linden lea

lyrics: William barnes
melody: Ralph vaughan williams

This was written by poet and philologist William Barnes in the 1800’s. He lived in Dorset and was quite obsessive about the English language, devoting himself to the development of a ‘pure’ form of English that only featured words of Anglo-Saxon origin. This poem was written in the Dorset dialect. You can see the original spelling here. Ralph Vaughan Williams set it to music. The harmonies in this version are mine.

Within the woodlands, flow’ry gladed,
By the oak tree’s mossy moot,
The shining grass-blades, timber-shaded,
Now do quiver underfoot;
And birds do whistle overhead,
And water’s bubbling in its bed,
And there for me the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

When leaves that lately were a-springing
Now do fade within the copse,
And painted birds do hush their singing
Up upon the timber-tops;
And brown-leaved fruits are turning red,
With cloudless sunshine, overhead,
With fruit for me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

Let other folk make money faster
In the air of dark-roomed towns,
I do not dread a peevish master;
Though no man may heed my frowns,
If I be free to go abroad,
Or take again my homeward road
To where, for me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.