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Willy's Rare

from Song and the Single Girl by Emily Groff

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Traditional Scottish
I sing this one as a combination of two similar ballads: Willy's Rare and The Dowie Dens of Yarrow

lyrics

There lived a lady in the North

I ne'er did find her marrow

She was courted by nine gentlemen

And a plooboy lad frae Yarrow



Oh Willy's rare and Willy's fair

And Willy's wondrous bonny

And Willy's gon tae marry me

Gin e'er I marry ony



As he cam' by yon waterside

On the dowie dens o' Yarrow

He espied the nine gentlemen

Cam' tae fecht wi' him on Yarrow



I dreamed a dream, a dreadfu' dream

Twas fu' o' pain and sorrow

I dreamed i pu'ed the heather green

On the dowie dens o' Yarrow



Oh cam' ye by yon waterside

Tae pick the rose and lily

Or cam' ye by yon meadow green

And saw ye my sweet Willy?



She socht him high, she socht him lae

She socht him brade and narrow

Till in the clifton o' a craig

She's found him drooned in Yarrow



Yestere'en I mad' my bed fu' brade

Tae nicht I'll mak' it narrow

For a' the lee lang winter's nicht

I lie twined o' my marrow



Oh Willy's rare and Willy's fair

And Willy's wondrous bonny

And willy wud hae married me

Gin e'er I married ony

credits

from Song and the Single Girl, released August 1, 2002

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Emily Groff Bainbridge Island, Washington

Harp and voice
Sweet as hell

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