Willow Tree (V), The

DESCRIPTION: Singer is a woman. Her love won't speak to her. She wishes his bosom were glass so she could "view those secrets of your heart." Her love is a sailor: "when he gets so far away, He hardly thinks no more of me" She would be happy to have him back.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1965 (recording, May Bradley)
KEYWORDS: love separation nonballad sailor floatingverses
FOUND IN: Britain(England(West))
Roud #60
RECORDINGS:
May Bradley, "The Willow Tree" (on Voice12)
NOTES [128 words]: The Willow reference is not exactly the expected one.
As I pass by a willow tree, willow tree,
That willow leaf blew down on me.
I picked it up, it would not break.
I've passed my love; he would not speak.
The break is usually for an oak tree ("I leaned my back against an oak ... First it bent and then it broke") rather than a willow leaf. Maybe the travelled lines have been so corrupted here that it is a new song.
Yates, Musical Traditions site Voice of the People suite "Notes - Volume 10" - 4.9.02 considers this a version of "Tavern in the Town." I don't find enough of "Tavern"'s identifying lines to make that connection. - BS
There is some floating material here, though, e.g. the "heart made of glass" shows up in some versions of "My Dearest Dear." - RBW
File: RcTWilTr

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