Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Little Mathy Grove / Mattie Groves / Lord Daniel / Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard (Child No. 81) - Sung by Dennis "Din" Dobbin of Gaskiers-Point La Haye, Newfoundland, Canada. Recorded by MacEdward Leach in 1951.
Note by Kevin W.:
This stately tune is also used for the Appalachian song "Shady Grove" (Roud No. 4456) and for the ballad "Fair Margaret and Sweet William" (Child No. 74), also in Appalachia. British folk-rock band Fairport Convention famously recorded an arrangement of "Matty Groves" using this tune with a different set of words. I regret not having access to more recordings of Child 81 from Canada, the texts and tunes I've seen are attractive and distinct from the better known Appalachian versions. I believe there's a strong Scottish influence in Newfoundland, the song was brought over from Scotland.
Song transcription:
Being on the first of January
The very first day in the year
Young Matty Groves to the playroom goes
Some funny things to hear oh
Some funny things to hear
The first came in was dressed in satin
The next was dressed in silk
And the next came in was Lord Donald's wife
And her skin as white as milk oh
And her skin as white as milk
She gazed all around the ballroom
For to see what she could see
Saying Matty Groves this very night
In bed must lie with me oh
In bed must lie with me
I would not sir l dare not
Or l cannot for my life
By the ring 'ats on your finger
You are Lord Donald's wife oh
You are Lord Donald's wife
If l am Lord Donald's wife
I'm nothing the worst of him said she
Lord Donald on a visit is gone
King Henry for to see oh
King Henry for to see
The little foot-page was standing by
These words he heard them say
The little foot-page was standing by
When he took to the heels to run
And when he came to the river side
He hove on his breast and swam oh
He hove on his breast and swam
And when he came to Lord Donald's palace
He jingled hard at the ring
And no one there but Lord Donald himself
For to let the little foot-page in oh
To let the little foot-page in
What news what news have you for me
Sad news sad news said he
Are they any of my stores burnt
Are they any of my towers knocked down
Are they any of my servants in bed this night
With a daughter or a son
With a daughter or a son
There's none o' your stores burnt
None o' your towers knocked down said he
But this very night the young Matty Groves
Is in bed wit' your fair lady oh
In bed wit' your fair lady
If that's a lie you've told to me
The gallows I'll 'range for you
If that's a lie Lord Donald he said
No gallows you'll 'range for me
I'm satisfied all to be hung
Out of the apple tree oh
Out on the apple tree
Oh he called all his merry men and he counted them one by one
He called all his merry men
And he coupled them two by two
And he put his horn to his mouth
He blew he made it say
Anyone that's in bed with another man's wife
Why it's time they'd be jogging away oh
It's time they be jogging away
Young Groves he had not been asleep
These words to her did say
I think l hear Lord Donald's horn
l think l hear it say
Anyone that's in bed with another man's wife
It is time they'd be jogging away oh
It's time they be jogging away
Come huddle me come cuddle me
Just keep me from the cold
For that is my father's shepherd she said
And he driving his sheeps to fold oh
And he driving his sheeps to fold
He huddled and he cuddled her the two fell fast to sleep
And when they awoke to their great surprise
Lord Donald stood at their feet oh
Lord Donald stood at their feet
How do you like my bed he said
How do you like my sheets
And how do you like my fair lady
That lies in your arms to sleep oh
That lies in your arms to sleep
It's well l like your bed he said
And better l like your sheets
And best l like your fair lady
That lies in my arms to sleep oh
That lies in my arms to sleep
Arise arise young Matty Groves
Some of your clothes put on
It will never be said when l am dead
That l killed a naked man oh
I killed a naked man
I could not sir l would not
Or I dare not for my life
For you've got two swords by your side
And I'm without a knife oh
And l without a knife
If l got two swords down by my side
I paid for them out of my purse
And you shall choose the very best
And I shalI choose the worst
And you shall have the very first blow
And I shall have the next
The very first blow young Matty Groves
He wounded Lord Donald in sore
The very first blow Lord Donald he gave
Young Groves he was no more oh
Young Groves he was no more
He took his wife upon his knee
These words to her did say
Oh now you must come choose yourself
Between young Groves and me oh
Between young Groves and me
It's well l do like you she said
But better l do like him
I'd rather his little finger this night
Than all your queen and king oh
Than aIl your queen and king
The bells of Scotland rings tonight
They always ring for sorrow
Lord Donald killed young Groves and his wife
And he'll be hung tomorrow
And he'll be hung tomorrow [last line spoken]
Little Mathy Grove / Mattie Groves / Lord Daniel / Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard (Child No. 81) - Sung by Dennis "Din" Dobbin of Gaskiers-Point La Haye, Newfoundland, Canada. Recorded by MacEdward Leach in 1951.
Note by Kevin W.:
This stately tune is also used for the Appalachian song "Shady Grove" (Roud No. 4456) and for the ballad "Fair Margaret and Sweet William" (Child No. 74), also in Appalachia. British folk-rock band Fairport Convention famously recorded an arrangement of "Matty Groves" using this tune with a different set of words. I regret not having access to more recordings of Child 81 from Canada, the texts and tunes I've seen are attractive and distinct from the better known Appalachian versions. I believe there's a strong Scottish influence in Newfoundland, the song was brought over from Scotland.
Song transcription:
Being on the first of January
The very first day in the year
Young Matty Groves to the playroom goes
Some funny things to hear oh
Some funny things to hear
The first came in was dressed in satin
The next was dressed in silk
And the next came in was Lord Donald's wife
And her skin as white as milk oh
And her skin as white as milk
She gazed all around the ballroom
For to see what she could see
Saying Matty Groves this very night
In bed must lie with me oh
In bed must lie with me
I would not sir l dare not
Or l cannot for my life
By the ring 'ats on your finger
You are Lord Donald's wife oh
You are Lord Donald's wife
If l am Lord Donald's wife
I'm nothing the worst of him said she
Lord Donald on a visit is gone
King Henry for to see oh
King Henry for to see
The little foot-page was standing by
These words he heard them say
The little foot-page was standing by
When he took to the heels to run
And when he came to the river side
He hove on his breast and swam oh
He hove on his breast and swam
And when he came to Lord Donald's palace
He jingled hard at the ring
And no one there but Lord Donald himself
For to let the little foot-page in oh
To let the little foot-page in
What news what news have you for me
Sad news sad news said he
Are they any of my stores burnt
Are they any of my towers knocked down
Are they any of my servants in bed this night
With a daughter or a son
With a daughter or a son
There's none o' your stores burnt
None o' your towers knocked down said he
But this very night the young Matty Groves
Is in bed wit' your fair lady oh
In bed wit' your fair lady
If that's a lie you've told to me
The gallows I'll 'range for you
If that's a lie Lord Donald he said
No gallows you'll 'range for me
I'm satisfied all to be hung
Out of the apple tree oh
Out on the apple tree
Oh he called all his merry men and he counted them one by one
He called all his merry men
And he coupled them two by two
And he put his horn to his mouth
He blew he made it say
Anyone that's in bed with another man's wife
Why it's time they'd be jogging away oh
It's time they be jogging away
Young Groves he had not been asleep
These words to her did say
I think l hear Lord Donald's horn
l think l hear it say
Anyone that's in bed with another man's wife
It is time they'd be jogging away oh
It's time they be jogging away
Come huddle me come cuddle me
Just keep me from the cold
For that is my father's shepherd she said
And he driving his sheeps to fold oh
And he driving his sheeps to fold
He huddled and he cuddled her the two fell fast to sleep
And when they awoke to their great surprise
Lord Donald stood at their feet oh
Lord Donald stood at their feet
How do you like my bed he said
How do you like my sheets
And how do you like my fair lady
That lies in your arms to sleep oh
That lies in your arms to sleep
It's well l like your bed he said
And better l like your sheets
And best l like your fair lady
That lies in my arms to sleep oh
That lies in my arms to sleep
Arise arise young Matty Groves
Some of your clothes put on
It will never be said when l am dead
That l killed a naked man oh
I killed a naked man
I could not sir l would not
Or I dare not for my life
For you've got two swords by your side
And I'm without a knife oh
And l without a knife
If l got two swords down by my side
I paid for them out of my purse
And you shall choose the very best
And I shalI choose the worst
And you shall have the very first blow
And I shall have the next
The very first blow young Matty Groves
He wounded Lord Donald in sore
The very first blow Lord Donald he gave
Young Groves he was no more oh
Young Groves he was no more
He took his wife upon his knee
These words to her did say
Oh now you must come choose yourself
Between young Groves and me oh
Between young Groves and me
It's well l do like you she said
But better l do like him
I'd rather his little finger this night
Than all your queen and king oh
Than aIl your queen and king
The bells of Scotland rings tonight
They always ring for sorrow
Lord Donald killed young Groves and his wife
And he'll be hung tomorrow
And he'll be hung tomorrow [last line spoken]
