Sweet_Jenny_Jones - Button-Accordion Tunes 2 Play 4 Fun

SWEET JENNY JONES
Also: "Cader Idris" and "One Bright Summer Morning"

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Everything needs to be checked!

Time signature: 3/4
Tempo: Moderate

Cader Idris - A Welsh Waltz Tune
by John Parry (1804)

Although there are lyrics, this is better known as an instrumental dance tune, and especially as a "rare" waltz tune for Morris dancers, who often begin by singing a couple of lines and then move into the stepping-clicking-rattling dance, as shown in some embedded videos below.

Accordion & Guitar-Chord Notation

Go to Lyrics & Links

Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent

Guitar: Chords = key of G
Guitar: Chords = key of C
Accordion: Either row = Buttons 3 to 7

FOR "CADER IDRIS" LYRICS:

Verse 1 (of 2) - I found only one youTube video (the first below) where these lyrics are sung.

  G C D
      C F G
.5 | .6 .5 .4 | ;3 "3* .4 | .4* .5* .7* | .6* .5
Light - heart - ed I stroll through the Vale of Llan - go - llen,

G C G D G
C F C G C
.6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;4* "5 .5* | .5 .6 .6* | :6
and climb the steep moun-tain ad - mir - ing the view.

    G C D
C F G
.5 | .6 .5 .4 | ;3 3* .4 | .4* .5* .7* | .6* .5
All round me the moun-tains roll on-ward and on-ward,

G C G D G
C F C G C
.6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;4* "5 .5* | .5 .6 .6* | :6
The dis-tance has changed all their green in - to blue.

  G D C D
  C G F G
"6 "7* | .7 .6 .7 | .7* .6* .7* | .6 .5* .6 | ;6* ;5
I see the clear streams tum-bling down the steep hill- side,

G D A7 D
C G D7 G
.7 | .6 .7 .7* | .6* .7* .6 | .5* .6* .5* | :5
And wat-er falls spill-ing their mist from a height;

 G C D
C F G
"5* "6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;3 "3* .4 | .4* .5* .7* | .6* .5
I see a white cot-tage be - low by the birch-grove,

G C G D G
C F C G C
.6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;4* "5 .5* | .5 .6 .6* | :6
And mem-'ries of child-hood come shin-ing and bright.

FOR "SWEET JENNY JONES" LYRICS:

Verse 1 (of 4) - lyrics attributed to Charles James Matthews (c.1826)
With regret, I didn't find a youTube video for this song.

      G C D
      C F G
.5 | .6 .5 .4 | ;3 "3* .4 | .4* .5* .7* | .6* .5
My name's Ed - ward Mor - gan, I live at Llan - go-llen,

G C G D G
C F C G C
"6* "6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;4* "5 .5* | .5 .6 .6* | :6
From the Vale of Saint Taf - fy, the flow'r of North Wales.

       G C D
C F G
.5 | .6 .5 .4 | ;3 3* .4 | .4* .5* .7* | .6* .5
My fa-ther and mo-ther too live at Llan - go - llen;

G C G D G
C F C G C
.6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;4* "5 .5* | .5 .6 .6* | :6
good truth I was born in the sweet-est of vales.

G D C D
C G F G
"6 "7* | .7 .6 .7 | .7* .6* .7* | .6 .5* .6 | "6* "6* .5 .6 |
Yes in - deed, and all coun-tries so for-eign and beau - ti - ful__,

G D A7 D
C G D7 G
.7 .6 .7 | .7* .6* .7* | .6 .5* .6* | :5
that lit - tle val - ley I prize far a - bove.

 G C D
C F G
"5* "6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;3 "3* .4 | .4* .5* .7* | .6* .5
For in - deed in my heart I do love that Llan - go - len,

G C G D G
C F C G C
.6* | .6 .5 .4 | ;4* "5 .5* | .5 .6 .6* | :6
and sweet Jen - ny Jones too in truth I do love.

Embedded youTube VIDEOS

Go to Lyrics & Background

Total of 16 videos in various keys: C=1 D=10 D,G=1 F=1 G=3

Although I found three different sets of lyrics online, I found only one usable video with lyrics (the one arranged by P. M. Adamson).

Please note that many of the Morris Dance videos do not follow the order of the above melody, but mix and match different parts of it.

Key: G

Arranger: P.M.Adamson

Performer: ?

Posted by: P.M.Adamson

"Following a request for the Lyrics I have now included them on this version of The Traditional Welsh Folk Song which is in the same vein as The Ash Grove but reflecting on the property and people rather than a specific loved one."

Key: G

Artist: John Spiers

Posted by: Various Artists - Topic

Key: C

Accordionist Lester Bailey

Posted by: Lester Bailey

"A morris dance tune from Adderbury, one of the, to my knowledge, only two waltzes in the whole of Costwold morris."

Lester is well known as an outstanding melodeon (button accordion) player, and world-wide promoter of this instrument.

Key: D

Performer: mj ?

Posted by: mj1008

"Cader Idris", now usually spelled "Cadair Idris", is a mountain in Snowdonia, near Dolgellau."

"My recording on mandolin and tenor guitar is based on the version [ see page 166 ] in Paul Hardy's Session Tunebook"

Key: D

Group: The Brunos - Ricker's Ghost

Posted by: fiddle castro

Key: D

Performer: Roland Carson

Posted by: Roland Carson

"This song is also known as "Cader Idris" or ""One Bright Summer Morning". I have also read that the Dance “Sweet Jenny Jones” is in the tradition of Adderbury, written by Tim Radford, then squire of the Adderbury Morris Men in 1989."

Key: D

Artist: Michal

Posted by: michal18c

Played on an aulos soprano recorder.

Click to set custom HTML

Key: D from time 0 to 2:32
G from 2:33 to End

Singer: Hammersmith Morris Men

Posted by: The Westminister Morris Men

"The Smiffs demonstrating their impressive vocal range with "Sweet Jenny Jones" in front of The Anchor on South Bank on the Westminster & Hammersmith South Bank Tour 2012. Having sung it, they then dance it - with gusto."

Key: D

Group: ROBCOYA

Posted by: robcoya

Very short instrumental

Key: D

Singer: Rommey March

Posted by: tallship

"Morris dancing at The Red Lion, Snargate [Kent, England]15 June 2019"

Key: D

Artist: Mary Vlaar (United States)

Posted by: Piper Vlaar

"I am playing "Sweet Jenny Jones" a Welsh folksong composed by John Parry in 1804. This song is also known as "Cader Idris" or ""One Bright Summer Morning". I found this sheet music in a book called "Celtic Music for Recorder" by Jessica Walsh and you can get it on Amazon.com."

Key: D

Group: Adderbury Morris Men

Posted by: JudyJay1000

"Adderbury [Oxfordshire] Morris Men dance Sweet Jenny Jones - Club Day - September 2011"

The microphone picks up near-by "audience" conversation as well.

Key: F

Melodeon Player: Lester Bailey

Posted by: Lester Bailey

"melodeon.net Theme of the Month March 2010 - Sweet Jenny Jones a morris dance from Adderbury. Played on a Hohner Club Model IV in F."

Key: G

Dance Group: Full Moon Morris

Posted by: Steve Newland

Click to set custom HTML

Key: D

Group: Letchworth Morris Men

Posted by: ChurchFarm TV

The Letchworth Morris Men performing Sweet Jenny Jones at Church Farm, Ardeley [East Hertfordshire, England]. Sweet Jenny Jones had potential origins that she was a Welsh dairymaid and her sweetheart, a ploughman from about 1825 where they met an actor who was inspired by their romance to write a song for a play.

Key: D from time 0 to 0:57

Tutorial: from 0:58 to End

Performer & Tutor: Les Titford
better known as "Daddy Long Les"

Posted by: Daddy Long Les

Welsh tune, from Oxford, England.

Background Information & Links

Verse 1

Verse 2

LYRICS for: CADER (Cadir, Cadair) Idris (Trad. Arr Peter M Adamson)

Light-hearted I stroll through the Vale of Llangollen,
and climb the steep mountain admiring the view.
All round me the mountains roll onward and onward,
The distance has changed all their green into blue.
I see the clear streams tumbling down the steep hill-side,
And water falls spilling their mist from a height;
I see a white cottage below by the birch-grove,
And memories of childhood come shining and bright.

Light footed I leap down the side of the mountain,
My heart beating faster with thoughts of the past;
How happy my life in that cottage below me,
How happy the years that raced onward so fast:
I lived in that cottage with Father and Mother,
And Sisters and Brothers were gathered around.
But now, all forsaken, forlorn and desertd,
The cottage is crumbling, and thistles abound.

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

Verse 4

LYRICS by Charles Mathews (c.1826) for: SWEET JENNY JONES
(See note 2 at bottom of page)

My name’s Edward Morgan, I lived at Llangollen,
The vale of St. Tafyd, the flower of North Wales:
My father and mother, too, live at Llangollen,
Good truth I was born in the sweetest of vales,
Yes, indeed, and all countries so foreign and beautiful,
That little valley I prize far above,
For indeed in my heart I do love that Llangollen,
And sweet Jenny Jones too, in truth I do love !

For twenty long years I have plough’d the salt ocean,
And served my full time in a man-o’-war ship;
And ’deed, goodness knows, we had bloodshot engagements,
And many a dark storm on the pitiless deep.
And I’ve seen all the lands that are famous in story,
And many fair damsels to gain me have strove;
But I said in my heart I do love that Llangollen,
And sweet Jenny Jones too, in truth I do love.

I’ve seen good king George and Lord May’r of London,
With kings; of far countries, and many a queen;
The great Pope of Rome, and the Duchess Angouleine,
Up from King George to Sir Watkin I’ve seen.
But no, not princesses, kings, dukes, nor commissioners,
No, goodness knows it, my envy could move;
For indeed in my heart I do love that Llangollen,
And sweet Jenny Jones too, in truth I do love.

I parted a lad from the vale of my fathers,
And left Jenny Jones then, a cocket young Lass;
But now I‘m return’d a storm-beaten old mariner,
Jenny from Jones into Morgan shall pass.
And we’ll live on our cheese, and our ale in contentment,
And long through our dear native valley we’ll rove;
For indeed in our hearts we both love this Llangollen,
And sweet Jenny Morgan with truth will I love. [I do love]

Verse 1

Verse 2

Verse 3

LYRICS for: ONE BRIGHT SUMMER MORNING

One bright summer morning, the sun in its splendour,
Was tinging the summit of Cadair with gold;
The shepherd his flocks on the mountain was tending,
And bringing the wanderers back to the fold.
Thro' our dear native valley a troop of gay soldiers
Came tempting the lads and the lasses from home;
And such stories were told of the glories of fighting,
My sweetheart enlisted, a soldier to roam.

Ah! Sad was the moment he had to leave me,
And vainly I tried to hide from him my tears,
I thought of the dangers he had to encounter,
But dared not at parting to tell him my fears.
He forbid me to sorrow, and tried to console me,
I promis'd to do as he wish'd for his sake.
As I follow'd him far on the way from our valley,
I thought ev'ry step that my poor heart would break.

Long years then passed by without even a word from him,
Often I feared he thought no more of me;
My friends and relations they all jeered and laughed at me,
Saying they well knew he would faithless be.
I heeded them not, but still patiently waited on,
Trusting my sweetheart, all others above,
One bright summer morning with smiles and caresses,
He came back and proved he was true to his love.

Source: The Songs of Wales, The Royal Edition, Edited by Brinley Richards, Boosey & Co, London, 1879 (Fourth Edition)

Return to Top of Page

Background 1:

Background 2:

Click HERE for (wikipedia) info on Cader (or Cadair) Idris in Wales,
and click HERE for different forms of the sheet music (melody) for the Cader Idris waltz, attributed to John Parry (1804).

"Jenny Jones was a dairymaid at Pontblyddin Farm [in Wales]. Her sweetheart, Edward Morgan, was a ploughman. Morgan spent 20 years with the navy and returned and married Jones. In 1825 actor Charles James Mathews met the Morgans and heard their story. He composed the 'Song of Jenny Jones and Ned Morgan,' [now known as Sweet Jenny Jones] which was used in a show in 1836. The romantic ditty was popular for the next 20 years." .....From Margaret V on the mudcat.org web site.

SWEET JENNY JONES Also: "Cader Idris" and "One Bright Summer Morning" UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Everything needs to be checked!

SWEET JENNY JONES
Also: "Cader Idris" and "One Bright Summer Morning"

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Everything needs to be checked!