Lovely On The Water waltz

A beautiful song tune from the British Isles.

Vaughan Williams wrote some variations on this tune which you an find online. They’re equally beautiful.

Vaughan Williams’ lovely version with variations. I really enjoy playing this on fiddle.

Words for the song for singers:-

As I walked out one morning
In the springtime of the year
I overheard a sailor boy
Likewise a lady fair

They sang a song together
Made the valleys for to ring
While the birds on the spray in the meadows gay
Proclaimed the lovely spring

Said Willy unto Nancy
Oh we soon must sail away
For its lovely on the water
To hear the music play

For our Queen she do want seamen
So I will not stay on shore
I will brave the wars for my country
Where the blund’ring cannons roar

Poor Nancy fell and fainted
But soon he brought her to
For it’s there they kissed and there embraced
And took a fond adieu

Come change your ring with me my love
For we may meet once more
But there’s one above that will guard you love
Where the blund’ring cannons roar

For pounds it is our bounty
And that must do for thee
But to help the aged parents
While I am on the sea

For Tower Hill is crowded
With mother’s weeping sore
For their sons are gone to face the war
Where the blundering cannons roar

Susan, I’m getting as bad as you…
The song was also on an early Steeleye Span album and was one of my favourites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n01T7ejqKWk

play video

JJ - I like Steeleye Span’s version. But as said have played the V-W variations quite a bit on fiddle and grown to love them - as a tune to play. The tune as noted down by Vaughan Williams is of course at the start of x:2, quite simple but good.

Lines 3 and 5 of x:2 are wrong - 3 quavers shld be TRIPLETS. This is 1st time I’ve cut and pasted a tune. Have tried to edit pasted abc but failed…. Sounds OK on MIDI, funny that, the oddity of computerisation.

By editing Vaughan Williams’ variations to miss out info such as (a) var, I have reinstated the triplets. As I say above x:2 can be played just as a more elaborate (and - thanks to V-W’s talent - rather beautiful) version. I found his variations (RVW2/1/75) on abcnotation.com where you can find the variations annotated (a), (b) etc.

V-W noted down the tune from the singing of Mr Hilton, April 11th 1908.

Thanks for posting this, Susan. I listened to the Steeleye Span version of this and it’s so beautiful.

Whimbrel : agreed - it is a terrific tune.

Who are the singers from the Steeleye Span version?

Mainly Maddy Prior although the whole band contributed vocals on the album.

I haven’t got the sleeve notes to hand but Maddy is obviously lead vocals here. I’d imagine Tim Hart and, perhaps, Martin Carthy are also on this track.
Ashley Hutchings and Peter Knight also sang backing vocals and harmonies etc on occasion but the first three were the main singers. At the time, Maddy and Tim also performed together as a duo.

Thanks for the info, Johnny. I wasn’t very familiar with much of Steelleye Span’s songs except for “All Around my Hat”, which someone had recommended on a thread of mine awhile back. Maddy Prior has a very nice singing voice.

That’s OK. The line up has changed quite a few times over the years and had already done so at the time of “All around my hat”. The album and sigle of the same name was produced by Mike Batt of “The Wombles” fame no less. 🙂

However, the above is from “Please to see The King” which has always been my favourite Steeleye Span album.

Does Maddy Prior sing a lot these days?

I’d be interested to know this too. According to Discogs, her last leased in 2012.