12. When I Was In My Prime

Trad., adapted & arranged by Robin Greenstein


Guitar, Vocal - Robin
Bass - Barry Weisenfeld
Harp - Lisa McDivitt


An old English ballad. According to SING OUT Magazine: “It is generally attributed to the pen of Mrs. Fleetwood Habersham, of Habergham Lance, who ‘ruined by the extravagance and disgraced by the vices of her husband….soothed her sorrows…by some stanzas yet remembered among the old people of her neighborhood.” She died in 1703. Thyme represents virginity; the willow tree regret; and the rose is true love. These symbols reappear in old English balladry. I learned this from the singing of Bonnie Dobson.


When I Was In My Prime


When I was in my prime, I flourished like a vine
There came along a false young man
Came stole away my thyme, came stole away my thyme

The Gardiner standing by, three offers gave to me
The pink, the violet, the red, red rose
But I refused all three, I refused all three

For the pink is not for me, it blossoms much too soon
The violet is too deep a blue, so I thought I'd wait til June
I thought I'd wait til June

For in June the red rose blooms, but it's the flower for me
Twas then I plucked the red, red rose and gained the willow tree
and gained the willow tree

And the willow tree shall twist, and the willow tree shall twine
How I wish I was in that young man's arms
that once was a love of mine, that once was a love of mine

When I was in my prime, I flourished like a vine
There came along a false young man
Came stole away my thyme, came stole away my thyme