Vaughan Williams was born on 12th October 1872 in Down Ampney, a village in the Cotswolds. After attending Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Cambridge, he became a student at the Royal College of Music; he later studied with Max Bruch in Berlin and Maurice Ravel in Paris.
He served as a lieutenant in World War I, having volunteered for the Field Ambulance Service; the appalling carnage affected him deeply, as did the deaths of close friends such as George Butterworth.
He wrote nine symphonies between 1910 and 1958, as well as numerous other works including chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also one of the first serious collectors of English folk music and served as president of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). The Society's Vaughan Williams Memorial Library is named for him.
Vaughan Williams died on 26th August 1958, and his ashes are interred in Westminster Abbey.
The Turtle Dove
Ralph Vaughan Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and leave you for a while
If I roam away I'll come back again
Though I roam ten thousand miles, my dear
Though I roam ten thousand miles
So fair though art my bonney lass
So deep in love as I
But I never will prove false to the bonney lass I love
Till the stars fall from the sky
The sea will never run dry my dear
Nor the rocks never melt with the sun
But I never will prove false to the bonney lass I love
Till all these things be done my dear
Till all these things be done
O yonder doth sit that little turtle dove
He doth sit on yonder high tree
A making a moan for the losee of his love
As I will do for thee my dear
As I will do for thee
The Turtle Dove is a traditional English folk song that has been arranged and adapted by many composers, including Ralph Vaughan Williams. The song’s lyrics recount a story of a man who must leave his beloved for a time, promising to return despite the distance between them. He speaks of his love for her, vowing to never be false to her, even if the stars were to fall from the sky. These assurances are rooted in the constancy of nature; the sea will never run dry nor will the rocks melt with the sun. Throughout the song, the use of natural imagery both emphasizes the singer’s commitment to his love and reflects the enduring power of the natural world.
The final stanza of the song takes a slightly different turn, as the singer points out a turtle dove perched in a nearby tree. The bird is grieving over the loss of its love, mirroring the singer's own emotions. In this moment, the song becomes a tribute to the universal human experience of love and loss. The Turtle Dove is a moving and enduring song, with lyrics that speak to the profound and enduring nature of love, and the beauty and power of the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
Fare you well my dear I must be gone
I must say goodbye and leave you for a while
and leave you for a while
I will be away from you for some time
If I roam away I'll come back again
I will return to you if I go away
Though I roam ten thousand miles, my dear
Even if I travel a great distance, my love for you remains
So fair though art my bonney lass
You are beautiful, my lovely lady
So deep in love as I
I am deeply in love with you
But I never will prove false to the bonney lass I love
I will never betray the woman I love
Till the stars fall from the sky my dear
My love for you will never falter or die out
The sea will never run dry my dear
My love will never dry up or disappear
Nor the rocks never melt with the sun
My love will last forever, just as the rocks are forever
Till all these things be done my dear
I will love you until the end of time
O yonder doth sit that little turtle dove
Look over there, where the little dove is sitting
He doth sit on yonder high tree
He is sitting on the tall tree over there
A making a moan for the losee of his love
He is grieving for the loss of his beloved
As I will do for thee my dear
Just as the dove grieves, I will grieve for you
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@90sboiluke65
Fare you well my dear I must be gone
and leave you for a while
If I roam away I'll come back again
Though I roam ten thousand miles, my dear
Though I roam ten thousand miles
So fair though art my bonney lass
So deep in love as I
But I never will prove false to the bonney lass I love
Till the stars fall from the sky my dear
Till the stars fall from the sky
The sea will never run dry my dear
Nor the rocks never melt with the sun
But I never will prove false to the bonney lass I love
Till all these things be done my dear
Till all these things be done
O yonder doth sit that little turtle dove
He doth sit on yonder high tree
A making a moan for the losee of his love
As I will do for thee my dear
As I will do for thee
@stigekalder
★★★ My playlist with English choral pieces:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zBcoGv_ic8&list=PLCby7t-aPVUlH5zVHPG2w8xO437TCVf1j
@Stardust314159
I'm a simple man. I see the name "Vaughn Williams", I click.
@stigekalder
Good job - why complicate things 😀
@chase23money
As a young man in high school, I had the chance to sing this song as part of a program for the Illinois All State Choir. I auditioned for the baritone solo but I was not chosen. It took me many years to truly appreciate the beauty of this song and the genius of Ralph Vaughn Williams.
@TheFolkRevivalProject
Vaughan Williams collected this song from a man named David Penfold in Sussex in 1907. Amazingly, he recorded Penfold singing the song on a wax cylinder, and the recording is still available. I restored the recording and uploaded it here on my second channel with the original lyrics and information about the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOh5KN6XQws&t=2s
@wishingonthemoon1
Omg I’m 27 and I miss choir festivals so much. State choir (PA) was so fun and honestly, life changing.
@starshipcaptain
My dad used to sing this to me every night and it was rather wonderful.
@TheFolkRevivalProject
Vaughan Williams collected this song from a man named David Penfold in Sussex in 1907. Amazingly, he recorded Penfold singing the song on a wax cylinder, and the recording is still available. I restored the recording and uploaded it here on my second channel with the original lyrics and information about the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOh5KN6XQws&t=2s
@aniyawealthy
We sung this song in chorus my 7th grade year & Ive always loved this song. Its so romantic and heart pulling. Thanks for posting
@rebeccaslater1398
Absolutely sublime depicting the English countryside quietude