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Generous Lover

from Heading For Home by Peggy Seeger

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GENEROUS LOVER

traditional USA

Peggy recalls learning this song from Gale Huntington's Songs the Whalemen Sang (Barre, MA: Barre Publishers, 1964; reprinted by Dover Publications, 1970) where a 5-verse text is printed as "The First Time I Saw My Love" from a 1856 journal from a vessel called the Catalpa. In the 1960s a version was sung by the master English singer/scholar on his Prestige 13006 LP, The Best of A. L. Lloyd; no source is indicated. In 1968 the song appeared on Argo ZDA 82, Female Frolic, an LP of women's songs sung by Frankie Armstrong, Sandra Kerr and Peggy Seeger. Armstrong wrote in the notes for her solo recording of "Generous Lover" that "the singing is from Mary Hackett of Limerick, the text is part collated from The Irish Folk Song Journal. A. L. Lloyd collected the song from Mary Hackett in Dublin in 1947. Although variants of the tune have turned up since in Ireland, no other set of words has been found." (Joe Hickerson, August 2003)

lyrics

O, the first time I saw my love, happy was I
I knew not what love was, nor how to deny;
So I made too much freedom of my love's company,
Saying, My generous lover, you're welcome to me.

My friends and relations, they angry are all
Because I went with you from my father's fine hall,
But my friends and relations, let them all angry be,
For my generous lover, you're welcome to me.

He said, Now my darling, it's I must away,
For I no longer in this country can stay;
So keep your mind easy. love. keep your heart free,
And let no man by thy sharer, my darling, but me.

This poor pretty creature she turned herself round
With her cheeks white as ivory and the tears pouring down,
Jimmy, dear Jimmy, you're the first one e'er wooed me,
And I'm sorry now I ever said 'You're welcome to me.'

O, happy's the girl that ne'er loved a man
She may easy tie up her narrow waistband;
She's free from all sorrow, all sad misery
That never said, my lover, you're welcome to me.

credits

from Heading For Home, released October 7, 2003

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Peggy Seeger Oxford, UK

Peggy is one of the most influential folk singers on either side of the Atlantic. She is Pete Seeger’s half-sister and Ruth Crawford Seeger’s daughter; her first life partner was the English songwriter Ewan MacColl, who wrote First Time Ever I Saw Your Face for her. She has made more than 22 solo recordings to date. Please check ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com for other albums featuring Peggy. ... more

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