The peaceful melody of Greensleeves.

Have you ever heard of Greensleeves?

Greensleeves is a popular English folk song written in the form of a romanesca, or passamezzo antico. Its melody is made up of a four chords scheme, with a repeating bass. This base allows the singer or player to impovise and make variations.

There are examples of registered songs with the names linked to Greensleeves since the 16th century. The commissioner of the song is tought to be Henry VIII, who wanted to offer it as a gift for Anne Boleyn.

However, this might not be completely true, since the song is based on an Italian style that didn’t come to England till after Henry VIII’s death. This makes the song probably part of the Elizabethan era music.

There are two different possibilities for who the “lady” referred in Greensleeves is. One option is that Lady Greensleeves was a prostitute, since the colour green was considered sexual at the time. The other option is that she was a woman wrongly considered promiscous, but she refused all the men, like the lyrics say: “you cast me off discourteously“.

This song even has alternative lyrics, mostly found in 19th century Christmas carols. Greensleves is also mentioned by Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor.

If you’re interested in the lyrics of this beautiful song, here they are:

Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
And I have loved you oh so long
Delighting in your company

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves

If you intend to be this way
It does the more enrapture me
And even so I still remain
A lover in captivity

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves

Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
God, I pray he will prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Search Greensleeves on YouTube and let it carry you away.