Lily of the West

"Lily of the West" is a traditional American folk song (there are older versions known in the west of Ireland, from which the US song was derived) about a man who travels to Louisville and falls in love with a woman named Mary, or Flora, the eponymous Lily of the West. He catches Mary being unfaithful to him, and, in a fit of rage, stabs the man she is with, and is subsequently imprisoned. In spite of this, he finds himself still in love with her.

"Handsome Mary, The Lily of the West"

The words to "Handsome Mary, The Lily of the West" dating to 1878:

When first I came to Louisville some pleasure there to find,

A damsel fair from Lexington was pleasing my mind.

Her cherry cheeks and ruby lips, like arrows pierced my breast,—

They called her Handsome Mary, the Lily of the West.

I courted her awhile, in hopes her love to gain,

But she proved false to me which caused me much pain.

She robbed me of my liberty, deprived me of my rest,—

They called her Handsome Mary, the Lily of the West.

One evening as I rambled, down by a shady grove,

I saw a man of low degree conversing with my love.

They were singing songs of melody, while I was sore distressed,

O faithless, faithless Mary, the Lily of the West!

I stepped up to my rival, my dagger in my hand.

I caught him by the collar, and boldly bade him stand ;

Being driven to desperation, I stabbed him in the breast,

But was betrayed by Mary, the Lily of the West!

At length the day of trial came, I boldly made my plea,

But the judge and jury they soon convicted me.

To deceive both judge and jury so modestly she dressed,

And there she swore my life away, the Lily of the West.

Handsome Mary is said to have been the daughter of a clergyman from Lexington, Kentucky.

Historical information

The song is often interpreted as a metaphor for the Irish experience in America. Some versions of the song, notably the cover by The Chieftains and Rosanne Cash from The Chieftains' album Further Down the Old Plank Road, end with the man's being released and traveling across the Atlantic to "ramble through old Ireland/And travel Scotland o'er". Despite leaving America, he finds that he is still in love and mentally fixated on the woman, known in this version as Flora. Another Chieftains cover, from their earlier album The Long Black Veil and sung by Mark Knopfler, is set in Ireland.

The song has been recorded by Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, The Chieftains, Josh Andrews, The Flash Girls, Caroline Groussain, Sheri Kling, Show of Hands, Peter, Paul and Mary (as "Flora"), Mark Knopfler, Crooked Still, Dirty Linen, Branimir Štulić (in Croatian, titled Usne Vrele Višnje) and Pat Gubler (PG Six) on the album 'Slightly Sorry' (Amish Records 2010) among others. The "Green Mountain Bluegrass Band" does a version of this song as well.

From "The Collected Reprints from Sing Out! the Folk Song Magazine Volumes 7-12, 1964-1973" page 6, preceding the songs notation and Lyrics:

This old ballad has been kept alive over the centuries by both print and oral tradition. Originally an English street ballad (or broadside), the song became particularly popular in the United States by parlor singers and ballad-printers. During the 19th century it was known throughout the country and, in time, became part of the folk heritage. Its popularity was such that in Kansas, local versifiers used the song for a parody: Come all you folks of enterprise who feel inclined to roam Beyond the Mississippi to seek a pleasant home. Pray take a pioneer's advice, I'll point you out the best - I mean the state of Kansas, the Lily of the West

Bibliography

• Cowan, Frank. Southwestern Pennsylvania in Song and Story. Greensburg, Pa.: Privately printed (1878).