Lyrics & Translation
Embark on a linguistic and musical journey with Fairport Convention's "Matty Groves." This classic British folk-rock epic offers a captivating story told in a dialect of English that is both archaic and poetic. Learning the lyrics will not only introduce you to traditional balladry but also to a rich vocabulary and storytelling tradition. The song's powerful narrative and Fairport Convention's groundbreaking musical arrangement make it a timeless piece of music that continues to resonate with audiences today.
[English]
A holiday, a holidayAnd the first one of the year
Lord Donald's wife came into the church
The gospel for to hear
And when the meeting, it was done
She cast her eyes about
And there she saw little Matty Groves
Walking in the crowd
"Come home with me, little Matty Groves
Come home with me tonight
Come home with me, little Matty Groves
And sleep with me 'til light"
"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home
And sleep with you tonight
By the rings on your fingers
I can tell you are Lord Donald's wife"
"But if I am Lord Donald's wife
Lord Donald's not at home
He is out in the far cornfields
Bringing the yearlings home"
And a servant who was standing by
And hearing what was said
He swore Lord Donald he would know
Before the sun would set
And in his hurry to carry the news
He bent his breast and ran
And when he came to the broad mill stream
He took off his shoes and he swam
Little Matty Groves, he lay down
And took a little sleep
When he awoke, Lord Donald
Was standing at his feet
Saying, "How do you like my feather bed
And how do you like my sheet?
How do you like my lady
Who lies in your arms asleep?"
"Oh well, I like your feather bed
And well, I like your sheets
But better I like your lady gay
Who lies in my arms asleep"
"Well, get up, get up", Lord Donald cried
"Get up as quick as you can
It'll never be said in fair England
I slew a naked man"
"Oh, I can't get up, I won't get up
I can't get up for my life
For you have two long beaten swords
And I not a pocket knife"
"Well, it's true I have two beaten swords
And they cost me deep in the purse
But you will have the better of them
And I will have the worse"
"And you will strike the very first blow
And strike it like a man
I will strike the very next blow
And I'll kill you if I can"
So Matty struck the very first blow
And he hurt Lord Donald sore
Lord Donald struck the very next blow
And Matty struck no more
And then Lord Donald he took his wife
And he sat her on his knee
Saying, "Who do you like the best of us
Matty Groves or me?"
And then up spoke his own dear wife
Never heard to speak so free
"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips
Than you or your finery"
Lord Donald, he jumped up
And loudly he did bawl
He struck his wife right through the heart
And pinned her against the wall
"A grave, a grave", Lord Donald cried
"To put these lovers in
But bury my lady at the top
For she was of noble kin"
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
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wife /waɪf/ A1 |
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home /hoʊm/ A1 |
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sleep /sliːp/ A1 |
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hear /hɪər/ A1 |
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saw /sɔː/ A1 |
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tell /tel/ A1 |
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standing /ˈstændɪŋ/ A2 |
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swore /swɔːr/ B1 |
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feet /fiːt/ A1 |
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like /laɪk/ A1 |
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cried /kraɪd/ A2 |
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swords /sɔːrdz/ B1 |
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strike /straɪk/ B1 |
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hurt /hɜːrt/ A2 |
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dead /ded/ A1 |
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heart /hɑːrt/ A2 |
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grave /ɡreɪv/ B1 |
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noble /ˈnoʊbl/ B2 |
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Key Grammar Structures
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Lord Donald's wife came into the church The gospel for to hear
➔ Archaic use of "for to" + infinitive.
➔ The structure "for to" + infinitive (e.g., "for to hear") is an archaic construction used to express purpose. It's similar to "in order to hear" or "to hear" but with an older, more formal sound. The line means Lord Donald's wife went to the church in order to hear the gospel.
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And there she saw little Matty Groves Walking in the crowd
➔ Present participle "walking" as reduced relative clause or adverbial modifier describing Matty Groves.
➔ The word "walking" acts as a participle modifying "Matty Groves." It could be interpreted as a reduced relative clause ("who was walking") or an adverbial modifier of circumstance describing Matty's state. The line means she saw Matty Groves while he was walking in the crowd.
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"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home And sleep with you tonight
➔ Use of contractions "can't" and "won't" for negation.
➔ "Can't" is the contraction of "cannot," and "won't" is the contraction of "will not." These are common ways to express negation. Matty Groves refuses the lady's invitation.
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By the rings on your fingers I can tell you are Lord Donald's wife
➔ Inversion of subject and verb in "I can tell".
➔ While the typical sentence structure is "I can tell," the inversion "can I tell" is often used for emphasis or in questions (though not here as it's a statement). Here, it creates a slightly more formal or emphatic tone. A more common (and less archaic) phrasing is "I can tell that you are Lord Donald's wife."
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He swore Lord Donald he would know Before the sun would set
➔ Omission of "that" in the subordinate clause after "swore".
➔ The "that" connecting "He swore" and "Lord Donald he would know" is implied. While grammatically correct with "that", its omission is common, especially in older texts or informal speech. The complete phrase would be "He swore *that* Lord Donald he would know..."
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"It'll never be said in fair England I slew a naked man"
➔ Use of future passive voice: "It'll never be said".
➔ "It'll never be said" is a future passive construction. "It'll" is the contraction of "it will," and "be said" is the passive form. The line means: "The statement/accusation that I killed a naked man will never be made in England."
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"I'd rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips Than you or your finery"
➔ Use of "I'd rather" to express preference and comparative structure with "than".
➔ "I'd rather" (I would rather) is used to express a preference. The "than" introduces what is being compared to. The wife is stating she prefers a kiss from the dead Matty Groves over Lord Donald or his wealth/appearance.
