her in my arms and gave her kisses sweet I asked her if she would marry me or single would remain And if she’d cross over the seas with me and leave sweet Lurgy Stream. If I would cross over the seas with you, I might be much to blame If I’d cross over the seas with you, and leave sweet Lurgy Stream Young men are false and general, perhaps you are the same You might leave me there to rue the day I left sweet Lurgy Stream. Oh, that the sun it may withdraw, no more to show us light And that the moon it may refrain, no more to rule the night That the twinkling stars they may fall down and never more be seen The day or the hour that I’d prove false when far from Lurgy Stream. Farewell to Letterkenny, it’s a place of sport and fame Likewise to Kilmacrennan that stands near Lurgy Stream Farewell awhile to sweet Errigal, likewise to Swilly shore Where I spent many’s a happy day, will I ever see you more?

about

"...My Mind From Love Being Free has finally announced Lindsay Straw onto the folk scene in magnificent style." - Bright Young Folk

"This is highly recommended for anyone who appreciates great ballads in a sparse and original setting." - Sing Out!

"A voice! By turns husky and sultry, clear and bright, controlled and dreamy; with hints of Cara Dillon and Geraldine Hollett, Lindsay Straw’s beautiful voice shines out in this delightful debut album." - The Living Tradition

credits

released May 1, 2015

All songs are traditional, and arranged and performed by Lindsay Straw. Recording and mastering by James Prendergast at Mill Pond Music Studio, Portsmouth, NH. Cover photo by Jackie Ricciardi. Album sleeve design and song notes by Lindsay Straw, but with editing help from Daniel Accardi.

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Lindsay Straw Boston, Massachusetts

Traditional folk singer, guitarist & bouzouki player.

"Hearken(s) back to more innocent times, of Greenwich Village and pure folk." - The Living Tradition

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