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Lovely Annie

[ Roud 5531 ; Ballad Index TSF164 ; trad.]

Paddy Tunney sang Lovely Annie in 1982 on his Green Linnet album The Stone Fiddle. He noted in his book of the same name:

[…] There was another pleasant little song [my mother] had that would seem to have come from Scotland also. She called it Lovely Annie and I never heard it sung by any other.

Susan McKeown sang Fair Annie, “a song from one of my favourite singers, the late Paddy Tunney”, in 2004 on her World Village album Sweet Liberty.

Lyrics

Paddy Tunney sings Lovely Annie

As I went a-walking one morning in May
I spied lovely Annie a-making the hay,
And as she moved onward, the grass on each side
Through a gap in the bushes my Annie I spied.

I went to the North Highlands to work by the day
And when I returned she was married away
Though she swore to be constant both loyal and true
But now she has gone and left me, do! what will I do?

Far better transported, far better for aye,
My mind turns to madness since Annie’s away
She was my first and false true-love, my treasure and store
O Annie, lovely Annie, will I e’er see you more?

Some people they tell me love has me led blind
My master he says that he’ll have me confined
That he’ll send me to Bedlam, bind me in strong chains
For your sake, lovely Annie, I suffer those pains

Come all you stout heroes, take a warning in time
And never trust a red rose or lily in prime
For the green leaves will wither, and the branches decay
And the roots they will torment you when the flowers fade away

Susan McKeown sings Fair Annie

As I went a-walking one morning in May
I spied lovely Annie a-making her hay
And as she moved onward the grass on her side
Through a glimpse in the brushes my Annie I spied

I went to the North Highlands to work all that May
And when I returned she was married and away
Though she swore to be faithful, both constant and true
But now she’s gone and left me O what will I do?

Far better transported far better for aye
My heart pines in sadness when Annie’s away
She was my first and false true love and ’tis lately I knew
That the fonder I loved her the falser she grew

Come all you young fellows take a warning from me
And never build your nest on the top of a tree
For the green leaves will wither and the branches decay
And the roots they will torment you when the leaves fade away