“Diana and Her Sailor Bright”

Description

Diana is a rich merchant's daughter. She falls in love with "a bright young sailor" on one of her father's ships. She sends for him to marry. "Twas in her father's garden they walked hand in hand." He said "Lovely Diana, take my heart in command"

Supplemental text

Diana and Her Sailor Bright
  Partial text(s)

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From Kenneth Peacock, Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, Volume II,
pp. 515-516. Sung by Jim Smurridge, Burnt Islands, June 1960.

It's of a rich merchant in London did dwell,
He had one only daughter, a beautiful girl,
Diana was her name, scarce fourteen years old,
She had for her self a fortune in both silver and gold.

She had not been on board scarce a short space of time
When on a bright young sailor she soon fixed her mind,
She was put into a boat and was rowed unto the shore,
She was ill with a pain that she'd never had before.

'Twas in her father's garden this young couple walked,
'Twas in her father's garden this young couple talked,
'Twas in her father's garden they walked hand in hand,
He said, "Lovely Diana, take my heart in command."

(stanzas 1, 3, 6 of 6)

Notes

The first verse of this, "It's of a rich merchant in London did dwell, He had one only daughter, a beautiful girl," is of course commonplace, found in songs such as "The Young Sailor Bold (I) (The Rich Merchant's Daughter) [Laws M19]." The happy ending is different. Possibly this is a rewrite of that with a happy ending? - RBW

References

1. Peacock, pp. 515-516, "Diana and Her Sailor Bright" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST Pea515 (Partial)
3. Roud #2301
4. BI, Pea515