"Fair Sally" by Cheryl Shantz

A Piano and Instrumental arrangement of the Appalachian folksong "Fair Sally" by composer Cheryl Shantz. The solo Piano version appears in her book "Folksongs for Piano: A Classical Interpretation" (www.kallistimusic.com). In the early 1900s, this English folksong was collected by Cecil Sharp (the founding father of the folklore revival in England in the early 20th century) and Maud Karpeles (folksong collector and dance teacher) from a British descendant living in an isolated region of the Southern Appalachian mountains in the United States. The song, which probably dates from 18th century England, is the story of a doctor's love for a beautiful and wealthy lady named Sally. After snubbing the man's affections, Sally falls sick, realizes her folly, and begs for his forgiveness and for his cure. But he refuses, saying vengefully he will dance on her grave. To see a listing of other folksong arrangements by Cheryl Shantz, visit the following website: http://cshantz.blogspot.com/ To see a listing of her original song compositions, visit the following website: http://cmshantz.blogspot.com/ For a listing of Cheryl Shantz's compositions for full orchestra visit: http://www.cherylshantz.blogspot.com/

The lyrics below are from the early version of "Fair Sally" known as "The Brown Girl."

There was a rich lady from England she came,
Fine Sally, fine Sally, fine Sally by name.
And she had more money than the king possesses,
And her wit and her beauty was worth all the rest.

There was a poor doctor who lived hard by,
And on this fair damsel he cast his eye.
Fine Sally, fine Sally, fine Sally, says he,
Can you tell me the reason our love can't agree ?
I don't hate you, Billy, nor no other man,
But to tell you I love you I never can.

Fine Sally took sick and she knew not for why,
And she sent for this young man that she was to deny.
He says: Am I the doctor that you have sent for,
Or am I the young man that you once did deny ?
Yes, you are the doctor can kill or can cure
And without your assistance I'm ruined, I'm sure.

Fine Sally, fine Sally, fine Sally, says he,
Don't you remember when you slighted me?
You slighted me highly, you used me with scorn,
And now I reward you for what's passed and gone.

What's passed and gone, love, forget and forgive,
And spare me a while longer in this wide world to live.
I don't want you, Sally, in the durance of my breath,
But I'll dance on your grave when you're laid in the earth.