Songs and Lyrics

Version 1

%abc-2.1

X:1
T:The Cuckoo
C:Trad
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=100
K:E
C3/4 B,/4 | C c B3/4 G/4 | F3/4 D/4 B, (C3/4D/4) | E G F3/4 E/4 | C2 (C3/4 B,/4) | 
w:Oh the cu-ckoo she's a pret-ty bird she - sing-eth as she flies. She
C c (B3/4G/4) | (F3/4D/4) B, (C3/4D/4) | E G (F3/4E/4) | C2 (C3/4D/4) | 
w:bring-eth good - ti - dings she - tell-eth no - lies. She
E3/2 F/2 (G/2E/2) | (F/2E/2) F F3/4 G/4 | (A3/4B/4) c (G3/4E/4) | G2 (3(G/2A/2) B/2 | 
w:suck-eth white - flow - ers for to keep - her voice - clear And -  the
c (c3/4d/4) c3/4 B/4 | (G3/4F/4) (E3/4F/4) G | F3/2 C/2 E3/4 D/4 | C2 z | 
w:more she ~ sing-eth cuc ~ koo ~ the sum-mer draw-eth near
W:
W:1
W:Oh the cuckoo is a pretty bird she singeth as she fies.
W:She bringeth good tidings and telleth n o lies.
W:She sucketh white flowers for to keep her voice clear,
W:And the more she singeth cuckoo, the summer draweth near.
W:
W:2
W:As I was a walking and talking one day
W:I met my own true love as he came that way.
W:O to meet him was a pleasure though the courting was a woe,
W:For I found him false hearted he would kiss me and go.
W:
W:3
W:I wish I were a scholar and could handle a pen.
W:I would write to my lover and to all roving men.
W:I would tell them of their grief and woe that attended on their lies,
W:I wish them have pity on the flower, when it dies.

Version 2

Version 3

Song Note

Song by Traditional
Country of origin: England

Folk song references:

Roud-413

Song to be found in the following collection(s):

One Hundred English Folk Songs

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Song Note

Folk song references:

Song to be found in the following collection(s):