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The Girl He Left Behind

from Beside the Waves of Time by Iona Leigh

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about

This song is based on the 18th century Scots ballad ‘The Girl I Left Behind’, the story of a man who leaves his girl in search of gold. In most traditional versions the gold ultimately destroys the man’s love for his girl, but in my version the girl ends up marrying another man because she is tired of waiting for her gambling man to return.

lyrics

There was a wealthy farmer lived in a country nearby
He had a lovely daughter on whom one cast an eye
She was so handsome pretty and indeed so very fair
There was no other girl with whom this young man could compare

He asked if she was willing for him to cross o’er the glen
She said no difference it would make if he returned again
To him she said she would stay true ‘till death should prove unkind
They kissed shook hands and parted then he left his girl behind

The girl he left behind
The girl he left behind
The girl he left behind
The girl he left behind

He travelled to the city through the rainy weather sleet and snow
Everyone so friendly picked him up when he was low
Work and money proved plentiful and girls they proved so kind
But the only object of his mind was the girl he left behind

As he was hanging round one day down at the public square
The mail coach had arrived and so he met the mail boy there
A letter clear addressed to him that helped him understand
That the girl he left in Morayshire had married another man

Come all you rambling gambling boys and listen to this yarn
For no good comes of gambling gold it may well bring ye harm
If ere you court a young fair maid just marry her while ye can
For if ere you cross o’er the glen she’ll marry another man!

credits

from Beside the Waves of Time, released April 6, 2009
Lyrics: I. Leigh/Trad, Melody: I. Leigh/PRS
(Lyrics from ‘The Girl I Left Behind’)

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Iona Leigh Forres, UK

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