Tune of the Day: Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms
This folk song was popular in the early 19th century in both Ireland and America. Irish poet Thomas Moore wrote the words to a traditional air in 1808. This air has been claimed alike by England, Scotland and Ireland, but according to Scottish musicologist George Farquhar Graham the probability seems to be that it is an old English dance tune. It was first printed in a London songbook in 1775, and is occasionally wrongly credited to Sir William Davenant, whose older collection of tunes may have been the source for later publishers. Sir John Andrew Stevenson has also been credited as responsible for the music for Moore's setting.
English composer Matthew Locke's 17th-century folk song “My Lodging is in the Cold, Cold Ground” was also set to this tune some time after its original setting to a different, also traditional, air. Other than that, the tune is perhaps best known as the melody to “Fair Harvard”, the alma mater of Harvard University.
Thanks to Margaret for suggesting this tune!