The water is wide (Wytze Oostenbrug)
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- (Posted 2024-05-06) CPDL #80526:
- Editor: Wytze Oostenbrug (submitted 2024-05-06). Score information: A4, 4 pages, 213 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes: This is the last of 5 english folksongs.
General Information
Title: The water is wide
Composer: Wytze Oostenbrug
Lyricist: Scottish / English Folk Songcreate page
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Folksong
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 2024
Description: "The Water Is Wide" (also called "O Waly, Waly" or simply "Waly, Waly") is a folk song of Scottish origin.[citation needed] It remains popular in the 21st century. Cecil Sharp published the song in Folk Songs From Somerset (1906).
Themes and construction
The imagery of the lyrics describes the challenges of love: "Love is handsome, love is kind" during the novel honeymoon phase of any relationship. However, as time progresses, "love grows old, and waxes cold". Even true love, the lyrics say, can "fade away like morning dew".
The modern lyric for "The Water Is Wide" was consolidated and named by Cecil Sharp in 1906 from multiple older sources in southern England, following English lyrics with very different stories and styles but the same meter. Earlier sources were frequently published as broadsheets without music. Performers or publishers would insert, remove, and adapt verses from one piece to another: floating verses are also characteristic of hymns and blues verses. Lyrics from different sources could be used with different melodies of the same metre. Consequently, each verse in the modern song may not have been originally composed in the context of its surrounding verses nor be consistent in theme.
External websites:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Water_Is_Wide_(song)
- composers website: https://wytzeoostenbrugmuziek.com/folksongs/
- playing score video with audio: https://youtu.be/6unRXRYOpL8
Original text and translations
english text
5. The water is wide
Scottish / English Folk Song
The water is wide, I cannot cross o’er.
And neither have I the wings to fly.
Build me a boat that can carry two,
And both shall row, my true love and I.
A ship there is and she sails the seas.
She's laden deep, as deep can be;
But not so deep as the love I'm in,
And I know not if I sink or swim.
O love is handsome and love is fine,
Bright as a jewel when first it's new;
But love grows old and waxes cold,
And fades away like the morning dew.