Traditional music is an umbrella term for all folk music that has made it d… Read Full Bio ↴Traditional music is an umbrella term for all folk music that has made it down the generations largely thanks to oral tradition. The obscure and random inception of such songs means that the original author(s) of the song is rarely documented. Rather, the song by time becomes part of a country's or ethnic group's canon of folk songs, usually sung by groups of people performing a custom particular to their culture (ex. pub songs, sea shanties, football anthems, lullabies, children's songs, working songs, dancing tunes etc..).

Countless musicians have performed and re-injected life into traditional songs with examples ranging from Thin Lizzy's (and later Metallica's) Whiskey in a Jar (traditional Irish song) to Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's latest collaboration Among The Gold.

"Traditional" should not be used for the artist name, if the real name of the performing artist or group is known. Rather it should be used for the writer/composer, if they are unknown. The MusicBrainz style guidelines can give you an orientation for better tagging: https://musicbrainz.org/doc/Style/Unknown_and_untitled/Special_purpose_artist

Early One Morning
Traditional Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One morning, one morning, one morning in May, I spied a young couple they were making their way. One was a maiden, so bright and so fair, and the other was a soldier and a brave volunteer.

Good morning, good morning, good morning said he, and where are you going my pretty lady? I'm a-going out a‑walkin' on the banks of the sea, just to see the waters gliding, hear the nightingales sing.

Now they had not been standing but a minute or two when out of his knapsack a fiddle he drew, and the tune that he played made the valleys all ring - oh hark, cried the maiden, hear the nightingales sing!

Oh maiden, fair maiden ‘tis time to give o'er. Oh no, kind soldier, please play one tune more. For I'd rather hear your fiddle, at the touch of one string, than to see the waters gliding, hear the nightingales sing.

Oh soldier, kind soldier will you marry me? Oh no, pretty maiden that never shall be. I've a wife down in London and children twice three, two wives and the army's too many for me.

Well, I'll go back to London and I'll stay there a year, it's often that I'll think of you my little dear, and if ever I return it will be in the spring, just to see the waters gliding, hear the nightingales sing.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the traditional song "Early One Morning" tell the story of a chance encounter between a young couple, a maiden, and a soldier. The song begins with the singer spotting the couple one morning in May, as they are walking together. The maiden is described as bright and fair, while the soldier is referred to as a brave volunteer.

The soldier greets the maiden, asking her where she is going. She replies that she is going for a walk on the banks of the sea to admire the waters and listen to the nightingales sing. At this point, the soldier takes out a fiddle from his knapsack and starts playing a tune that echoes through the valleys. The maiden is enraptured by the music and exclaims to listen to the nightingales sing.

Despite the enchantment of the moment, the soldier tells the maiden that it is time to stop. However, she implores him to play one more tune, claiming that she would rather hear his fiddle than see the waters and hear the nightingales. The maiden then asks the soldier if he will marry her, to which he responds that he cannot as he already has a wife in London and three children. He explains that even two wives and the demands of the army are too much for him.

In the end, the soldier declares that he will return to London, but promises to think of the maiden during his absence. He suggests that if he comes back, it will be in the spring, just to see the waters gliding once more and listen to the nightingales sing.

Overall, the song captures a moment of fleeting connection between two individuals, revealing their desires and the limitations they face. It highlights the power of music as a means of capturing emotions and creating a shared experience.

Line by Line Meaning

One morning, one morning, one morning in May,
On a particular morning in the month of May,

I spied a young couple they were making their way.
I noticed a young couple walking together.

One was a maiden, so bright and so fair,
One of them was a beautiful and radiant young woman,

and the other was a soldier and a brave volunteer.
while the other was a soldier who courageously volunteered.

Good morning, good morning, good morning said he,
The soldier greeted her with a cheerful good morning,

and where are you going my pretty lady?
asking her where she was heading, referring to her as a charming lady.

I'm a-going out a‑walkin' on the banks of the sea,
She replied that she was going for a walk along the seaside,

just to see the waters gliding, hear the nightingales sing.
to enjoy the calming sight of the water and the harmonious songs of the nightingales.

Now they had not been standing but a minute or two
They hadn't been standing together for more than a couple of minutes

when out of his knapsack a fiddle he drew,
when suddenly the soldier took out a fiddle from his backpack,

and the tune that he played made the valleys all ring -
and as he played a melody, it echoed through the valleys -

oh hark, cried the maiden, hear the nightingales sing!
the young maiden exclaimed, urging everyone to listen to the nightingales' song!

Oh maiden, fair maiden ‘tis time to give o'er.
The soldier gently told the maiden that it was time to stop.

Oh no, kind soldier, please play one tune more.
However, she pleaded with the soldier to continue playing one more tune.

For I'd rather hear your fiddle, at the touch of one string,
She expressed her preference to listen to the soldier's fiddle playing with only one string,

than to see the waters gliding, hear the nightingales sing.
rather than experiencing the serene sight of the flowing waters and the melodious nightingale songs.

Oh soldier, kind soldier will you marry me?
The maiden asked the soldier if he would consider marrying her.

Oh no, pretty maiden that never shall be.
However, the soldier regretfully declined her proposal.

I've a wife down in London and children twice three,
He explained that he already had a wife and six children waiting for him in London,

two wives and the army's too many for me.
and having two wives along with his military obligations would be too overwhelming.

Well, I'll go back to London and I'll stay there a year,
The soldier stated his intention to return to London and stay there for a year,

it's often that I'll think of you my little dear,
promising that he will frequently think of the young maiden, whom he affectionately referred to as 'my little dear',

and if ever I return it will be in the spring,
and if he ever comes back, it would be during the spring season,

just to see the waters gliding, hear the nightingales sing.
simply to experience the tranquil sight of flowing waters and the enchanting songs of nightingales.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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