Not Stephen Foster, but A.P. Carter, patriarch of the Carter Family.
Probably based on traditional material. First verse of Wildwood
Flower, one of the first country music songs recorded. Woody Guthrie
used the tune for The Ruben James. Everybody's recorded it, and it
remains a standard.
"Leader" means the main stem of the plant. The image is weaving
flowers into one's hair. Literacy wasn't a strongpoint in the
Appalachians back then.
Mark
WILDWOOD FLOWER
Oh, I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the myrtle so bright with the emerald hue
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue.
Oh I'll dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming, my idol was clay
All portion of love had all flown away.
Oh he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart is now wond'ring no mis'ry can tell
He's left me no warning, no words of farewell.
Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his flow'r
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
Oh, I long to see him and regret the dark hour
He's gone and neglected this pale wildwood flow'r.
At 05:21 PM 1/17/2009, you wrote:
>On 27 Dec a friend led a singsong of Stephen Foster songs with some atrocious
>lyrics.
>
>Now he emails me:
>
>Have you remembered to find out what 'lyder' means?
>
>(I will twine with your tresses of raven black hair,
>With the roses so red and the lilies so fair,
>With the myrtle as bright as the emerald dew,
>The pale and the lyder and eyes of light blue.)
>
>PoetryEtc folk! you are my last resort...
>
>best from Max in Melbourne
>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
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