Lady Margaret

Hi there. Here's a folk ballad called "Lady Margret". You can hear it on the "Cold Mountain" soundtrack. I'm not a singer, so I'm not looking for any constructive criticism. I'm just trying to share the songs with others-trying to keep the oral tradition alive!

Also, if you're wondering why I'm looking down in the video, I'm playing cards because I'm nervous and because it's boring singing to a camera.

Here are the lyrics:

Lady Margret was standing in her own room door
A comb in her long yellow hair
When who did she spy but sweet William and his bride
As to the churchyard they drew near
The day passed away and the night coming on
Most of the men were asleep
Lady Margret appeared all dressed in white
Standing at his bed feet
She said "How do you like your bed? And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like your fair, young bride that's laying in your arms asleep?"
He said "Very well do I like my bed. Much better do I like my sheet.
But most of all that fair, young girl standing at my bed feet."
Then once he kissed her lily white hand
And twice he kissed her cheek
Three times he kissed her cold corpsy lips then he fell into her arms asleep.
The night passed away and the day came on
Into the morning light
Sweet William said "I'm troubled in my head by the dreams that I dreamed last night.
Such dreams, such dreams as these I know they mean no good.
For I dreamed that my bower was full of red swine and my bride's bed full of blood."
He asked "Is Lady Margret in her room? Or is she out in the hall?"
But Lady Margret lay in a cold, black coffin with her face turned to the wall.
Throw back, throw back those snow white robe
Be they ever so fine.
And let me kiss those cold corpsy lips for I know they'll never kiss mine.
Then once he kissed her lily white hand
And twice he kissed her cheek
Three times he kissed her cold corpsy lips then he fell into her arms asleep.

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Tags:

• Lady Margret
• Lady Margaret
• folk song
• ballad

[kingjohntheman]

Look up "Little Margaret" sung by Sheila Kay Adams. She sings traditional North Carolina version. 

[asmoen]

@kingjohntheman Thank you! It's a beautiful version, and it also introduced me to the AlanLomaxArchive channel, which will be great to follow.

[cloudexplosion]

Lovely, thanks.. was looking for inspiration for songs to sing at my next folk night ( not playing an instrument.. yet)

Some of these lyrics are like Matty Groves ( how do you like the feather bed.. etc)

Where did you find this song?

[asmoen]

@cloudexplosion Hi! Yeah I think the "how do you like" conversation shows up in a few different folk songs. I love it, it's so sassy. I also have a video of Mathey Groves (like Matty Groves). I found Lady Margret on the Cold Mountain soundtrack. There are a bunch of other beautiful songs on it, so if you haven't heard it yet, you should check it out!

[cagedanimal304]

you have a great voice. u sang that very beautifully

[FrozenxMelody]

How beautiful :D

[LostintheHoller]

beautiful :)