YOUNG MAY MOON [1], THE. AKA and see "Dandy O (2) (The)," "Gallant Tipperary," "Gallant Tippeary Boys (The)," "New May Moon," "Old Figary O'." English, Jig and Morris Dance Tune; Scottish, Jig. England, North West, Dorset. Scotland, Low Lands. D Major (Barber, Raven, Trim, Wade): C Major (Carlin, Kerr, Robbins, Williamson). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Raven): AAB (Williamson): ABB (Wade): AABB (Barber, Kerr, Robbins, Trim): AA'BB (Carlin). According to Robin Williamson, the tune was popular in the 19th century as a jig for country dances in South Scotland. The tune is in use as accompaniment for a single step dance in the North West (England) morris dance tradition, and (as "New May Moon") appears in a Yorkshire MS collection of the mid-19th century as well as the Hardy family mss. (Dorset) and Welch ms. It appears in a number of English and Scottish musicians' music manuscripts and printed collections of the early 19th century, including Davie's Caledonian Repository for Violin (1816), Glazier, Masters & Co. A Complete Preceptor for the Clarionet (c. 1828), and Z.T. Purday's Royal Keyed Bugle Tutor (c. 1830). However, the earliest appearance of the melody was printed as “Irish Air from Robin Hood” in Thompson’s Hibernian Muse of 1786 (No. 38).
The tune was employed as the regimental march-past of the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of the British army until 1881 (after which “Wha Wadnae Fecht for Charlie” was adopted (Murray, Music of the Scottish Regiments, 1994, p. 207).
The title "Young May Moon" comes from a song set to the tune by Thomas Moore (1779–1852) and published in his Irish Melodies; specified to be played to the air of "Dandy O (2) (The)."
To download the easy alphanotes sheet music, look here. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
The young May moon is beaming, love.
The glow-worm's lamp is gleaming, love.
How sweet to rove,
Through Morna's grove,
When the drowsy world is dreaming, love!
Then awake! -- the heavens look bright, my dear,
'Tis never too late for delight, my dear,
And the best of all ways
To lengthen our days
Is to steal a few hours from the night, my dear!
Now all the world is sleeping, love,
But the Sage, his star-watch keeping, love,
And I, whose star,
More glorious far,
Is the eye from that casement peeping, love.
Then awake! -- till rise of sun, my dear,
The Sage's glass we'll shun, my dear,
Or, in watching the flight
Of bodies of light,
He might happen to take thee for one, my dear.
The glow-worm's lamp is gleaming, love.
How sweet to rove,
Through Morna's grove,
When the drowsy world is dreaming, love!
Then awake! -- the heavens look bright, my dear,
'Tis never too late for delight, my dear,
And the best of all ways
To lengthen our days
Is to steal a few hours from the night, my dear!
Now all the world is sleeping, love,
But the Sage, his star-watch keeping, love,
And I, whose star,
More glorious far,
Is the eye from that casement peeping, love.
Then awake! -- till rise of sun, my dear,
The Sage's glass we'll shun, my dear,
Or, in watching the flight
Of bodies of light,
He might happen to take thee for one, my dear.
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