The Maid on the Shore

Program Notes:

The young maiden of our story may have magical qualities – she beguiles a whole ship full of men to regain her freedom and wander again alone on the shore.

Conductor Notes:

A fabulous, energetic arrangement with percussion.

Text:

‘Twas of a young maiden who lived all alone.
She lived all alone on the shore-o.
There was nothing she could find for to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore, shore, shore,
But to roam all alone on the shore.

‘Twas of a young captain who sailed the sea,
Let the winds blow high or blow low.
“l will die, I will die!” this young captain did cry,
“If I can’t have that maid from the shore, shore, shore,
If I can’t have that maid from the shore.”

“I have lots of silver, I have lots of gold,
I have lots of costly fine fare-o.
I’ll divide, I’ll divide with my jolly ship’s crew.
If they’ll row me that maid from the shore, shore, shore,
If they’ll row me that maid from the shore.”

By subtle persuasion he got her on board.
Let the winds blow high or blow low,
And he placed her away in his cabin below.
“Here’s adieu to all sorrows and care, care, care,
Here’s adieu to all sorrows and care.”

She sat herself down in his cabin below.
Let the winds blow high or blow low,
Where she sang so sweet, so soft and complete,
She sang sailors and captain asleep, sleep, sleep,
She sang sailors and captain asleep.

Then she robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold,
She robbed him of costly fine fare-o.
And she stole his broadsword instead of an oar,
And paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore,
And paddled her way to the shore.

“My men must be crazy, my men must be mad.
My men must be deep in despair-o.
For to let you away with your beauty so gay
and to paddle your way to the shore, shore, shore,
and to paddle your way to the shore.”

“Your men was not crazy, your men was not mad.
Your men was not deep in despair-o.
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself,
I’m a maiden again on the shore, shore, shore,
I’m a maiden again on the shore.”