Monday 13 October 2014
Tune of the Day: The Rose of Allendale
Traditional English song
Many people regard “The Rose of Allendale” as a traditional song from Scotland or Ireland, but in fact it is an English parlour song written by Charles Jefferys and set to music by Sidney Nelson in 1836. Allendale is the name of a village in the English county of Northumberland, though there is also a town called Allandale in Falkirk, Scotland. While the English song lyrics are probably about a maiden from the town of Allendale, some sources suggest that the “Rose” could have been a ship instead.
Because the song has been recorded by Paddy Reilly and Mary Black, Many people mistakenly believe the song to be a (traditional) Irish song. The famous folk bands The Corries and The Dubliners also contributed to the popularization of this song.