Annotation:Black Eyed Susan (2)

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X:1 T:Black Eye'd Susan [2] M:3/4 L:1/8 R:Air Q:"Slow" B:Oswald – Caledonian Pocket Companion, Book 11 (1760, p. 115) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Emin B2|(B2e2)f2|(g2f2)e2|(^d2e2)f2|B4 B2|(e2d2)c2|B4A2| G>A T(A3 G/A/)|B4 B2|(B2e2)f2|g4 d2|g>a Ta3 g/a/| b4 b2|(c'b)(ag)(fe)|d4 g2|{fg}a2 Tf4|g4a2|(b2a2)g2| (a2g2)f2|(g2f2)e2|(^d2e2)f2|B4 A2|(G2B2) ^c2| (d>^c)(d>e) d2|B2e2f2|g4b2|(a2g2)f2|(B2e2)^d2|e4:| |:d2|(B2b2)a2|g2 (fg) e2|b2 (ag)(fe)|B4 b>a|g4 b>a|(ge)(dB)(AB)| G>A T(A3G/A/)|B4 B2|(Be)(^df)(eg)|(fa)(gf)(e=d)|c'2b2 (a/b/c')| b4 a2|g2 (fe)(dc)|(B2d2)g2|(3ec'a g2Tf2|g4 a2|b3a (b/a/g)| a3g (a/g/f)|(g2f2)e2|(^d2e2)f2|B4A2|G3A B^c|d4^c2| B3e ^d>f|(e>g)(f>a)(g>b)|(a2g2)f2|(B2e2)^d2|e4:|]

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BLACK EYED SUSAN [2]. AKA and see "Sweet William's Farewell to Black-Ey'd Susan." English, Air (3/4 time). E Minor (Oswald): D Minor (Manson). Standard tuning (fiddle). One part (Alexander, Manson): AABB (Oswald). The words to the song [Roud 560] were written by poet and dramatist John Gay around 1720, while the music was supplied a decade later by bass singer and composer Richard Leveridge [1] (1670-1758).

Richard Leveridge

All in the Downs the Fleet was moor'd,
The streamers waving to the wind,
When black-ey'd Susan came on board;
Oh! where shall I my true love find?
Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
If my sweet William,
If my sweet William sails among your crew.

The song, with Leveridge's melody, proved very popular and was much anthologized in the 18th century. Several subsequent songs were written, attempting to capitalize on its success: "Sweet William’s Return to his Dear Susan," "Sweet Susan’s Constancy" and "The True Answer to Black-Ey’d Susan", for example.

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