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Ye ladies and ye gentlemen, I pray you lend an ear,
While I locate the residence of a lovely charmer fair;
The curling of her yellow locks first stole my heart away,
And her place of habitation is down in Logy Bay.
It was on a summer's evening this little place I found,
I met her aged father, who did me sore confound;
Saying, "If you address my daughter, I'll send her far away,
And she never will return again while you're in Logy Bay."
How could you be so cruel as to part me from my love?
Her tender heart beats in her breast as constant as a dove;
Oh, Venus was no fairer, nor the lovely month of May,
May heaven above shower down its love on the star of Logy Bay.
'Twas on the very next, he went down to St. John's town,
And engaged for her a passage in a vessel outward bound;
He robbed me of my heart's delight and sent her far away,
And he left me here downhearted for the star of Logy Bay.
Oh, now I'll go a-roaming, I can no longer stay,
I'll search the wide world over in every country;
I'll search in vain thro' France and Spain, likewise America,
Till I will sight my heart's delight, the star of Logy Bay.
Now to conclude and finish, the truth to you I'll tell,
Between Torbay and Outer Cove, 'tis where my love did dwell;
The finest girl e'er graced our Isle, so every one did say,
May heaven above send down its love on the star of Logy Bay.
See more songs by Mark Walker.
Variants were collected from William O'Driscoll [1893-1979] of Tors Cove, and May Whalen [1915-1997] of Cape Broyle, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
Also published in Gerald S. Doyle's Old-Time Songs And Poetry Of Newfoundland: Songs Of The People From The Days Of Our Forefathers (Second edition, p.25, 1940; Third edition, pp.59-60, 1955). Also published on pp.18 & 20 of Songs Of Newfoundland, a complimentary booklet of lyrics to twenty-one songs distributed by the Bennett Brewing Co. Ltd., of St. John's, NL, with the cooperation of the Gerald S. Doyle Song Book from which the words were obtained.
The variant in the YouTube video above features a recording by Ryan's Fancy (Looking Back, ©1972, Audat Records; Brand New Songs ©1977, RCA Records; Sea People ©1979, Boot Records;).
See more songs by Ryan's Fancy.
A variant was also recorded by "His Nibs" Harry Hibbs, which Marcel Alexander used as the basis to sequence MIDI file #4 above.
See more songs by Harry Hibbs.
The variant in the YouTube video below features a recording by Eddie Coffey (Souvenir of Newfoundland, 1996, Scarborough ON: Heritage Music HCD 4422.
See more songs by Eddie Coffey.
