She's like the swallow

Notes on selected settings

• Patrick O'Shea SATB
• Ralph Vaughan Williams Unison (vv. 1-2 & 6, with minor textual variants) All editions withdrawn

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Patrick O'Shea — She's like the swallow  English SATB

Works that currently have no editions available:

• Ralph Vaughan Williams — She's like the swallow

Text and translations

English text 1  She's like the swallow that flies so high She's like the river that never runs dry She's like the sunshine on the lee shore I love my love and love is no more. 2  ‘Twas out in the garden this fair maid did go A-picking the primrose just as she went. The more she plucked and the more she pulled Until she got her apron full. 3  She climbed on yonder hill above To give a rose unto her love. She gave him one, she gave him three, She gave her heart in company.

4  And as they sat on yonder hill, His heart grew hard, so harder still: He has two hearts instead of one. She says “Young man, what have you done?” 5  “How foolish you must be To think I love no one but thee. The world’s not made for one alone, I take delight in ev’ryone.” 6  She took her roses and made a bed A stony pillow for her head She lay her down, no more did say; Just let her roses fade away.