Loreena McKennitt - Greensleeves (1991), lyrics rumored written by King Henry VIII, composer unknown

Музыка

Possibly the most popular song of the last one thousand years, the actual composer remains unknown. It was first published as a broadside registered at the London Stationer’s
Company in 1580: on 3rd September, Richard Jones was licensed to print "A New Northern Dittye of ye Lady Greene Sleeves." But it had been popular and sung at least 50 years
before this.
There apparently is a "persistent rumor" (according to Wikipedia), however, that King Henry VIII penned the lyrics, written to his lover and future queen consort Anne Boleyn. Then again, if true, he may have written it a bit later in memory of Anne, whom he had tried for treason. She was convicted by a jury of her peers, which included her former fiancé, Henry Percy, and her uncle Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. She was publicly beheaded May 19, 1536. Whatever suspicions Henry had concerning Anne, it is likely he left her fate to the jurors and to God, perhaps hoping for the best. But there were political reasons for the jurors to find Anne guilty on several counts. Given the depth of emotion expressed in the lyrics of the song, in the seemingly unlikely event he was the lyricist, it appears her execution must have pained him terribly.
This track came from my 1991 CD by Loreena McKennitt entitled The Visit. If you don't buy any other Loreena McKennitt CD, I recommend this one. In the liner notes she indicates that she thought "Greensleeves" would have been an excellent song for Tom Waits to have recorded. Her treatment is done somewhat in a style she thought Waits might have used.
The film used is The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) directed by Justin Chadwick and starring Natalie Portman as Anne and Scarlett Johansson as her sister, Mary. The editing for this video focuses almost exclusively on Henry's romance and marriage to Anne and her death.

Пікірлер: 15

  • @menro1
    @menro12 жыл бұрын

    I remember, in 1992 walking through the city of Amsterdam, passing by a record store, where I heard the song playing inside the shop....I walked inside the shop and asked what song it was.....I bought " The Visit " and was forever lost in the world of Loreena

  • @mikemunrowsretro8973

    @mikemunrowsretro8973

    2 жыл бұрын

    It was a wonderful addition to what was then a fairly new CD collection, along with Enya, Steve Roach and Tangerine Dream.

  • @rosshutch
    @rosshutch2 жыл бұрын

    Interesting video with great editing. Have not heard this version of "Greensleeves" before, so thanks for introducing it. The liner notes giving the history of the song are an added bonus. Thank you.

  • @mikemunrowsretro8973

    @mikemunrowsretro8973

    2 жыл бұрын

    My pleasure! Been enjoying doing more historically-based stuff since 2019.

  • @williamruyle
    @williamruyle2 жыл бұрын

    Love it Mike, well done! Yes, unknown who wrote it, such a beautiful, timeless song.

  • @mikemunrowsretro8973

    @mikemunrowsretro8973

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Bill! King Henry VIII was quite gifted in letters, it seems, although the melody was not his. Anne wore many green outfits/costumes as the movie attests, making her the obvious subject.

  • @williamruyle

    @williamruyle

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@mikemunrowsretro8973 I always liked the interpretation that it was in reference to the grass-stained muslin sleeves of prostitutes, but hey, each to his own.

  • @mikemunrowsretro8973

    @mikemunrowsretro8973

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@williamruyle I think I did read about that somewhere. Guess we'll never be sure as Anne did wear several green outfits, one specially made by orders of Henry (the first one she shows him in the film). Let's not forget he penned the lyrics, and they are touched by great sadness, likely after or pending Anne's execution. The charges of infidelity against Anne were launched by her own family ... Henry had little impact in trying to sway the royal court in her defense. I suspect this wife he did not want dead.

  • @williamruyle

    @williamruyle

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@mikemunrowsretro8973 costumes were A-440 in the above film, rather trashed for historic value by the pointy-nosed critics, and I thought the cast did a good job. Pairing this with the little girl from Manitoba's version was an excellent idea!

  • @OnStar407
    @OnStar4072 ай бұрын

    Number 47 I am

  • @mikemunrowsretro8973

    @mikemunrowsretro8973

    2 ай бұрын

    Thanks so much!

  • @romuloVG
    @romuloVG Жыл бұрын

    Not written or composed by Henry VIII. That's a popular myth

  • @mikemunrowsretro8973

    @mikemunrowsretro8973

    Жыл бұрын

    I don't know one way or the other. Richard Jones got the broadside copyright for the song in 1580, but when it comes to whether or not Henry could have penned the ballad, it is considered a "persistent belief" that he did, but because it was more in the Italian style that supposedly had not reached England yet, it seems unlikely. Still, an actual authorship has never been assigned, only a copyright, as there were many, many ballads available for publishing at the time Jones acquired his right, and in most cases the composer was unknown. You are probably right though, and perhaps my comment should be rephrased.

  • @romuloVG

    @romuloVG

    Жыл бұрын

    @@mikemunrowsretro8973 "Greensleeves" is quite different from Henry VIII's composition style (his was more similar to late 15th-century Flemish style). The second part of "Greensleeves" is based on a famous harmonic progression of ca. 1530-1550 (similar to Forze d'Hercole, Guardame las vacas, Welschertanz Waschamesa)-and surprisingly, 1580 was really later when these similar progressions were popular among composers.

  • @romuloVG

    @romuloVG

    Жыл бұрын

    The piece is also quite similar to many of the lute pieces ca. 1550-1600 in tempus perfectum (a jig by askue, Cutting's "The Squirrel's Toy", Dowland's "Tarleton's Riserrectione" et al)

Келесі