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The Snowy-Breasted Pearl

[ Roud 22450 ; Ballad Index HMHS182C ; DT SNOWBRST ; Mudcat 5736 ; translated by George petrie, 1950s]

Leo Rowsome recorded Snowy Breasted Pearl in 1925 for the 78rpm 10" shellac album Winner 4260.. This track was also included in 1977 on his Topic anthology Classics of Irish Piping Vol. 3.

Strawhead played an interlude of The Snowy Breasted Pearl in 1978 on their Traditional Sound album Fortunes of War. They noted:

A traditional slow air which takes this title from a song set to it at a later date.

Tune: also known as There’s a colleen fair as May, printed in Beloved Scotch and Irish Melodies, Alexander Shealy (Ed), Ashley Publications, 1978

Steve Turner sang The Snowy-Breasted Pearl in 2023 on his Tradition Bearers album Curious Times. He noted:

This Irish ‘Arts song’ was translated from the Gaelic by Dr George Petrie of Dublin in the 1850s. Petrie was a scholar, artist, antiquarian and one of the most important researchers in the field of Irish music in the 19th century. The fine air Pearlaan Bbrollaigh Bbain can often be heard played by uillean pipers in Irish sessions. I took it from James Healy’s book Love Songs of the Irish 1977. In the Bunting collection it is attributed to Carolan.

Lyrics

Steve Turner sings The Snowy-Breasted Pearl

There’s a colleen fair as May
For a year as for a day
I have tried in every way
Her heart to gain
There’s no art in tongue or eye
Fond youth with maidens try
But I sought with secret sighs
But yet in vain.

If to France or far off Spain
She crossed the watery main
To see again
The seas I’d brave
But if heavens decree
That mine she may not be
May the Son of Mary me
With mercy save.

O thou blooming milk-white dove
To whom I’ve given true love
May I never thus reprove
My constancy
There are maidens would me mine
With wealth in land or kine
If my heart would but incline
To turn from thee.

But a kiss in welcome bland
Or touch of thy fair hand
Is all that I demand
Wouldst thou not spurn
But if not mine, dear girl
O my snowy-breasted pearl
May I never from the fair
With life return.

(repeat last verse)