Greensleeves. | Henry VIII | Forum
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12:11 pm
May 16, 2011
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I have always thought the song 'Greensleeves' was written by Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn, but today whilst searching for an mp3 download of the song I came across websites with member comments discussing how Henry did not write the song but was written around the time he lived. Of course now i'm thoroughly confused. The lyrics certainly does scream Henry & Anne but was it written by someone else? Is that possible?
Here's a website showing the lyrics to the beautiful song 'Greensleeves' if you haven't heard it (Cast me off discourteously? Hello?! That's what Anne was known for then.) http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/st…..Lyrics.htm
4:06 pm
June 7, 2010
Offline Sadly, while the song is beautiful, we do not know who actually wrote this song. According to a couple of websites, the song was entered into a Stationer's Register in around 1580, and was first published in A Handful of Pleasant Delights in 1584. I also read somewhere that the song is written in the Italian style, which did not arrive in England until after Henry's death.
4:47 pm
May 16, 2011
Offline I read about it being the italian style too but it said something about being from England then translated into Italian or something like that. It is a very beautiful song and it reminds me so much of Henry and Anne's relationship in the beginning.
1:59 am
January 17, 2011
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I wish Henry had wrote this for Anne but sadly no. I've always loved this song so much, it's hard not to imagine Anne sat with Henry as he sung and played this to her in happier days. Where did this rumour come from I wonder about Henry writing this song for Anne or this song being about Anne?
6:29 am
June 7, 2010
Offline After some more research, I can add that the origianl name of the song was "A New Northern Dittye of the Lady Greene Sleeves" when it first appeared in 1580. Later, the name was changed to "A New Courtly Sonnet of the Lady Green Sleeves. To the new tune of Green sleeves" after its publication in 1584.
There are some theories about the use of "green" in the song. At some points in history, green was associated with prostitution. So, the song could be about a prostitute, or (as I read on wikipedia), the singer mistakes a young women with green sleeves as a working girl, and she rebukes him.
My favourite version of this song is found on the Historic Royal Palaces cd "Pastimes with good companye." It is sung is a beautiful baritone.
3:38 pm
February 10, 2010
Offline I have a CD of music played in Henry VIII's court – I got it from Amazon and it has a picture of Katherine Parr on the front. As well as Greensleeves it also includes some of Henry's genuine compositions and I have to say there is no way he wrote Greensleeves. His style is much more plinky plonky. That still makes him the most talented king we've had in terms of music composition but if he hadn't been king they would have been lost a few centuries ago!
4:23 pm
May 16, 2011
Offline Well, whatever the case Greensleeves is a very pretty song. But it's still known as a song written for Anne because I watched a show ("The Office") and Dwight was playing on his guitar for the kids on take your daughter to work day and at the end of the song he said something like 'That was the song Greensleeves written for the ill-fated Queen Anne Boleyn after he execution'. And i'm pretty sure it's been used in movies about Tudor times and Anne Boleyn movies.
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