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For an in-depth discussion of this track, see the album notes: tinyurl[dot]com/V1NATnotes.

lyrics

“Now what we gonna do, Lady Margaret?” he said.
“Well, it’s what can we do?” said she,
“For before tomorrow’s sun goes down,
Lord William’s new bride I’ll see,
Lord William’s bride I’ll see.”

Lady Margaret sat in her high hall window
A-combing out her yellow hair,
And along came William from the church nearby,
Leading his bride so fair (2).

Now she threw down her ivory comb,
And back she tossed her hair,
And down she fell from her high hall window.
(She) Never more was seen there (2).

Now day is done, and the night’s come on,
And the people are all asleep.
Lady Margaret rose from her coffin cold,
Stood weeping at William’s bed feet (2).

“And it’s how do you like your bed making,
And it’s how do you like your sheet,
And it’s how do you like your new made bride,
There in your arms asleep?
She’s laying there looking so sweet.”

“Well, it’s well that I like this bed making,
And it’s well do I like my sheet,
But it’s better would I like my own true love
Here in my arms asleep,
Not a weeping at my bed feet.”

“Such a dream what an awful dream I’ve had.
I fear it means no good.
I dreamed my room was full of tears,
And my bride drowned in blood,
And my bride all drowned in blood.”

And then he called down his waiting men,
By one, and two and three.
“Will you ask me to leave of my new made bride,
For Lady Margaret I would see,
For Lady Margaret I must see.”

“Now if you go back to your Lady Margaret,
Then what’s to become of me?”
“Well, I won’t be gone but an hour or two,
Until I return unto thee,
Then I’ll be true to thee.”

“Oh, is she in her bowery room,
Or is she in her hall,
Or is she in her chambery,
A lady among them all?
Lady Margaret’s the fairest of all.”

credits

from Survey of Traditional Music, Vol. 1: From British Tradition, released August 7, 2023
Recorded by Mark Wilson, Bill Nowlin, Ken Irwin and Marion Leighton, Fayville, MA, 5/72.

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Field Recorders' Collective

The Field Recorders’ Collective is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and distribution of noncommercial recordings of traditional American music, material that is unavailable to the general public.

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