Does anyone know the history behind the air 'January Snows'--who composed it, is it traditional, etc? I searched for it in the tunes section here, but couldn't find it. Any insights much appreciated!
The snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
And the corn it ripens fastest when the frost is settling in
And when a woman tells me that my face she'll soon forget
Before we part I'll wage a croun she's fain to follow it yet
The snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
And the bee that flew when summer shone in winter cannot sting
And I've seen a woman's anger melt betwixt the night and morn
So it's surely not a harder thing to melt a woman's scorn
The snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
And the swallow flies without a thought as long as it is spring
But when spring goes and winter blows, my love, then you'll be fain
For all your pride to follow me across the raging main
So don't you bid me farewell here, no farewell I'll receive
For you will lie with me, my love, then kiss and take your leave
And I'll wait here till the moorcock calls and the marten takes the wing
For the snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
I am told its not Irish but a border Ballad,............ er thats the border between England and Scotland
Crun = crown old coin was worth 5 shillings a princely sum in the past about 25 pence or 50 cents these days .
Moorcock = Red grouse very tastey game bird goes well with red wine
Also recorded by Archie Fisher, many years ago, again.
To me the words read like a more educated persons' piece of poetic whimsy, rather than a traditional song. Even though it may have been accepted into the tradition I would reckon its origins to have been elsewhere.
I was thinking of a completely different song to "Snows They Melt the Soonest", namely this one:
"It was in the month of January, the hills all clad with snow
It was over hills and valley my true love he did go
It was then I met a pretty young girl with a salt tear in her eye
She had a baby in her arms and bitter she did cry
"Oh cruel was my father that he barred the door to me
And cruel was my mother that dreadful crime to see
Cruel was my own true love that he changed his mind for gold
And cruel was that winter's night that pierced my heart with cold
For the taller that the palm tree grows the sweeter is the bark
And the fairer that a young man speaks, the falser is his heart
For he'll kiss you and embrace you till he thinks he has you won
Then he'll go away and leave you all for some other one
So come all you pretty fair maidens and a warning take by me
Never try and build your nest at the top of a high tree
For the green leaves they will wither and the branches all decay
And the beauty of a young man it soon will fade away"
I know it from Gay Woods' singing but I'm sure I've heard it sung by other singers too.
I agree with Pete and I suspect Victorian about the time Robbie Burns was popular and still alive in Scotland . Sort of thing a vicar might have wrote in the Borders.
Might have known the Woods would have a different version - they can vary from the exquisite to the excrucuiating - they do a version of "Save the Last Dance for Me" on one album that isn't even in the correct time; and yet other stuff is totally magical.
"January Snows"
"January Snows"
Does anyone know the history behind the air 'January Snows'--who composed it, is it traditional, etc? I searched for it in the tunes section here, but couldn't find it. Any insights much appreciated!
# Posted on December 10th 2007 by mellow yellow
Re: "January Snows"
Lunasa claim it's trad; that's all I can tell.
# Posted on December 10th 2007 by Henk Bos
Re: "January Snows"
It's a song also known as The Snows That Melt the Soonest
Sung by Dick Gaughan on his Handful of Earth album
# Posted on December 10th 2007 by Edgar Bolton
Re: "January Snows"
The snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
And the corn it ripens fastest when the frost is settling in
And when a woman tells me that my face she'll soon forget
Before we part I'll wage a croun she's fain to follow it yet
The snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
And the bee that flew when summer shone in winter cannot sting
And I've seen a woman's anger melt betwixt the night and morn
So it's surely not a harder thing to melt a woman's scorn
The snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
And the swallow flies without a thought as long as it is spring
But when spring goes and winter blows, my love, then you'll be fain
For all your pride to follow me across the raging main
So don't you bid me farewell here, no farewell I'll receive
For you will lie with me, my love, then kiss and take your leave
And I'll wait here till the moorcock calls and the marten takes the wing
For the snows they melt the soonest when the winds begin to sing
# Posted on December 10th 2007 by Edgar Bolton
Re: "January Snows"
Also done by Horslips
# Posted on December 10th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: "January Snows"
And The Pentangle, many years ago.
# Posted on December 10th 2007 by Bob himself
Re: "January Snows"
I am told its not Irish but a border Ballad,............ er thats the border between England and Scotland
Crun = crown old coin was worth 5 shillings a princely sum in the past about 25 pence or 50 cents these days .
Moorcock = Red grouse very tastey game bird goes well with red wine
# Posted on December 11th 2007 by bazouki dave and the real tooty flutey
Re: "January Snows"
I thought it was Northumbrian, Charlie gave it to Horslips.
# Posted on December 12th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: "January Snows"
Also recorded by Archie Fisher, many years ago, again.
To me the words read like a more educated persons' piece of poetic whimsy, rather than a traditional song. Even though it may have been accepted into the tradition I would reckon its origins to have been elsewhere.
# Posted on December 12th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: "January Snows"
I was thinking of a completely different song to "Snows They Melt the Soonest", namely this one:
"It was in the month of January, the hills all clad with snow
It was over hills and valley my true love he did go
It was then I met a pretty young girl with a salt tear in her eye
She had a baby in her arms and bitter she did cry
"Oh cruel was my father that he barred the door to me
And cruel was my mother that dreadful crime to see
Cruel was my own true love that he changed his mind for gold
And cruel was that winter's night that pierced my heart with cold
For the taller that the palm tree grows the sweeter is the bark
And the fairer that a young man speaks, the falser is his heart
For he'll kiss you and embrace you till he thinks he has you won
Then he'll go away and leave you all for some other one
So come all you pretty fair maidens and a warning take by me
Never try and build your nest at the top of a high tree
For the green leaves they will wither and the branches all decay
And the beauty of a young man it soon will fade away"
I know it from Gay Woods' singing but I'm sure I've heard it sung by other singers too.
# Posted on December 12th 2007 by SL*
Re: "January Snows"
I agree with Pete and I suspect Victorian about the time Robbie Burns was popular and still alive in Scotland . Sort of thing a vicar might have wrote in the Borders.
# Posted on December 13th 2007 by bazouki dave and the real tooty flutey
Re: "January Snows"
Might have known the Woods would have a different version - they can vary from the exquisite to the excrucuiating - they do a version of "Save the Last Dance for Me" on one album that isn't even in the correct time; and yet other stuff is totally magical.
# Posted on December 14th 2007 by Guernsey Pete