What Child Is This
André Previn And His Orchestra Lyrics


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Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

[Chorus]
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

[Chorus]

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.

[Chorus]

If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.

[Chorus]

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

[Chorus]

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

[Chorus]

Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

[Chorus]

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Andre Previn's What Child Is This?, a Christmas carol of unknown authorship, were not written specifically for this song. In fact, the words, attributed to the 16th century poet Richard Jones, were originally set to the tune of Greensleeves, which tells the story of a man who is left heartbroken by his beloved, Lady Greensleeves. The singer is expressing his dismay at his beloved's rejection of him, stating that he has loved her dearly and faithfully. Despite her mistreatment, he remains captivated by her beauty and charm. He recounts how he has done everything in his power, including risking his very life, to win her love, yet she has remained indifferent to his advances. In the end, he implores her to reconsider her rejection, declaring his undying love for her.


Though the melancholic lyrics suggest a sense of loss and heartbreak, the song's enduring popularity suggests that it resonates with listeners on a deeper level. Its haunting melody and evocative imagery allow it to transcend time and connect with people across cultures and generations, making it a testament to the enduring power of music. What Child Is This? is just one of many examples of how music can bring people together, serving as a means of expression, communication, and connection.


Line by Line Meaning

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
Oh no, my love, you've treated me terribly unfairly,


To cast me off discourteously.
By rejecting me abruptly and impolitely.


For I have loved you well and long,
Even though you've hurt me, I've loved you deeply and for a very long time.


Delighting in your company.
I have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with you.


Greensleeves was all my joy
The song Greensleeves was the source of all my happiness.


Greensleeves was my delight,
I found immense pleasure and enjoyment in listening to Greensleeves.


Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
Greensleeves was my most prized possession; it held a special place in my heart.


And who but my lady greensleeves.
Only the woman I love, who I refer to as Lady Greensleeves, could understand its significance to me.


Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
You've broken your promises to me, just as you've broken my heart.


Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Why did you captivate and charm me so thoroughly, only to leave me feeling devastated?


Now I remain in a world apart
I feel like I'm living in a completely different world now that you've left me.


But my heart remains in captivity.
Despite my circumstances, I am still deeply devoted to you and am trapped in this love.


I have been ready at your hand,
I have been always willing to help you whenever you needed me.


To grant whatever you would crave,
I was always ready to give you anything you wanted.


I have both wagered life and land,
I have risked everything, even my life and property, for the chance to win your love.


Your love and good-will for to have.
I did all these things in the hopes of receiving your love and affection in return.


If you intend thus to disdain,
If you choose to continue to show me disrespect,


It does the more enrapture me,
It only strengthens my feelings for you and captivates me further.


And even so, I still remain
Despite how you treat me, I am still devoted to you.


A lover in captivity.
I am a prisoner of this love I have for you.


My men were clothed all in green,
The people who served me were dressed in green apparel.


And they did ever wait on thee;
And they served you with great diligence and devotion.


All this was gallant to be seen,
It was an impressive sight for all who witnessed it.


And yet thou wouldst not love me.
And yet you refused to love me in return.


Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
You had no material desires or wants.


But still thou hadst it readily.
But if you did want something, you could acquire it easily.


Thy music still to play and sing;
You still indulged in playing and singing music.


And yet thou wouldst not love me.
And yet you would not reciprocate my love.


Well, I will pray to God on high,
I will appeal to the divine power above,


That thou my constancy mayst see,
So that you can recognize my unwavering love for you.


And that yet once before I die,
And maybe one last time before I pass away,


Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.
You will graciously choose to love me in return.


Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
Oh Greensleeves, I must now bid you farewell and goodbye.


To God I pray to prosper thee,
I pray to God for your success and wellbeing,


For I am still thy lover true,
Despite everything, my love for you remains genuine.


Come once again and love me.
Please come back to me and show me your love.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ACUM Ltd., Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TERRY RENDALL, TRADITIONAL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@emilyyanchak1623

I searched years for this version of this song, thank goodness finally found it!

@brennanthomas2892

Please keep this one available. It's the best selection from this Christmas album and one of the best instrumental arrangements of this piece.

@eddieastoria44

I will Brennan

@jamesquebral5941

This is my favorite rendition of the song. It brings back so many memories! Please don't take it down.

@jushinthunderliger5245

Thank you for uploading this best version by far

@eddieastoria44

You're welcome Jushin

@nyyankeeslady

My absolute favorite version of this song. Incredible arranging by Andre Previn. His version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is great too. Thanks for posting.

@eddieastoria44

You're welcome Kimberly

@camerontarbox2259

I agree it always gives me goosebumps...it's simply hauntingly beautiful

@tommcgrath7633

The version of this Christmas song by André Previn always makes me cry. 😭 And even though it’s the best selection that brings me back memories, it’s super sad, like the Baby Mine song in the Disney movie, Dumbo. Thanks for posting.

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