Author Topic: Add: I will give you the keys of heaven (Cheshire)

dmcg

 Posted - 18 Nov 06 - 11:20 am
(He:) I will give you the keys of heaven,
I will give you the keys of heaven
Madam, will you walk? Madam, will you talk?
Madam, will you walk and talk with me?

(She:) Though you give me the keys of heaven,
Though you give me the keys of heaven,
Yet I will not walk; no, I will not talk;
No, I will not walk or talk with thee.


(He:) I will give to a blue silk gown,
To make you fine when you go to town;
Madam, etc.

(She:) Though you give me a blue silk gown,
To make me fine when I go to town;
Yet, etc.

(He:) I will give you a coach and six,
Six black horses as black as ptch;
Madam, etc.

(She:) Tough you give me a coach and six,
Six black horses as black as ptich;
Yet, etc.

(He:) I will give you the keys of my heart,
And we will be married till death us do part;
Madam, etc.

(She:) Thou shalt give me the keys of my heart,
And we will be married till death us do part;
I will walk, I will talk;
I will walk and talk with thee.


Source: Broadwood, L, 1893, English County Songs, London, Leadenhall Press


Notes:

From the Rev S. Baring-Gould, who had it from the Rev F Partridge.

Lucy Broadwood wrote:

The first two stanzas and the tune come from CHeshire, the other verses were forgotten, but are restored from an East country version. In a version sent from Masham, Yorkshire, the second line of verse 1 runs; "To lock the gates when the clock strikes seven." See Halliwell's Popular Rhymes, p 21; Chambers's Rhymes of Scotland, p 213; Mason's Country Songs, for other versions. In many the lady's cupidity is at last excited by some especially magnificent offer, and, on her consenting, the man refuses to have anything to do with her.





Roud: 573 (Search Roud index at VWML)






Michael Morris

 Posted - 19 Nov 06 - 04:42 am
This reminds me a bit of some of the North American dialogue/courtship songs - 'Madame I Have A Very Fine Farm'; 'Quaker's Courtship', etc. Does anyone know how far back the form goes?

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