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Dark Eyed Molly

[ Roud - ; Archie Fisher]

Archie Fisher sang his own song Dark Eyed Molly in 1976 on his Folk-Legacy album The Man With a Rhyme. He noted:

The compatibility of unrequited love and strong drink has been the theme of many a traditional song. Speaking from experience, it doesn’t help in the long run, but think of the songs we’d miss without the experiment. The melody is that of a Basque lullaby and the words are my reconstruction from a line or two of Gaelic poetry.

Stan Rogers sang Dark Eyed Molly on his 1978 album Turnaround.

Fairport Convention sang Dark Eyed Molly on their 1988 album Red & Gold. They noted:

The words are an approximate translation of a traditional Gaelic song. The tune was lost several years ago. Archie [Fisher] learnt the tune as an instrumental in the 20’s from a guitarist called Johnny Saturday. Archie’s mother said it was very similar to the original she remembered and so the marriage was made.

Sheena Wellington sang Dark Eyed Molly in a concert at Nitten (Newtongrange) Folk Club, Scotland, that was published in 1995 on her Greentrax CD Strong Women. She noted:

Take a fragment of Gaelic poetry, the melody of a Basque lullaby and the alchemy of Archie Fisher and the result is this love song of pure gold. Somewhere between the learning and the recording of this I have changed a word or two from Archie’s original text […].

Jean Redpath sang Dark Eyed Molly in 2000 on her Greentrax CD Summer of My Dreams. She noted:

Archie Fisher reconstructed this text from a line or two of Gaelic poetry. The tune he used is that of a Basque lullaby.

Pilgrims’ Way sang Dark Eyed Molly in 2011 on their CD Wayside Courtesies. They commented in their liner notes:

Archie Fisher wrote this beautiful song. It has been recorded by some of the great singers over the years including Eva Cassidy. No pressure then! We’ve changed a few words here and there so the gender makes sense when Lucy [Wright]’s singing it. The tune [Snowy Monday] that follows is an iconic Northumbrian tune, composed by shepherd Willie Taylor, here played far slower than its usual session pace.

Lyrics

Archie Fisher sings Dark Eyed Molly

Deep and dark are my true love’s eyes,
Blacker still is the winter turning,
As the sadness of parting proves.
And brighter now is the lantern burning
That lightens my path to love.

No fiddle tune will take the air,
But I’ll see her swift feet a-dancing
And the swirl of her long brown hair,
Her smiling face and her dark eyes glancing
As we stepped out Blinkbonny Fair.

And if my waiting prove in vain,
Then I will pack and track ever take me.
And the long road will ease my pain.
No gem of womankind will make me
E’er whisper love’s words again.

For in drink I’ll seek good company,
My ears will ring with the tavern’s laughter,
And I’ll not hear her last sweet sighs.
Then who’s to know, in the morning after,
That I long for her dear dark eyes.

Pilgrims’ Way sing Dark Eyed Molly

Deep and dark are my true love’s eyes,
Blacker still is the winter’s turning,
As the sadness of parting proves.
And brighter now is the lantern burning
As it lightens my path to love.

No fiddle tune will take the air,
But I will see his swift feet a-dancing
And the curl of his dark brown hair,
His smiling face and his blue eyes are glancing
As we trip over boundaries rare.

And if my waiting should prove in vain,
Then I will pack and track ever take me.
The long road will ease my pain.
And no jewel of mankind would ever make me
To whisper love’s words again.

For in drink I’ll seek good company,
My ears will ring with the tavern’s laughter,
And I’ll hear not his last sweet sigh
And who’s to know, in the morning after,
How I long for his dear dark eyes,
How I long for his dear dark eyes,
How I long for his dear dark eyes.