One Morning In May
Charlie Waller & The Country Gentlemen Lyrics

One morning, one morning, one morning in May,
It was a bright morning in May, one that stood out from the others.

I spied a young couple; they were making their way
I noticed a couple walking towards me.

And one was a lady so bright and so fair,
The woman was beautiful, with a bright complexion.

And the other was a soldier, and a brave volunteer
The man was a soldier, who had volunteered for service.

Good morning, good morning, good morning, said he,
The soldier greeted the woman with a cheerful good morning.

And where are you going my pretty lady,
He asked her where she was heading, with a compliment.

I'm going out a walking by the banks of the sea,
She told him that she was walking along the beach.

Just to see the waters roll and hear the nightingale sing.
She wanted to enjoy the natural scenery and sounds around her.

Now they had not been standing but a minute or so
They had only been standing there for a short time.

When out of his knapsack a fiddle he drew
The soldier pulled out a fiddle from his backpack.

And the tune that he played made the valleys to ring
The music was so good that it echoed across the valleys.

Oh hark, cried the maiden, hear the nightingales sing
The woman was so moved by the music that she thought it was the sound of nightingales.

Oh maiden, fair maiden, 'tis time to give o'er
The time had come for them to leave.

Oh no, kind soldier, please play one tune more
She begged the soldier to play more music.

For I'd rather hear your fiddle with the touch of one string
She loved the soldier's music so much that even one note was enough for her.

Than to see the waters glide and hear the nightingales sing
She preferred to listen to the music, rather than the natural sounds around her.

Oh soldier, kind soldier, will you marry me?
The woman asked the soldier to marry her.

Oh no, pretty maiden, that never shall be
The soldier politely declined the woman's proposal.

I've a wife down in London and children twice three
He revealed that he already had a wife and six children in London.

Two wives and the army's too many for me
He said that having two wives and working for the army was too much for him to handle.

Well I'll go back to London and I'll stay there for a year
He decided to return to London for a while.

It's often that I'll think of you my little dear
He promised to think of her often.

And if ever I return it'll be in the spring
He said that if he ever returned, it would be in the springtime.

Come dry up your tears, there is nothing to fear
He comforted the woman and told her not to be sad.

I will roam these green valleys now for many's a long year
He planned to travel around the area for a long time.

When the birds sang so sweet, this young man proved his deceit
He broke the woman's heart by revealing that he was already married.

Saying adieu, lovely fair maid, we will never more meet
He said goodbye to the woman, knowing that they would never see each other again.

With my snuff box and cane, this whole world I will range
He proclaimed that he would travel the world with his snuff box and cane.

Like Venus or Diana in search of her swain
He compared himself to Venus or Diana, who searched for their lovers.

When the moon shines so clear, I will mourn for my dear
He claimed that he would mourn for the woman when he saw the moon.

Over mountains, clear fountains, where no one can hear
He would travel to remote places where no one would hear him mourning.

There's one thing that I know, and that before I go
He knew something that he wanted to share before he left.

I will never return for to hear her sad woe
He vowed not to return to hear the woman's sadness.

There's another thing I know and that before I go
He knew something else that he wanted to share before he left.

That the ranger and the stranger have many's the foe.
He warned that there were many dangers out in the world for travelers like him.