Sunday, May 20, 2012

Letter from his sister -- "and all my grave will warmer, sweeter be" -- 1910

Speranza 1910 o Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling from glen to glen, and down the mountain side the summer's gone, and all the roses falling 'tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide. but come ye back when summer's in the meadow or when the valley's hushed and white with snow 'tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow o Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so. and when you come, and all the flowers are dying if I am dead, as dead I well may be you'll come and find the place where I am lying and kneel and say an "Ave" there for me. and I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me and all my grave will warmer, sweeter be for you will bend and tell me that you love me and I shall sleep in peace until you come to me. The words to "Danny Boy" were written by Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, he modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the US sent him a copy.

No comments:

Post a Comment