They left for San Francisco in 1959, where they met Mort Lewis, Dave Brubeck's manager. Lewis became their manager and later that year secured them a contract with Columbia Records. Their second single, "Greenfields," released in January 1960, hit #2 on the pop charts, and their first album, Brothers Four, released toward the end of the year, made the top 20. Other highlights of their early career included singing their fourth single, "The Green Leaves of Summer," from the John Wayne movie The Alamo, at the 1961 Academy Awards, and having their second album, BMOC/Best Music On/Off Campus, go top 10. They also recorded the theme song for the ABC television series Hootenanny, "Hootenanny Saturday Night," in 1963.
The British Invasion and the ascendance of such folk musicians as Bob Dylan put an end to the Brothers Four's early period of success, but they kept performing and making records, doing particularly well in Japan and on the American hotel circuit.
The band attempted a comeback by recording a highly commercial version of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man." But the band was unable to release it because of licensing issues, and The Byrds eventually stole their thunder by releasing their heralded version.
Mike Kirkland left the group in 1969, and was replaced by Mark Pearson, another University of Washington alumnus. In 1971, Pearson left and was replaced by Bob Haworth, who stayed until 1989 and was replaced by a returning Pearson. Dick Foley left the group in 1990 and was replaced by Terry Lauber. Despite all the changes and having spent 47 years in the business, the group is still active today (2004).
Lady Greensleeves
The Brothers Four Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To cast me off discourteously
For I have courted you so long
Delighting in your company.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves my heart of gold
So, Greensleeves out there, well ado
May good fortune prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Oh, come once again and love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves...
The song “Lady Greensleeves” by The Brothers Four laments a love lost due to the discourtesy of the beloved. The singer expresses his longing for the lady Greensleeves whom he has courted for a long time and whose company he has cherished. The opening lines “Alas, my love, you do me wrong/ To cast me off discourteously” suggest that the beloved has rejected him abruptly and without any regard for his feelings. However, despite this rejection, he still holds her in high esteem and refers to her as “my lady greensleeves.”
The singer’s love for greensleeves is evident from the repetition of the phrase “Greensleeves” throughout the song. What does this color signify? Many believe that Greensleeves refers to a woman’s green dress. The singer identifies his love with “my heart of gold,” implying that his love for greensleeves is pure and true. He wishes her good fortune and declares himself still her lover, pleading with her to love him back.
Overall, the song “Lady Greensleeves” by The Brothers Four is an emotional lament to love lost due to the discourtesy of the beloved, and a plea for the return of a love once cherished.
Line by Line Meaning
Alas, my love, you do me wrong
I am saddened by your unkindness towards me
To cast me off discourteously
You have treated me without respect by rejecting me
For I have courted you so long
I have been pursuing your affection for quite some time
Delighting in your company.
I have enjoyed every moment we have spent together
Greensleeves was all my joy
I found happiness in the song 'Greensleeves'
Greensleeves was my delight
The melody of 'Greensleeves' brought me great pleasure
Greensleeves my heart of gold
The song 'Greensleeves' held a special place in my heart
And who but my lady greensleeves.
Only my beloved can be associated with the song 'Greensleeves'
So, Greensleeves out there, well ado
Farewell to the song 'Greensleeves'
May good fortune prosper thee
May luck be in your favor
For I am still thy lover true
I will always love you faithfully
Oh, come once again and love me.
Please reconsider and return my affection
Contributed by Harper J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@filmsknotproductions5516
Lady Greensleeves
--- Instrumental with humming ---
Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
For I have courted you so long
Delighting in your company.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves my heart of gold
And who but my lady Greensleeves.
So, Greensleeves out there, well ado
Made your fortune cross the sea
For I am still thy lover true
Oh, come once again and love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves my heart of gold
And who but my lady Greensleeves..
@miscantantesfavoritos1361
Greensleeves" es una canción y melodía tradicional del folklore inglés, básicamente sobre un motivo que sigue la forma denominada romanesca.
La leyenda, muy extendida, asegura que fue compuesta por el Rey Enrique VIII de Inglaterra (1491-1547) para su amante y futura reina consorte Ana Bolena. Ana,
que era la hija más joven de Tomás Bolena, primer conde de Wiltshire, rechazaba los intentos de Enrique de seducirla. A este rechazo aparentemente se alude en
la canción, cuando el autor escribe «cast me off discourteously» («me repudias descortésmente»). No se sabe si la leyenda es cierta, pero la canción todavía se
asocia comúnmente a dicha dama en la opinión pública.
Probablemente circuló en forma de manuscrito, como mucha música de uso social, mucho antes de que fuera impresa. Una canción con este nombre se registró en
la London Stationer's Company (Compañía de Impresores de Londres) en 1580, como A New Northern Dittye of the Lady Greene Sleeves. No se conoce ninguna
copia de esa impresión. En la obra conservada A Handful of Pleasant Delights (1584) aparece como «A New Courtly Sonnet of the Lady Green Sleeves. To the new
tune of Green sleeves». Es discutible si esto sugiere que había en circulación una vieja canción de «Greensleeves» o cuál de ellas es la melodía que nos es familiar.
@shin-i-chikozima
This song will quench and moisturize the dryness of the soul
@erikpeterson25
Listened to The Brothers Four as a child...my mom's records 💕❤ ❤
@user-td9et5xt6c
My favorite Song that I first heard from the person I loved..........❤❤❤.
@MikeTiu-cm3wo
What a beautiful song
@jameswitt2981
I was 8 when this was broadcast...
Those you see in audience are mostly gone, now..
Enjoy your youth..
Time goes way too fast.
@JamesSullivan-fq9bw
These guys sang to us at a charity Christmas party for underprivileged kids (Although I never felt underprivileged. In fact, I felt over privileged, because I never had it so good at that time.) in Columbus Ohio 1962. Loved them then and love them now.
@hs7dhrh3jd
Aww
@JamesSullivan-fq9bw
@@hs7dhrh3jd 😌
@hs7dhrh3jd
@@JamesSullivan-fq9bwi am 18 but find this better than most music today, especially here in Britain! Haha
@williamtell8253
It's a very beautiful tune. And the Brothers Four version is great.