“Love Has Brought Me to Despair”

Description

The singer hears a girl telling of the grief her false love has left her. She seeks a flower in the meadow to ease her mind; none meet her needs. She makes a bed of flowers, asks for a marble stone on her grave and a turtle dove at her breast, and dies

Notes

This song has close ties with "Tavern in the Town," often sharing stanzas and, of course, a similarity of plot. Roud, in fact, lumps them (which seems a bit excessive to me). This may help explain why Laws failed to note either the Combs or the Cox version. - RBW

Cross references

Recordings

  • Berzilla Wallin, "Love Has Brought Me To Despair" (on OldLove)

References

  1. Laws P25, "Love Has Brought Me to Despair"
  2. Brewster 58, "Love Has Brought Me to Despair" (2 texts, 1 tune)
  3. Combs/Wilgus 116, p. 176, "The Auxville Love" (1 text)
  4. JHCox 144, "Love Has Brought Me To Despair" (1 text)
  5. DT 824, LOVDISPR*
  6. Roud #60
  7. BI, LP25

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1916 (Cox)
Found in: US(Ap,MW) Britain(England(North,South))