The Nightingale
Traditional Appalachian folk song

One mornin’, one mornin’, one mornin’ in May,
Oh, I saw a fair couple a-makin’ their way,
And one was a lady,
A lady so fair.
The other a soldier,
A brave volunteer.

“Good mornin’, good mornin’, good mornin’ to thee,
Oh, where are you goin’, my pretty lady?”
“Oh, I am a-goin’ to the banks of the sea
To see waters glidin’,
Hear the nightingale sing.”

They hadn’t been standin’
A minute or two,
When out of his knapsack
A fiddle he drew.
And the tune that he played
Made the violin ring,
Made the waters go glidin’
Made the nightingale sing.

“Brave soldier, kind soldier,
Will you marry me?”
“Oh, no, pretty lady,”
“That never could be.
I’ve a true love in London
Who’s waitin’ for me.
Two loves in the army’s
Too many for me.

“I’ll go back to London
And stay there a year.
And often I’ll dream of you,
My little dear.
And if ‘ere I returned
Will be in the spring,
To see waters glidin’,
Hear the nightingale sing.”