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Young Peggy (Child 298)

from Blood & Roses Volume 3 by Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger

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This is a superb ballad of tenderness, lyrical in its feeling, hopeful in its denouement. There is no blood, no cruelty, only two people in love and determined to consummate that love as quickly as possible.

lyrics

Whaur hae ye been, Peggy,
Whaur hae ye been?
In the garden 'mang the gillyflooers
'Tween the hours o' twelve and ane.

Ye werena yoursel', Peggy,
No there your lane,
Your faither saw ye in Jamie's airms
'Tween the hours o' twelve and ane.

Whit through we were seen, mither,
Though we were seen?
I would sleep in Jamie's airms
Though his grave was growing green.

Your Jamie's a rogue, peggy,
Jamie's a loon;
For the trystin' o oor ae dochter
And her sae very young.

Jamie's no' to blame, mither,
The blame lies on me,
For I was sleep in Jamie's airms
Though a' the world should dee.

She's gane tae her ain chaulmer.
Jamie was there.
I'm blithe to see ye, Jamie dear,
Though we maun meet nae mair.

We'll tak a pairtin' glass, laddie,
Poor oot the wine,
And since we maun meet nae mair, my love,
We'll drink your health and mine.

Tak' me in your airms, laddie,
Here's kisses five,
And since we maun meet nae mair, my love,
We'll drink weel may we thrive.

Come to my airms, lassie,
Close tae my hairt,
And as lang's the sun hings i' the lift
I swear we'll never pairt.

Your faither keeps a crawin' cock
Divides nicht frae day.
And in the middle-watch o' the nicht
In greenwood ye'll meet me.

When mass was sung and bells were rung
And a' bound for bed,
She's kilted up her gay clothin',
Met Jamie in the wood.

Twas early in the mornin',
The clock chappit twa,
Her faither rose up in his bed
Cryin', Peggy, she's awa'!

They've mounted their horses
And fast they did run,
But lang ere they won tae the tap o' the hill,
The lad and lass were ane.

credits

from Blood & Roses Volume 3, released September 14, 1982
Ewan MacColl - vocals

Produced by Neill MacColl
Engineered by Nick Godwin
Recorded at Pathway Studios, London

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all rights reserved

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Ewan MacColl London, UK

This site is maintained by the MacColl family, aiming to make Ewan's catalogue available to download.
Ewan MacColl is known to most as a songwriter and singer, but he was also of significant influence in the worlds of theatre and radio broadcasting. His art reached huge numbers through the folk clubs, greater numbers through his recordings and untold millions through the radio. ... more

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