“The Plain Golden Band”
Description
The singer recalls his parting from his former sweetheart and why she gave back her engagement ring. A young man comes to her and tells her stories of the singer's falsehood. She briefly dallies with him. Having stained the ring, she must return it
Notes
Ives-DullCare: "Of all Joe Scott's ballads, this is the one most closely identified with him. Even people who didn't know the song itself would often tell me that it was about Joe's own life--that this Lizzie had jilted him and it broke his heart." - BS
References
- Laws H17, "The Plain Golden Band"
- Doerflinger, pp. 247-249, "The Plain Golden Band" (2 texts, 2 tunes, although Laws apparently does not include the first text and tune, which are fragmentary, with this ballad)
- Ives-DullCare, pp. 149-151,253, "The Plain Golden Band" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Ives-NewBrunswick, pp. 159-162, "The Plain Golden Band" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Manny/Wilson 39, "The Plain Golden Band" (1 text, 1 tune)
- DT 693, PLAINGLD
- Roud #1963
- BI, LH17