Searching for Lambs (English folk song)

"Searching for Lambs"

Searching for Lambs is an excellent folk song; it has this aura of purity that many English folk songs seem to lack. Most English folk songs have some reference to the drinking of alcohol (or ale hahah), half of them have some reference to fornication and it's no wonder that England is such a corrupt, and wicked country in the modern day. I don't know which country is worse; ours or theirs! It was still interesting to hear from another English folk involved individual from the Midlands tell me that California was seen as some sort of a "Sodom and Gomorrah" of America though. A pretty sobering thought to say the least. Here are the lyrics to the folk song:

As I walked out one May morning, One May morning betime, I met a maid, who from 'ome had strayed Just as the sun did shine What makes you rise so soon, my dear Your journey to pursue? Your pretty little feet, why they tread so neat Strike off the mornin' dew I'm goin' in search of my father's flocks His young an' tender lambs That over hills and over dales Lie bleating for their dams O stay, O stay, you pretty maid Rest but one moment here For there is none save thee alone That I do love most dear How gloriously the sun do shine How pleasant is the air I would rather rest on my true love's breast Than any other where For I am thine and thou art mine No man shall uncomfort thee We'll join our hands in wedded bands
 And married we shall be

BibleGateway was a save; I knew that the rejoice in the wife of thy youth thing was in Proverbs 5, but I had forgotten which chapter it was where Jacob met Rachel and he greeted her with a kiss and tears. Obviously this folk song is much more of a scenic and romanticized scene than the realism of Jacob's situation, but that's where my mind went when I saw these lyrics. We need more English and American folk songs like this, and less sin or references to vices.

Psalm 47 / Rowland (KJV Psalm and English Country Dance)

"Psalm 47 an' Rowland"

Probably the most favorite psalm there is as Rowland is such a fitting tune for it. Truly, the psalms concerning God's utter destruction of the wicked and takeover of the world have a special place in my heart. You tend to forget that people can be Judas backstabbers, and this is a neat little reminder that one day we'll all get what is coming to us. Rowland was first written by William Byrd, and the tune goes as far back as the 16th century because of this; this one has a very significant variation but you can hear the tune Rowland or My Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home here if you seek to hear the traditional tune for this piece:

Now, I don't really see why there must be two names for it; it would seem that Dowland dedicated this to Francis Willoughby who was one of the many lords in the House of Lords in the English government at the time. He was the 5th Baron of Parham, and is known for building Wollaton Hall in Nottinghamshire. He lived in the latter half of the 16th century which would likely explain why this went by similar names, one, Dowland or Byrd, must have given the same tune a name of their own.