Greensleeves
Kenny G (Holiday) Lyrics


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Alas my love, you do me wrong
To cast me out discourteously
And I have loved you for so long
Delighting in your company

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but Lady Greensleeves

Alas my love, you do me wrong
To cast me out discourteously
And I have loved you for so long
Delighting in your company

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but Lady Greensleeves





Who but my Lady Greensleeves
Who but my Lady Greensleeves

Overall Meaning

"Greensleeves" is a classic English folk song that dates back to the 16th century. The lyrics are a lament from a man to his unrequited love, Lady Greensleeves. The first verse sets up the theme of rejection and heartbreak, with the singer suggesting he has loved Lady Greensleeves for a long time, only to be thrown out without respect. The second verse is a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the importance and joy that "Greensleeves" brought to his life, and how Lady Greensleeves was the only one he loved. The final lines repeat the chorus, directly addressing Lady Greensleeves as the only one who could have caused such heartbreak.


As a song, "Greensleeves" has become synonymous with holiday music, particularly around Christmas time. One of the reasons for this may be that the tune was used as the basis for "What Child Is This," a popular Christmas carol. The melody has also been used in a variety of settings, from classical music to pop and rock, and has been covered by a range of artists from Kenny G to Elvis Presley.


Line by Line Meaning

Alas my love, you do me wrong
Oh dear, my love, you are treating me unfairly


To cast me out discourteously
To reject me rudely and without respect


And I have loved you for so long
I have had feelings for you for a very long time


Delighting in your company
Enjoying being with you and spending time together


Greensleeves was all my joy
The song Greensleeves brought me all my happiness


Greensleeves was my delight
I found great pleasure and enjoyment in the song Greensleeves


Greensleeves was my heart of gold
The song Greensleeves was very dear and valuable to me


And who but Lady Greensleeves
No one but the person associated with Greensleeves – Lady Greensleeves


Who but my Lady Greensleeves
There is no one else but my Lady Greensleeves




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICHARD LANDIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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