Version A
How delightful it is in the time of the spring
When the birds are around us, so delightful they sing,
When the leaves on the trees and the blossom does appear,
And so happy are we when the summer draws near,
Then so happy are we when the summer draws near.
When Phoebus draws near on the side of the lime,
When out upon us the the summer does shine,
When the little birds all around us they do warble their breast,
And the cuckoo she doth join her notes with the rest,
And the cuckoo she sing her notes with the rest.
How delightful it is, to walk with your love
Talking sweet prattling tales in the dimst of the grove
Where the flowers smell sweet and so does the fields.
What a pleasure and delight when the summer draws near,
What a pleasure and delight when the summer draws near.
It's not your fine cities nor your lofty high towers
Would ever be compared with our sweet shady bowers
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Version B
Hark, hark my dear heart,
Don't you hear the sweet lark,
Don't you hear the sweet nightingale sing?
And to hear my fond tale
And the sweet nightingale
As she sings in the meadows below, below, below, below, below,
As she sings in the meadows below.
Pretty Nancy don't fail.
Shall I carry your pail,
Shall I carry your pail to the cow?
And hear my fond tale (etc)
Pray leave me alone
For I've hands of my own,
I've hands of my own, that I'll vow.
I won't hear your false tale, (etc)
Now this couple agreed
And were married with speed,
And married with speed, I declare,
And they're not afraid to walk in the shade,
Or to walk in those meadows below.
Version C
My sweetheart come along.
Don't you hear the fond song,
The sweet notes of the nightingale flow?
Don't you hear the fond tale of the sweet nightingale
As she sings in valleys below,
As she sings in the valleys below.
Version D
(No lyrics provided)
Version E
Come all you fond hearts,
Don't you know the sweet lark,
Don't you know the sweet nightingale sing?
For I'll tell you a tale of a sweet nightingale
That sings in those valleys below, below, below, below,
That sings in those valleys below.
Version F
O Nancy my heart, don't you hear the sweet lark,
Don't you hear the sweet nightingale sing?
Don't you hear the fond tale of the sweet nightingale,
How she sings in those valleys below, below,
How she sings in those valleys below.
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folk Songs, ed Maud Karpeles , Oxford University Press, 1974
Notes:
A: Richard Marley (58) at Chibbet's Ford, Somerset, 20 August 1907
B: Mr Thomas (Junior) at Cannington, Somerset, 8 August 1906
C: John Edbrook at Bishop's Nympton, Devonshire, 11 January 1904
D: James Thomas (89) at Cannington, Somerset, 20 April 1906
E: Charles Sherborne (44) at Ascott under Wychwood, Oxfordshire, 15 September 1914
F: George Noble (82) at Ross Workhouse, Herefordshire, 2 September 1921
Roud: 356 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child:
Related Songs: The Sweet Nightingale [Birds in the Spring] (easily confused with)