Dark Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair
Dark is the color of my true love’s hair,
His cheeks are like some rosy fair,
The sweetest face and the neatest hands;
I love the ground whereon he stands.
I love my love and well he knows
I love the ground whereon he goes.
If you no more on earth I see,
I wouldn’t treat you like you did me.
The winter’s passed , the leaves are green;
The time is passed that we have been;
But, still I hope the time will come
When you and I will be as one.
I go to cry, to mourn and weep,
But satisfied I cannot sleep.
You turned me away and broke my heart,
Oh, how can I from you depart?
So fare you well, my dear sweetheart,
You’ve slighted me but I wish you well.
If you no more on earth I see
I wouldn’t serve you like you served me.
November 1967
Maw Maw had another version of this piece which had the same verses, but added more to it from another folk song, sometimes called “The Slighted Sweetheart”. It also had a tune in a major key, whereas, this one was in a wailing minor. She said her girlfriends and she used to all sing it together as if they were crying.
Dellie Norton also knew this song as “Dark Is The Color” as well as “Black Is the Color” and she sang the second line: “His home is on some island fair.” Cas Wallin also knew it with slightly worded differences and a verse or two that MawMaw’s version didn’t have. Dellie said it used to be called “Fair Pink”.
Dark is the color of my true love’s hair,
His cheeks are like some rosy fair,
The sweetest face and the neatest hands;
I love the ground whereon he stands.
I love my love and well he knows
I love the ground whereon he goes.
If you no more on earth I see,
I wouldn’t treat you like you did me.
The winter’s passed , the leaves are green;
The time is passed that we have been;
But, still I hope the time will come
When you and I will be as one.
I go to cry, to mourn and weep,
But satisfied I cannot sleep.
You turned me away and broke my heart,
Oh, how can I from you depart?
So fare you well, my dear sweetheart,
You’ve slighted me but I wish you well.
If you no more on earth I see
I wouldn’t serve you like you served me.
November 1967
Maw Maw had another version of this piece which had the same verses, but added more to it from another folk song, sometimes called “The Slighted Sweetheart”. It also had a tune in a major key, whereas, this one was in a wailing minor. She said her girlfriends and she used to all sing it together as if they were crying.
Dellie Norton also knew this song as “Dark Is The Color” as well as “Black Is the Color” and she sang the second line: “His home is on some island fair.” Cas Wallin also knew it with slightly worded differences and a verse or two that MawMaw’s version didn’t have. Dellie said it used to be called “Fair Pink”.