Ploughboy (I), The

DESCRIPTION: In this confused composite of floating verses, the ploughboy courts Molly, but then departs to become a soldier. He will build Molly a castle and take her away. She nonetheless rejects him
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1928 (Sam Henry collection); c1810? (_English Minstrel_, according to Yates, Musical Traditions site _Voice of the People suite_ "Notes - Volume 5" - 25.8.02)
KEYWORDS: love courting rejection soldier flowers floatingverses
FOUND IN: Ireland Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Henry/Huntingdon/Herrmann-SamHenrysSongsOfThePeople H780, p. 345-346, "The Ploughboy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Porter/Gower-Jeannie-Robertson-EmergentSingerTransformativeVoice #62, p. 226-227, "Lovely Molly" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1446
RECORDINGS:
Lizzie Higgins, "Lovely Molly" (on Voice05)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Green Grows the Laurel (Green Grow the Lilacs)" (floating lyrics)
cf. "The Streams of Lovely Nancy" (floating lyrics)
cf. "The Blackbird and Thrush" (theme)
NOTES [113 words]: This song consists almost entirely of floating material (see the cross-references), and is fairly incoherent as a result. The largest element is "Green Grows the Laurel" (to such an extent that it's almost a version of that song), but there are plenty of other elements. The composite probably didn't circulate widely as an independent entity. - RBW
"[O]ne source credits Charles Dibdin as its author," according to Yates, Musical Traditions site Voice of the People suite "Notes - Volume 5" - 25.8.02. - BS
My guess would be that Dibdin is responsible for some of the floating material; on that basis, I have not listed him in the "author" field, even as a possibility. - RBW
Last updated in version 5.3
File: HHH780

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