> June Tabor > Songs > I Wonder What’s Keeping My True Love Tonight

I Wonder What’s Keeping My True Love Tonight /
Green Grass Grows Bonny / The Rue and the Thyme

[ Roud 858 ; G/D 1:52, 6:1139 ; Ballad Index K157 , Ord187 ; trad.]

Pete Ord: Bothy Songs and Ballads Paddy Tunney: The Stone Fiddle Alison McMorland, Elizabeth Stewart: Up Yon Wide and Lonely Glen (Roud 7005)

Sylvia Barnes sang I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love Tonight? in 1991 on her and Jim Barnes’ album Mungo Jumbo.

June Tabor sang I Wonder What’s Keeping My True Love Tonight in 1993 with Tomás Lynch on his CD The Crux of the Catalogue. This track was also included in 2000 on the Terra Nova anthology Mr Straw’s Hallway. She recorded this song in 1997 for her Topic CD Aleyn (the track was also included in 2001 on the Topic anthology A Woman’s Voice) where she noted:

There are both Scottish and Irish versions of this song (sometimes called Green Grass it Grows Bonny). I learned this one from the Dublin born singer Tomás Lynch.

Kate Rusby sang I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love This Night in 1999 on her album Sleepless and in 2000 at the Folk Festival Sidmouth.

Niamh Parsons sang Green Grass It Grows Bonny in 2000 on her Green Linnet album In My Prime. She noted:

Yet another classic song I learnt from Frank Harte. This is from the man’s perspective and is always a healing experience when myself and Graham [Dunne] perform it live—as it was here.

Emily Smith sang Green Grass Grows Bonny in 2002 on her first CD, A Day Like Today. She noted:

I learnt this song from a great Irish singer called Jerry O’Riley. Jerry was over in Glasgow earlier this year and I was lucky enough to meet him and learn this classic song of the Irish tradition.

Josienne Clarke sang I Wonder What’s Keeping My True Love Tonight in 2014 on her and Ben Walker’s CD Nothing Can Bring Back the Hour.

Said the Maiden sang I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love This Night on their 2014 album A Curious Tale. They tersely noted:

We know, we know… but the sad ones are so pretty!

Cara Dillon sang I Wonder What’s Keeping My True Love Tonight in 2024 on Ben Nicholl’s Hudson album Duets.

Rue and Thyme

Elaine Petrie sang the related song The Rue and the Thyme on the 1995 Greentrax album of songs from the Greig-Duncan Collection as performed at the Edinburgh International Festival, Folk Songs of North-East Scotland. Peter Hall noted:

Greig printed this version in one of his Buchan Observer articles, where he used such examples to stimulate the memory of the readers to elicit further material: in this case with great success. He thought that the verses had been part of the longer ballad, The Brown Girl (Child 295), and there are indeed a number of occasions when lyrical fragments have broken off narrative songs to take on a separate life. The song is listed in Elaine’s volume 6 [of The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection, edited by Patrick Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B. Lyle and Elaine Petrie] among those with “women betrayed and defiant”, a category Greig thought of as an authentic mark of an old song. The version we have (G/D 6:1139 F) is from a Strichen singer who preferred to remain anonymous and is listed as ‘E.G.’.

Maureen Jelks sang Rue and Thyme in 2000 on her Tradition Bearers album Eence Upon a Time. She noted:

This song, one of unrequited love, I first heard at a women’s concert at the Auchtermuchty festival, it was sung by Carol Prior. I was so moved by the song I felt I had to learn it. I think the song was first heard sung by Ellen Mitchell. I’m not sure where it is from but some of the verses are to be found in many other songs of the same theme.

Ellen Mitchell of Glasgow sang Rue and Thyme in 2002 on her Tradition Bearers album On Yonder Lea. She also sang The Rue and the Thyme in May 2008 at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife. This recording was released a year later on the CD Grand to Be a Working Man (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Vol. 5). She noted on her album:

This is a kind of composite song which seems to include several ‘floating’ type verses found in many other songs. I learned it from Mary Stewart, who was well known as a singer before she moved to France. Much later on I found she had learned it from Alison McMorland.

Grace Notes sang Rue in 2007 on their Fellside CD Northern Tide. Lynda Hardcastle noted:

We first heard Doreen Leighter singing this beautiful, traditional song at the Court Sessions Folk Club in London. Later that year I heard the wonderful Scots singer Maureen Jelks sing it at the Whitby Folk Festival. We swapped CDs and Maureen sent me an English translation of the words. It’s yet another song about a wronged woman but the line “and when his back is to me I can love who I please” shows she’s no lightweight. Thanks to Doreen and Maureen for a great song.

This video shows Grace Notes with Lucy Wright at the Rugby Club in Whitby in 2010:

Lyrics

Sylvia Barnes sings I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love Tonight?

I wonder what is keeping my true love tonight?
I wonder what is keeping him out of my sight?
It’s little he knows of the pain that I endure
Or he would not stray from me this night I am sure.

For it’s love, I’m not coming my cause to advance,
And love, I’m not waiting for a far better chance.
I have a sweetheart laid by me in store
And I’m coming to tell you that I love you no more.

For it’s I can love lightly and I can love long,
I can love an old love till a new one comes on.
I only said I loved you to put your mind at ease
And when I’m far from you I can love who I please.

Well I have gold in my pockets and love in my heart,
I can’t love a young man who has two sweethearts.
Your love it lies as light as the dew on the thorn
That comes in the evening, goes away in the morn.

Green grass it grows bonnie, spring water runs clear,
I’m weary and lonesome for the love of my dear.
My first and false true love it’s lately I knew;
The fonder I loved you, the falser you grew.

So come all you young maidens take a warning by me,
Never build your nest at the top of a tree.
For the leaves they all will wither and the branches decay
And your false hearted young man he will soon fade away.

June Tabor sings I Wonder What’s Keeping My True Love Tonight

I wonder what’s keeping my true love tonight,
I wonder what is keeping you out of my sight.
I wonder if you know of the pain I endure
And yet you stay from me this night I’m not sure.

Oh love, are you coming your own cause to advance?
Or yet are you waiting a far far better chance?
Are you coming to tell me you’ve a new love in store?
Are you coming to tell me you love me no more?

Oh no, I’m not coming my own cause to advance
For yet I’m a-waiting a far far better chance.
I’m coming to tell you I’ve a new love in store,
I’m coming to tell you I love you no more.

For I can love lightly and I can love strong
And I can love the old love till the new love comes on.
I only said I loved you for to give your heart ease
And when I’m not with you I’ll love whom I please.

I’ve gold in my pocket and pain in my heart
For I can’t love a love with one too many sweethearts.
You’re my first and only false love but it’s lately I knew
The fonder I loved you the falser you’d prove.

Spring grass grows the sweetest, spring water runs clear,
I’m sorry and tormented for the love of my false dear.
Your love it lies as lightly as the dew on the thorn
That descends in the evening, goes away with the dawn.

(repeat first verse)

Kate Rusby sings I Wonder What Is Keeping My True Love This Night

I wonder what is keeping my true love this night,
I wonder what is keeping him out of my sight.
I wonder if he knows of the pain I endure
And stays from me this night I’m not sure.

Oh love, are you coming your cause to advance?
Or yet are you waiting for a far far better chance?
Are you coming for to tell me you’ve a new love in store
Or are you coming for to tell me you love me no more?

For I can love lightly and I can love strong,
I can love the old love till the new love comes on.
I only said I loved you for to give your heart ease
For when I’m not with you I’ll love whom I please.

Oh, there’s gold in my pocket and pain in my heart
For I can’t love a man with too many sweethearts.
You’re my first and only false love but it’s lately I knew
The stronger I loved you the falser you grew.

Oh, the spring grass grows the greenest and spring water runs clear,
I’m sorry and tormented for the love of my dear.
Your love it lies so lightly as the dew on the thorn
That’s there in the evening and away with the dawn,
That’s there in the evening and away with the dawn.

Niamh Parsons sings Green Grass It Grows Bonny

I wonder what is keeping my true love tonight,
I wonder what is keeping her out of my sight.
For little she knows the pain I endure
For she would not stay from me this night I am sure.

O love are you coming my cause to advance?
Or love are you waiting for a far better chance?
Or have you a sweetheart laid by you in store
And are you coming for to tell me you love me no more?

O love I’m not coming your cause to advance
Nor love am I waiting for a far better chance.
But 1have a sweetheart laid by me in store
And I’m coming for to tell you I love you no more.

For I can love lightly and I can love long,
And I can love the old love till the new love comes along.
1 just said I loved you to set your mind at ease,
But when I am from you I’ll love whom I please.

I have gold in my pocket and love in my heart,
But I can’t love a maiden who has got two sweethearts.
Your love lies just lightly like the dew upon the thorn
That comes down in the evening, goes away in the morn.

Green grass it grows bonny, spring water runs clear,
I’m weary and lonesome when I think of my dear.
You were my first and fond true love but it’s lately I knew
That the fonder I loved you, the falser you grew.

So come all of you young men take a warning by me
And never build your nest on the top of a high tree.
For the leaves they will wither and the branches decay
And like a false-hearted young maid they will soon fade away.

Emily Smith sings Green Grass Grows Bonny

I wonder what is keeping my true love this night
Oh I wonder what is keeping him out of my sight
Tis little he knows of the pain I endure
Or he would not stay from me this night I am sure

Oh love are you coming my pain to advance?
Or love are you waiting for a far better chance?
Or have you a sweetheart laid by you in store?
Or are you comin’ for to tell me you love me no more?

Oh love I’m not comin’ your pain to advance
Nor love am I waiting for a far better chance
But I have a sweetheart laid by me in store
And I’m comin’ for to tell you I love you no more

For I’ve gold in my pocket and pain in my heart
But I can’t love a young man who has two sweethearts
You loved me just lightly like the dew on the thorn
Comes down in the evenin’, goes away in the morn

For I can love lightly and I can love strong
And I can love the old love ’til the new love comes along
I just said that I loved you for to put your mind at ease
But when far away from you, I’ll love whom I please

For green grass grows bonny, spring water runs clear
I weary, how I weary when I think on my dear
You were my first and only false love and it’s now I do rue,
For the stronger I loved you the falser you grew

So come all of you fair maids take this warnin’ from me
And never build your nest at the top of a high tree
For the leaves they will wither and the branches decay
And like a false hearted young man, will soon fade away

Elaine Petrie sings The Rue and the Thyme

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, my fortune its been bad,
Since I fell in love wi a young sailor lad,
He courted me by nicht and he courted me by day,
And now he’s gone and left me and he’s gone far away.

My love wrote me a letter he was lyin very bad,
I wrote him another that I did not him regard,
He wrote me another wi the reid rose sae fine,
And I wrote him another wi the rue and the thyme.

Keep ye your red rose and I ’ll keep my thyme,
Drink ye taeyour love and I’ll drink tae mine,
I’ll eat when I’m hungry I’ll drink when I’m dry,
I’ll rest when I’m weary, sae contented am I.

O are you awaiting for some better chance,
Or are you awaiting your fortune to advance?
Or have you it in mind, or the thing held up in store,
Or don’t you intend to mind me any more?

Mo I’m not awaiting for some better chance,
Nor am I awaiting my fortune to advance,
Nor have I it in mind nor the thing held up in store,
It’s just no in my hairt I could love you any more.

For I loved you, I loved you, but now I disdain,
It’s not in the world I could love you again,
The more that I loved you the saucier you grew,
So you keep the thyme, love, and I’ll keep the rue.

Maureen Jelks sings Rue and Thyme

There’s a rose in yon gairden that’s newly sprung in bloom
Wi’ spreadin’ and growin’ it blooms a’ aroond
I reached richt intae it, the reid rose tae find
But a thorn pricked my finger and I left it behind

Chorus:
O rue! O rue! The rue is in prime
And it’s ye’ll pu’ the reid rose and I’ll pu’ the thyme

For I aince loved him dearly but noo him disdain
For the langer I loved him the falser he became
For the langer I loved him the saucier he grew
And it’s noo I must tell him that it’s time for tae rue

And it’s ye’ll pu’ the reid rose, I’ll pu’ the rue and thyme
For since ye’ve been unfaithfu’, sae will I be unkind
And it’s ye’ll drink tae yer auld love and I’ll drink tae mine
So here’s a health tae the laddie that’s maist on my mind

For I can love little and I can love long
And I can love an auld love till a new yin comes along
I only said I loved him his mind for tae ease
And it’s when his back is tae me, I can love who I please

Ellen Mitchell sings The Rue and the Thyme

There’s a rose in yon garden is now in full bloom,
Has been spreading and growing, it will soon be a tree;
I reached right in tae it the rose to find,
But a thorn pricked my finger and I left it behind.

First chorus:
Oh rue, oh rue, oh rue is in prime,
Oh ye’ll pull the red rose, I will pull the rue an’ thyme.

Oh I loved him oh sae dearly but noo him disdain
For the mair that I loved him the prouder he became,
Aye, the mair that I loved him the saucier he grew
Ah, but now I must tell him that it’s time for tae rue.

Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Oh rue, oh rue, oh rue is in prime,
Oh ye’ll pull the red rose and I’ll pull the thyme.

Oh, ye’ll pu’ the reid rose, I will pu’ the rue and thyme
Since ye’ve been unfaithfu’, then I’ll be unkind.
And drink ye tae yer new love and I’ll drink tae mine
And here’s a health tae the laddie that is maist on my mind.

For I can love a little or I can love long
I can love a new love when my love is gone.
I only said I loved him his mind for tae ease
Ah, but noo his back is tae me, I can love who I please.