Lyr Req: She Moved through the Fair

Subject: she moved through the fair
From:
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 01:52 PM

I'm looking into this song a bit. In particular I'm confused by a line I've heard in Mary Black's version... Third verse, second line... it seems to be saying

"When dew falls on meadow and larks fill the night
and the glow of the green sark falls on half throw, half light."

That makes no sense to me at all. Have I heard it wrong, perhaps it's "geese ark"? Or can some one enlighten me with words of wisdom?

Paul

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Barry Finn
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 02:46 PM

There's a thread (Feb 97) on She Moved Through The Fair but no mention of the verse you have nor is it in the version that's in the DT. I believe a sark (as in Cutty Sark) is a sort of scarf, hope some one can verifiy that, because I not altogether sure on it. Barry

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Mo
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 05:36 PM

Umm, I always thought a sark was a shirt, like a t-shirt or vest (or undershirt if you are stateside!). Tam O'Shanter's Cutty Sark was so called because she was wearing an eye-catchingly short one - apparently! I must admit though, I 've never heard this verse in She Moved through the Fair - could I have the words please as I don't particularly like the thrid verse which is traditionally sung which starts "The people were saying no two were e'er wed". Cheers, Mo

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From:
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 06:51 PM

Once again checking my handy-dandy-Dictionary-From-Hell, I find the following entry:

sark, n. Scottish shirt

If there is another, colloquial meaning it is unspecified.

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Barry Finn
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 06:52 PM

Thanks Mo, I get it right now, shirt. Barry

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 07:04 PM

Oh, a short SHIRT!!! And to think that for years, I had been fantasizing about a short skirt. Guess I'd better get stronger reading glasses for my "dictionary-from-hell."
Say, Elektra, what peculiar characteristics does this dictionary of yours have?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Pete M
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 09:02 PM

The OED says shirt or chemise (woman's body undergarment!) It's the latter that is refered to in the Burn's poem, so your fantasies were correct Joe. See the figurehead on the cipper Cutty Sark for an artists idea of what might have looked like.

Pete M

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 09:41 PM

Hey, Max, how do I post a wolf whistle here? On second thought, maybe I'd better keep quiet, lest the distaff members of this group pelt me with overripe produce.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Mo
Date: 21 Sep 98 - 11:09 PM

Nah Joe - whistle away, it's always good to be appreciated! We'll take it as read that you also appreciate us for our minds and excellent taste in music, which goes without saying, of course (of course!). Mo

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 22 Sep 98 - 03:46 AM

Keep your shirt on, guys! The word is "griosach" - its the dying embers of a fire. Paddy Tunney, a fine singer and poet from the North of Ireland, probably wrote that verse.

Regards

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Frank in the swamps
Date: 22 Sep 98 - 04:23 AM

I thought "Weel done Cutty Sark" was an expression of gratitude to the cheap liquor that brought about such a beatific vision.

Frank i.t.s.

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Alice
Date: 22 Sep 98 - 03:15 PM

Martin Ryan. Now you have enlightened us on the correct words... do you have the entire verse? alice

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Alice
Date: 22 Sep 98 - 08:43 PM

back to top... (the mystery verse, anyone?)

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 23 Sep 98 - 05:22 AM

ALice
Probably! I'll have a look. There are quite a few versions of the song about, of course. Did we have an earlier thread?

Regards

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: paul
Date: 24 Sep 98 - 08:56 AM

Wow, like loads of help on this. I'm sorry I didn't get back to it earlier.

The third verse goes...

"When dew falls on meadow, and larks fill the night
When the glow from the "griosach" falls on 'half throw, half light'
I'll slip from my casement and then I'll run away.
Then it will not be long, love, 'till our wedding day"

I find the whole of the song with these lyrics more powerfull. However, I'm still not convinced about the "Half throw half light" bit . But this "griosach" stuff makes good sense, giving the "she's gone and died" verse a bit more atmosphere.

Any more ideas / comments ?

Subject: RE: she moved through the fair
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 25 Sep 98 - 06:18 AM

Can't find Tunney's set of words - I thought it was in one of his biographical books. However, Paul, we can probably sort part of your problem!

I suspect the phrase is not "half throws"! The first word is almost certainly "hearth"! So "the glow from the griosach on hearth throws half-light" or something very similar.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She Moved through the Fair
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Jan 11 - 06:23 PM

Google Books shows that this verse and footnote appears in Irish University Review, Volume 5, (Shannon: Irish University Press, 1975), page 288:

'When dew falls on the meadow and moths fill the night,
When glow of the greesha* on hearth throws half light,
I'll slip from the casement and we'll run away
And it will not be long, love, to our wedding day.'

* griosach embers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: She Moved through the Fair
From: Taconicus
Date: 26 Jan 11 - 08:20 PM

The lyrics of many versions of the song, including the most famous reworking of traditional lyrics by the poet Padraic Colum (c. 1882-1972), seem to have been assembled from at least three different earlier traditional songs or versions known by various names including Our Wedding Day and Out the Window. I recommend this article, if you can find it. Apparently you can buy it for $24 at the link.

The Proper Words: A Discussion on Folk Song and Literary Poetry, Hugh Shields, Irish University Review. Vol. 5, No. 2 (Autumn, 1975), pp. 274-291