“Down By the Magdalen Green”

Description

A sailor, whose ship anchored at Dundee, convinces a girl to walk "along by the Magdalen/Maudlin/Mellon Green." He returns to sea and dreams of the girl weeping with his baby son. He warns sailors against seducing and abandoning girls.

Notes

Morton-Ulster: "A couple of variants of this song have been collected in Scotland itself, notably from Jimmy McBeath, but it is by no means widely known. There is a Magdalen Green in Dundee (pronounced Madlin)." - BS

References

  1. Morton-Ulster 16, "Down By the Mellon Green" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. Roud #2893
  3. BI, MorU016

About

Alternate titles: “The Harbour of Dundee”; “The Magdalen Green”
Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1970 (Morton-Ulster)
Found in: Ireland