by Alfred Perceval Graves (1846 - 1931)
Mary, what's the matter?
Language: English
"Now, Mary, what's the matter What's come o'er you, dear, That all your lightsome chatter Is no more to hear?" "'Tis nothing, mother deary, Worth your care at all. Who'd not be dull and weary In so dark a Fall?" "Because brown leaves are fluttering, Skies are seldom bright, Will heart-whole girls go uttering Sighs from morn to night?" "Well since you're so perceiving, Mothereen astore, P'raps I've been make-believing, Though my heart was sore." "Would Mary's heart be sorer, If one Myles O'Hea Had asked her father for her And got his wish to-day?" "O Mother there's brave news for me, Now you've brought me joy!" "My dear, if you'd set, 'Choose for me!' I'd have chose that boy."
Authorship:
- by Alfred Perceval Graves (1846 - 1931) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Mary, what's the matter?", op. 76 no. 13, published 1901 [voice and piano], from Songs of Erin, no. 13, London, Boosey [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-13
Line count: 24
Word count: 120