Gaily Sounds the Castanet

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Popular music--United States

Courtship--Songs and music

Castanets--Songs and music

Balls (Parties)--Songs and music

Schoeller, Henry

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

The Castanet

Gaily sound the Castanet,
Beating time to bounding feet.
When, after daylight’s golden set,
Maids and youths by moonlight meet.

Oh! then, how sweet to move,
Through all that maze of mirth,
Lighted by those eyes we love,
Beyond all eyes on earth.

Then the joyeous banquet spread,
On the cool and fragrant ground.
With night’s bright eye--beams over head,
And still brighter sparkling round.

Oh! then, how sweet to say,
Into the loved one’s ear,
Thoughts reserved through many a day,
To be thus whispered there.

When the dance and feast are done,
Arm and arm as home we stray,
How sweet to see the dawning sun,
Over her cheek’s warm blushes play.

Then, then the farewell kiss,
And words whose parting tone
Lingers still in dreams of bliss,
That haunt young hearts alone.

1881

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