Seventeen Come Sunday
Encyclopedia
"Seventeen Come Sunday" is an English
folk song which was used in the first movement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' English Folk Song Suite
and a choral version by Percy Grainger
(1912). The words were first published between 1838 and 1845 .
I overtook a pretty fair maid just as the day was a-dawning.
Chorus:
With a rue-rum-ray, fol-the-diddle-day,
Whack-fol-lare-diddle-I-doh.
Her eyes were bright and her stockings white, and her buckling shone like silver,
She had a dark and a rolling eye, and her hair hung over her shoulder.
Where are you going, my pretty fair maid? Where are you going, my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully, I've an errand for my mummy.
How old are you, my pretty fair maid? How old are you, my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully, I'm seventeen come Sunday.
Will you take a man, my pretty fair maid? Will you take a man, my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully, I darst not for my mummy.
But if you come round to my mummy's house, when the moon shines bright and clearly,
I will come down and let you in, and my mummy shall not hear me.
So I went down to her mummy's house, when the moon shone bright and clearly,
She did come down and let me in, and I lay in her arms till morning.
So, now I have my soldier-man, and his ways they are quite winning.
The drum and fife are my delight, and a pint of rum in the morning.
gives 30 versions of "The Overgate" (Roud 866) and 242 versions of "As I Roved Out" (Roud 277). Both of these songs are so similar to "Seventeen Come Sunday" that for most purposes they can be considered the same song.
Versions of the song have been recorded by Steeleye Span
(Storm Force Ten
, 1977 ), The Bothy Band
(Live in Concert, 1995), John Kirkpatrick (Force of Habit, 1996), Fairport Convention
(The Cropredy Box, 1998), Waterson:Carthy
(A Dark Light, 2002), Dalla
(Rooz
, 2007).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
folk song which was used in the first movement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' English Folk Song Suite
English Folk Song Suite
Written in 1923, the English Folk Song Suite is one of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams's most famous works for military band. Although it is commonly known by the title given above, it was actually published as "Folk Song Suite" - the title which is used on the score and parts...
and a choral version by Percy Grainger
Percy Grainger
George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...
(1912). The words were first published between 1838 and 1845 .
Lyrics
As I walked out on a May morning, on a May morning so early,I overtook a pretty fair maid just as the day was a-dawning.
Chorus:
With a rue-rum-ray, fol-the-diddle-day,
Whack-fol-lare-diddle-I-doh.
Her eyes were bright and her stockings white, and her buckling shone like silver,
She had a dark and a rolling eye, and her hair hung over her shoulder.
Where are you going, my pretty fair maid? Where are you going, my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully, I've an errand for my mummy.
How old are you, my pretty fair maid? How old are you, my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully, I'm seventeen come Sunday.
Will you take a man, my pretty fair maid? Will you take a man, my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully, I darst not for my mummy.
But if you come round to my mummy's house, when the moon shines bright and clearly,
I will come down and let you in, and my mummy shall not hear me.
So I went down to her mummy's house, when the moon shone bright and clearly,
She did come down and let me in, and I lay in her arms till morning.
So, now I have my soldier-man, and his ways they are quite winning.
The drum and fife are my delight, and a pint of rum in the morning.
Other uses
The Roud Folk Song IndexRoud Folk Song Index
The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of 300,000 references to over 21,600 songs that have been collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world...
gives 30 versions of "The Overgate" (Roud 866) and 242 versions of "As I Roved Out" (Roud 277). Both of these songs are so similar to "Seventeen Come Sunday" that for most purposes they can be considered the same song.
Versions of the song have been recorded by Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
(Storm Force Ten
Storm Force Ten
Storm Force Ten is an album by the electric folk band Steeleye Span, the band's 10th effort, released in 1977.The album was the band's last production to reach the charts, topping out at 191 on Billboard's Pop charts. After Rocket Cottage, Bob Johnson and Peter Knight left the band. As there was...
, 1977 ), The Bothy Band
The Bothy Band
The Bothy Band was an Irish traditional band active during the late 1970s. It quickly gained a reputation as one of the most influential bands playing Irish traditional music...
(Live in Concert, 1995), John Kirkpatrick (Force of Habit, 1996), Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
(The Cropredy Box, 1998), Waterson:Carthy
Waterson:Carthy
Waterson:Carthy are an English folk group originally comprising Norma Waterson on vocals, her husband Martin Carthy on guitar and vocals and their daughter Eliza Carthy on fiddle and vocals....
(A Dark Light, 2002), Dalla
Dalla
Dalla is a dance band in Cornwall known for providing music for Noze looan dances.Members play the clarinet, bouzouki, fiddle, guitar, accordion and percussion. They sing in both Cornish and English....
(Rooz
Rooz (Cornish music collection)
Rooz is third album by Cornish folk band Dalla. It was released in 2007, also as a download.Some of the songs in the album are in the Cornish language.-Musician line-up:*Hilary Coleman: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Voice, Whistle, Rock Smashing....
, 2007).