Annotation:Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms

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BELIEVE ME IF ALL (THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS). AKA and see "Irish Mad Song," "My Lodging Is on the Cold, Cold Ground." Irish, English; Air (6/8 or 3/4 time). A Major (Roche): G Major (Hall & Stafford, Johnson). Standard tuning. AB (Johnson): ABC (Roche): AABB (Hall & Stafford). Thomas Moore's (1779-1852) sentimental favorite written for his young wife to reassure her of his devotion in the face of a ravaging illness (perhaps smallpox) which threatened her beauty. It appears arranged as a duet by editor W.J. Stafford in the Charlton Memorial Tune Book (1956). Moore's song is predated by the version known as "My Lodging's on the Cold Cold Ground," printed on broadsides and song-sheets in the mid-18th century. An Irish version is Petrie's "Oh Shrive Me Father," while an American shape-note hymn, "Chariot of Mercy" (Hesperian Harp, Philadelphia, 1848), employs the air. See also the Scottish jig-time derivative "Greenholm" and "Gigue for Genny." W.H. Hay's 1869 American composition, "I'll Remember You Love in My Prayers," has some similar melodic material.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Hall & Stafford (Charleton Memorial Tune Book), 1974; p. 51. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician's Occasional: Waltz, Air and Misc.), No. 1, 1991; p. 12. Roche (Collection of Irish Traditional Music, vol. 3, 1927; p. 11, #39.

Recorded sources: Sampler 8910, Mitzi Collins & Roxanne Ziegler - "St. Patrick's Day in the Morning." Topic TSCD607, Billy Cooper, Walter & Daisy Bulwer - "English Country Music" (2000. Originally recorded 1962).