This edition was prepared by Wytze Oostenbrug — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Down by the Sally Gardens
Staff Notation • Secular, Folk songs
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Down by the Sally Gardens by Wytze Oostenbrug — Lyrics
1. Down by the Sally Gardens
Irish Traditional — Lyrics: William Butler Yeats (1889)
Down by the Sally Gardens, my love and I did meet.
She passed the Sally Gardens with little snowwhite feet.
She bid me take life easy, as the leaves grow on the tree.
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About Down by the Sally Gardens
This arrangement of the much-loved Irish folk song, Down by the Sally Gardens, sets the melancholic words of William Butler Yeats. The traditional text, which dates from 1889, recounts a youthful love affair that ended in regret, with the singer lamenting his foolishness in not heeding his lover's advice to take life easy. Wytze Oostenbrug's setting for SATB choir captures the poignant mood of the lyrics, offering a tender and reflective interpretation of this familiar melody. The English text lends itself perfectly to the expressive qualities of the choir, making this a moving addition to any secular concert programme.
