Loving Hannah

A traditional song that enters the written record through Jean Ritchie's family in Appalachia. After she traveled to Scotland in the 1950s, many Scottish folk singers learned it without attribution and assumed it was Scottish. I'd assumed it was Irish, having learned it from the singing of Mary Black. Just goes to show... I don't know what, but it must go to show something. In any case, I tweaked the lyrics just a tiny bit to appease my feminist soul.

Listen and Purchase

I went to church on Sunday, my love she passed me by
I knew her mind was changing by the roving of her eye

By the roving of her eye, by the roving of her eye
I knew her mind was changing by the roving of her eye

My love is fair and proper, her waist is neat and small
And she is kind and gentle, and that's the best of all

Oh, Hannah, loving Hannah, come give to me your hand
You said if you would marry that I would be the one

That I would be the one, that I would be the one
You said if you would marry that I would be the one

I will go down by the river when everyone's asleep
And think of loving Hannah, and then sit down and weep

And then sit down and weep, and then sit down and weep
And think of loving Hannah, and then sit down and weep

I went to church on Sunday, my love she passed me by
I knew her mind was changing by the roving of her eye