Greensleeves

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2005-12-06 01:01am

So me and a friend had a bit of a discussion about this: Is the song "Greensleeves" a christmas/holiday song or not?

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2005-12-06 01:11am

I can't see how any of the lyrics are even vaguely related to Christmas, so my answer would be no.

BTW, this is the first time I've ever heard of anybody trying to label Greensleeves as a Christmas song. The closest connection to Christmas I was aware of was simply that it's tempo was used as the basis of several Christmas carols, but the original song itself was totally unrelated to the holiday.

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2005-12-06 01:47am

The Christmas carol "What Child is This?" has the same melody as Greensleeves, but with different lyrics.

Post by **Dalton** » 2005-12-06 01:51am

Greensleeves has lyrics?

Lord Zentei · Post by **Lord Zentei** » 2005-12-06 02:02am

Dalton wrote:Greensleeves has lyrics?

Indeed:

Possibly Henry VIII wrote:Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

Chorus:
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

chorus

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.

chorus

If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.

chorus

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

chorus

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

chorus

Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

chorus

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.

chorus

Post by **fgalkin** » 2005-12-06 02:03am

Dalton wrote:Greensleeves has lyrics?

You didn't know that?

Here are the lyrics, just for Rob

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

Chorus:
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

chorus

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.

chorus

If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.

chorus

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

chorus

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

chorus

Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

chorus

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.

chorus

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Post by **Dalton** » 2005-12-06 02:14am

I didn't. All I know of the song comes from playing it in Orchestra class.

Greymalkin · Post by **Greymalkin** » 2005-12-06 04:17am

Dalton wrote:I didn't. All I know of the song comes from playing it in Orchestra class.

Check out Loreena McKennitt and/ or Blackmore's Night, both do versions of Greensleeves with lyrics.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2005-12-06 04:24am

I've heard Greensleeves played on the Christmas Music channel (Sound sof the Seasons actually) on Music Choice so...i guess somehow it must have evolved into a Christmas song because people liked to play it, maybe? Who Knows.

Its an excellent song i must admit, holiday song or not i'll listen to it anytime.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2005-12-06 04:29am

The thing about this song is that if you hear it and you don't know the words, it's almost impossible to resist making some up. Usually quite filthy, just because.

Ketira · Post by **Ketira** » 2005-12-06 10:01pm

LordShaithis wrote:The thing about this song is that if you hear it and you don't know the words, it's almost impossible to resist making some up. Usually quite filthy, just because.

Oh, definitely.... one bawdy song that came up on alt.music.filk ended with "...a man wearing nothing but Green Sleeves."

Post by **Zaia** » 2005-12-06 11:25pm

One melody, two sets of lyrics. One about the birth of Christ, one not.

And this belong in AMP. *moves*

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2005-12-07 02:23am

yes but one of them was commissioned by a fat ugly inbred king to get a woman he later had beheaded to marry him....

for those who don't know Greensleaves was Henry VIII's question popping theme for Queen Anne....

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2005-12-07 08:26am

The Christian/Christmas Version wrote:What child is this whom laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet
And shepherds watch are keeping?

Chorus:
This, this is Christ, the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian fear for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Chorus

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him!
Chorus

Google has the words from William Chatterton Dix, written 1865, modified from the poem The Manger Throne. There is also a Dix carol called The Manger Throne (Alternate Title: Like Silver Lamps In A Distant Shrine)

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2005-12-07 02:02pm

There is also a version of the melody that is sung in the Movie "How the West Was Won"

It is used under the Title of "A home In the meadow

I tried to do a google search for the lyrics but came up short

Lindar · Post by **Lindar** » 2005-12-07 05:05pm

Isolder74 wrote:There is also a version of the melody that is sung in the Movie "How the West Was Won"

It is used under the Title of "A home In the meadow

I tried to do a google search for the lyrics but came up short

http://www.go2lyrics.com/M/Malvina+Reynolds/184569.html

Would those be correct Isolder?

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2005-12-07 05:49pm

Lindar wrote:
Isolder74 wrote:There is also a version of the melody that is sung in the Movie "How the West Was Won"

It is used under the Title of "A home In the meadow

I tried to do a google search for the lyrics but came up short
http://www.go2lyrics.com/M/Malvina+Reynolds/184569.html

Would those be correct Isolder?

Yes those are it