SPINNING WHEEL, THE

trad / John Francis Waller (lyrics 1884)
as rec by Delia Murphy w Arthur Darley (guitar)  
March 1st 1939 London

also rec by -
Rose Brennan w Joe Loss & his Orch '50's
Ruby Murray '60's


Mellow the moonlight to shine is beginning,
Close by the window young Eileen is spinning;
Then toward the fire, blind grandmother sitting,
Is crooning and mourning and drowsily knitting.

"Eileen, the curragh, I hear someone tapping!",
"'Tis the ivy, dear mother, against the glass flapping".
"Eileen, it surely is somebody sighing!",
"'Tis the sound, mother dear, of the Autumn winds dying".

Merrily, merrily, noiselessly whirring,
Swings the wheel, spins the wheel, while the foot's stirring.
Spritely and brightly and airily ringing
Trills the sweet voice of the young maiden singing.

There's a form at the casement, the form of her true love,
And he whispers with face bent, "I'm waiting for you love!
Get up on the stool, through the lattice step lightly,
We'll rove in the grove while the moon's shining brightly!".

The maid shakes her head, on her lips lays her fingers,
Steals up from the seat, longs to go and yet lingers;
A frightened glance turns on a drowsy grandmother,
Puts one foot on the stool, spins the wheel with other.

Lazily, easily, swings now the wheel round,
Slowly and lowly is heard now the reel sound.
Noiseless and light to the lattice above her
The maid creeps, then leaps to the arms of her lover!

Slower and slower and slower the wheel swings,
Lower and lower and lower the reel rings;
Ere the reel and the wheel stopped their ringing and moving,
Through the grove the young lovers by moonlight are roving.





(Contributed by Peter Akers - January 2010)