36. A Week Before Easter

Traditional, arranged and adapted by Robbie O’Connell © 1982 Slievenamon Music (BMI)

“A Week before Easter” was collected in Sussex, England in 1952 by Seamus Ennis, the renowned Irish uilleann piper and song collector. It is one of numerous versions of a song found all around the UK and Ireland, often known as “The False Bride.” The best known variant in Ireland is “The Lambs in the Green Fields” or “The Lambs on the Green Hills.” I first heard the best known Scottish version, “I Once Loved a Lass, sung by my uncle, Tom Clancy. They all have beautiful melodies but, if I were forced to pick between them, it would be this one.

Fans of the great Martin Carthy may be familiar with the melody as his Dancing at Whitsun uses a similar tune. Roxanne and I have been singing this since the mid 1970s. We are joined on this recording by the wonderful uilleann piper, Tommy Keane, who sings the bass harmony. This recording comes from my Close to the Bone album, released on Green Linnet in 1982.

Lyrics:

A WEEK BEFORE EASTER

Traditional, arranged and adapted by Robbie O’Connell © 1982 Slievenamon Music (BMI)¹

A week before Easter, a morn bright and clear
Oh, the sun it shone brightly and keen blew the air
I went to the forest to gather wildflowers
But the forest would yield me no roses

The roses are red the leaves they are green
Oh the bushes and briars are a joy to be seen
And the small birds are singing and changing their notes
Down among the wild beasts in the forest

The first time I saw my love she was dressed all in white
Made my eyes run and water fair dazzled my sight
But now she has left me and shown me false play
For she's gone to be wed to another

The last time I saw my love she did in the church stand
With a ring on her finger and a glove in her hand
And I thought to myself that I could have been that man
But she’s left me and gone with some other

The parson that married them aloud he did cry
All you that forbid it I would have you stand nigh
And I thought to myself I've a good reason why
But I had not the heart to forbid it

Oh dig me my grave, dig it long, wide and deep
And cover it over with flowers so sweet
And I lay me down for to take a long sleep
For that’s the best way to forget her

1. PRODUCTION INFORMATION:
Robbie O’Connell - Vocal
Roxanne O’Connell - Harmony Vocal
Tommy Keane - Harmony Vocal
Produced by Tom Phillips; Recorded at Ivy Lane Studios, Hopkinson, MA in 1981; Engineered by Larry Minnis;
Mixed at Ivy Lane Studios by Tom Phillips and Robbie O’Connell