Down by the Salley Gardens Lyrics
Orla FallonMusic Video
Down by the Salley Gardens
Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet;
She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
But I, being young and foolish, with her did not agree.
In a field by the river my love and I did stand,
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand.
She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;
But I was young and foolish, and now I am full of tears.
Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet;
She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree.
Song Details
✍️ Lyricist: William Butler Yeats wrote the poem 'Down By The Salley Gardens' which was published in 1889 in the collection "The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems.".
Yeats wrote notes about the origins of the poem, and stated that he tried to rebuild an old song from three lines that an old woman sang to herself - lines that were vaguely remembered.
🎶 Music: Traditional - Adapted to the music of 'The Maids of the Mourne Shore' by Herbert Hughes in 1909... read more at Wikipedia
📝 Song Brief:
The song reflects on a moment of young love by the Salley Gardens, where the singer’s sweetheart gently advises him to “take love easy.” He ignores her wisdom, acting with the impatience of youth, and now looks back with regret, recognising too late the truth in her words.
🍀 Genre: Irish Folk Song
👥 Covers: John McCormack, Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy, Clannad, James Galway, Maura O'Connell, Tamalin, Dolores Keane, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, Kathy Kelly, The Waterboys...
🎤 Featured Artist - Orla Fallon:
Born Órlagh Fallon on the 24th August, 1974 in Knockananna, County Wicklow, Ireland. She is a singer, harpist whose genres include Celtic, adult contemporary and New Age music, and her previous associations include Anúna and Celtic Woman.
💿 Album: The Water Is Wide
Released: Jan 10, 2006
Country: US
Format: CD
Label: Manhattan
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Please Note: Asterisked links lead to recordings by other artists.
