All Things Are Quite Silent
Bella Hardy Lyrics


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All things are quite silent, each mortal at rest
When me and my true love lay snug in one nest
When a band of bold ruffians broke into our cave
And they forced my dear jewel to plough the salt way

I begged hard for my darling as I would for my life
But they would not heed me although a fond wife
Saying “the King must have soldiers to the wars he must go”
And they’ve left me lamenting in sorrow and woe

Through green fields and meadows we often have walked
And of fond recollections together have talked
Where the lark and the blackbird so sweetly do sing
And the lovely thrushes voices made the valleys to ring

Now although I’m forsaken I won’t be cast down
Who knows but my true love some day might return
And he’ll make me amends for my trouble and strife
And me and my darling might be happy for life





All things are quite silent each mortal at rest

Overall Meaning

The song "All Things Are Quite Silent" by Bella Hardy is a traditional folk song narrating the story of a young couple whose happiness is shattered when a group of ruffians break into their hiding place, and press the man into military service. The opening line of the song suggests an eerie calm, with silence all around, and every mortal at rest. The reference to the mortals being at rest indicates that it is probably nighttime, and everyone is asleep. The second line of the song introduces the couple who are lying snug in one nest, which could mean that they are hiding, metaphorically representing their love as a haven, where they are safe from the outside world.


The third line shifts the mood of the song, as a band of ruffians break into their hiding place, causing upheaval in their lives. The ruffians force the man into military service, leaving the lady alone to lament in sorrow and woe. The fourth and fifth lines poignantly express the woman's struggle as she begs for her partner's release, but all her pleas fall on deaf ears. The ruffians justify their actions by claiming that the king needs soldiers to fight wars.


The sixth and seventh lines of the song recall happier times in the couple's life when they walked through the green fields and meadows, talking about their fond memories, and listening to the birds singing. The idyllic landscape of green fields and meadows, with larks and blackbirds singing and thrushes making the valleys ring, contrast sharply with their current situation.


The last two lines of the song express the woman's hope that her true love will return someday to make amends for her trouble and strife. She refuses to be cast down even though she has been forsaken, and dreams of happiness with her darling by her side. The song 'All Things Are Quite Silent' is a powerful ballad that captures the essence of love, hope, loss, and resilience.


Line by Line Meaning

All things are quite silent each mortal at rest
The world is quiet and still as though everybody is at peace


When me and my true love lay snug in one nest
When my beloved and I were together and happy


When a band of bold ruffians broke into our cave
A group of rough and lawless individuals invaded our home


And they forced my dear jewel to plough the salt way
They made my loved one work hard labor as a punishment


I begged hard for my darling as I would for my life
I pleaded with them to spare the life of my beloved


But they would not heed me although a fond wife
But they didn't listen to me even though I am a devoted wife


Saying “the King must have soldiers to the wars he must go”
They claimed that the King needed soldiers for the war so they had to take my beloved


And they’ve left me lamenting in sorrow and woe
And they've left me grieving and in deep sadness


Through green fields and meadows we often have walked
We frequently strolled through lush fields and meadows


And of fond recollections together have talked
We reminisced and shared fond memories together


Where the lark and the blackbird so sweetly do sing
Where birds like the lark and the blackbird sing melodiously


And the lovely thrushes voices made the valleys to ring
And the beautiful songs of the thrushes filled the valleys with sound


Now although I’m forsaken I won’t be cast down
Although I am abandoned, I won't lose hope


Who knows but my true love some day might return
There's a possibility that my beloved might come back to me someday


And he’ll make me amends for my trouble and strife
And he'll make up for all the suffering I've been through


And me and my darling might be happy for life
And we might live happily ever after, if we're reunited




Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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