"Black Is the Color (of My True Love's Hair)" (Roud 3103) is a traditional ballad folk song known in the US as associated with colonial and later music in the Appalachian Mountains. It is believed to have originated in Scotland, as it refers to the River Clyde in the lyrics. American musicologist Alan Lomax supported the thesis of Scottish origin, saying that the song was an American "re-make of British materials."Reprint Sing Out magazine nº 5, p. 289
Different versions
Many different versions of this song exist, some addressed to men and others addressed to women. There are other differences:
...like some rosy fair... or ...like a rose so fair... or ... something wondrous fair ...the prettiest face and the neatest hands... or ...the sweetest face and the gentlest hands... or ...the clearest eyes and the strongest hands ...still I hope the time will come... or ...some times I wish the day will come... or ... I shall count my life as well begun, when he and I shall be as one. ...you and I shall be as one... or ...s/he and I can be as one...
These words are set to two distinct melodies, one of which is traditional and the other was written by the Kentucky folk singer and composer John Jacob Niles by 1941. Niles recalled that his father thought the traditional melody was "downright terrible", so he wrote "a new tune, ending it in a nice modal manner." This melody was used in the Folk Songs song cycle by Luciano Berio.
The song has become a part of the traditional repertory of Celtic music artists. The song was collected as "Black is the color" by Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles in 1916 from Mrs Lizzie Roberts, it is listed in English folk songs from the southern Appalachians (1917). It also appeared in Sharps English Folksongs From The Southern Appalachians (1932). In the 1960s, Patty Waters sang an extended version for an ESP record that leaned toward the avant garde and extremes of vocal improvisation.
Recorded versions
Versions of the song have been recorded by many artists, including: Name Album Genre Year Comments John Jacob Niles American Folk Lore Vol. 3 1941 Also appears on American Folk Love Songs to Dulcimer Accompaniment, Six Favorite Folk Songs and other Niles compilations. Burl Ives Wayfaring Stranger Traditional folk 1944 Jo Stafford American Folk Songs Traditional folk 1950 Jean Ritchie Singing the Traditional Songs of Her Kentucky Mountain Family Traditional folk 1952 Gordon Heath & Lee Payant Chants traditionnels des États-Unis / The Ballad of the Boll Weevil and Other Traditional Songs of the United States Traditional folk 1955 Robert Shaw Chorale My True Love Sings Traditional folk 1956 Phineas Newborn, Jr. While My Lady Sleeps Jazz 1957 Pete Seeger American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 2 Folk music 1958 Alfred DellerWestern WindEnglish folk songs1959"Reviews and Ratings of Popular Albums", Billboard, 2/2/1959, p. 39 Nina Simone Nina Simone at Town Hall Jazz 1959 Nina Simone made it part of her standard repertoire, revitalizing the song's popularity. Joan Baez Joan Baez in Concert Folk music 1962 Smothers Brothers Think Ethnic Folk 1963 Title line turned into "Black Is the Colour of My Love's True Hair" [But only her Hairdresser knows--/("Does she or Doesn't she?")--/Only her Hairdresser knows!] (a play on the advertising 'tag line' at that time for Clairol hair-coloring products). Davy Graham Folk, Blues and Beyond Folk 1964 Smothers Brothers It Must Have Been Something I Said! Folk 1964 (They also did a parody version, cf. 1963) Nina Simone Wild Is the Wind Jazz 1965 Patty Waters Patty Waters Sings Jazz 1965 Described as "the performance that established her as a vocal innovator" Hamish Imlach Hamish Imlach Folk 1966 Carola Carola & Heikki Sarmanto Trio Jazz 1966 Recorded in the spirit of the modal jazz scene in Europe in the 1960s, Carola's accosting tone and the groovy approach of the Heikki Sarmanto Trio remained undiscovered until issued by the Jazzpuu label in 2004. The Throb non-album single Garage rock 1966 Reached No. 42 on Australian singles chart Note: Chart positions back-calculated by Kent in 2005. The Human Beinz Nobody But Me 1968 A version by US act Cathy Berberian Folk Songs Classical 1968 Recorded with the Berio setting, followed by two more recordings next decade, all conducted by the composer to whom she was married for a time Mike Seeger Music from True Vine Folk 1971 This a capella recording was done on his solo album of Appalachian and America folk music on the Mercury label Tia Blake Folk Songs & Ballads: Tia Blake and Her Folk-Group Folk 1971 Released on SFPP (Société Française De Productions Phonographiques) Alfred Deller, Desmond Dupré, Mark Deller Folksongs Classical 1972 Christy Moore Live in Dublin Folk 1978 Marc Johnson's Bass Desires Bass Desires Jazz rock 1985 Instrumental version featuring guitarists Bill Frisell and John Scofield Sinéad O'Connor 1990 Joe Sample Invitation Jazz 1993 Instrumental version recorded as "Black Is the Color". This version has been featured on The Weather Channel's Local on the 8s segments. Luka Bloom Turf Folk/Singer-songwriter 1994 Christy Moore Live at the Point Folk 1994 The Irish Descendants Livin' on the Edge Folk, World, & Country 1996 The Eccentric Opera HIMNE 1997 Kendra Shank Wish Vocal jazz1998 Susan McKeown Mighty Rain Traditional folk 1998 Judy Collins Both Sides Now 1998 Seanchai and the Unity Squad Rebel Hip Hop 1998 Female-addressed version with a different lyrics titled "Ballad of Mairead Farrell" Fred Hersch Let Yourself Go (Live at Jordan Hall) Jazz 1999 Niamh Parsons In My Prime Traditional folk 2000 Also performed on Live at Fylde (2005) Stringmansassy Persuasion 2000 Gaelic Storm Tree Folk rock 2001 Sixth track of the album Tree. Female-addressed version The Liberty Voices A Cappella Americana 2001 As seen at Epcot's American Adventure Cara Dillon Cara Dillon Folk 2001 Irish folk singer Cara Dillon chose to perform a female-addressed version opening her eponymous album which won her many awards including "Best Traditional Song" at the 2002 BBC Folk Awards. It has become a favourite in her live repertoire and has undergone huge success as a Trance remix by 2Devine (see below) Andreas Scholl Wayfaring Stranger Classical 2001 Blue Mountain Roots Alternative country/roots rock 2002 Grace Griffith Sands of Time 2003 Larry Mathews Easy and Slow Folk 2003 Third track on the Album Easy and Slow Nurse with Wound She and Me Fall Together in Free Death Experimental 2003 Ensemble Planeta Aria A capella 2003 Tenth track of the Aria Album Paul Weller Studio 150 Rock 2004 2Devine featuring Cara Dillon House 2005 DJ Pete Devine (also known as 2Devine and Coco & Green) produced a trance remix to Cara Dillon's version. The Corrs Home Pop folk 2005 Espers The Weed Tree Psychedelic folk 2005 The Czars Sorry I Made You Cry Rock 2006 Male-addressed version by American rock band The Twilight Singers She Loves You Rock 2007 Female-addressed version Karan Casey Ships in the Forest Folk 2008 Acoustic piano version by Karan Casey, an Irish folk singer The King's Singers Simple Gifts Classical/Folk 2008 A capella Kokia Fairy Dance: Kokia Meets Ireland Celtic folk 2008 Female-addressed version by Japanese songstress. Natacha Atlas Ana Hina Arabesque/World 2008 Male-addressed version with the Mazeeka Ensemble Angelo Kelly Lost Sons Up Close Pop rock 2008 Appears as the last track in Lost Sons and was also recorded live for Up Close Julie Murphy Black Mountains Revisited Folk/Singer-songwriter 2009 Nyle Wolfe Home Ground Folk/Classical 2009 Wye Oak Splice Today Presents: The Old Lonesome Sound Folk 2009 An original compilation album Phil Coulter Timeless Tranquility: 20 Year Celebration Folk Celtic Classical 2008 Marc Gunn Irish Drinking Songs: A Cat Lover's Companion Folk 2007 Album was a followup of Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers which included the track "Black Is the Color (of My Cat's Fur)" based on this song. Angel Olsen Lady of the Waterpark Indie Folk 2010Limited cassette-only release Lisa Lambe Celtic Woman: Believe Celtic folk 2011 Female-addressed version Katherine Jenkins Daydream Classical-popular crossover 2011 Male-addressed version Celtic Thunder Heritage Celtic folk 2011 Mark Stewart & Richard H. Kirk The Politics of Envy Rock, dub 2012 Bonus track on the iTunes version of the album Siobhan Owen Storybook Journey Folk Celtic Classical-popular crossover 2012 Male-addressed version, vocal and harp Blair Dunlop Blight and Blossom Folk 2012 Arborea Red Planet Psych-Folk 2011 Anne JanelleSo Long at The Fair2013Brian McFaddenThe Irish ConnectionSoft rock2013featuring Sinéad O'Connor Méav Ní Mhaolchatha The Calling Folk 2013 Male-addressed version Shearwater N/A Indie rock 2014 Male-addressed version, later verses are rewritten.Body/HeadComing ApartNoise Rock2013Re-titled Black Gregory Porter Autour de Nina Jazz 2014 Female-addressed version Peter Hollens & Avi Kaplan Peter Hollens Folk 2014 Female-addressed version The Bombadils Grassy Roads, Wandering Feet Folk 2015 Coppelius Hertzmaschine Metal 2015 Rhiannon Giddens Tomorrow Is My Turn Americana 2015 Damien Leith Songs from Ireland 2015 Lauryn Hill Nina Revisited... - A Tribute to Nina Simone 2015 Youn Sun NahShe Moves On2017Bill Frisell and Mary HalvorsonThe Maid with the Flaxen HairAvant-garde / Classical guitar2018Arranged for two guitars and performed by Frisell and Halvorson.Nicole Cabell and Alyson CambridgeSisters in SongClassical2018Arranged for two voices and orchestra by Joe Clark Luka Bloom Luka Bloom Live at De Roma Folk 2020 Recorded live at De Roma, Antwerp, 16 November 2019 and included on "Luka Bloom - Live at De Roma" (2020) The Body and Big Brave Leaving None But Small Birds Experimental / Folk 2021 Collaboration album featuring reinterpretations of traditional folk songs.Susu LarocheVenus Rising From The SeaSufi gospel2024Compilation trackStephen Molyneux The Wind Is the AskingFolk2024
Settings 1964 – Luciano Berio – Folk Songs
Pop culture references
"Black Is The Color" is featured, sung to calm down the horses in Tombstone Territory season 3 episode 28 entitled "The Governor" aka on imda "The Reception", which aired on April 16, 1960.
"Black Is the Color" is featured in The Twilight Zone season 3 episode entitled "The Passersby", which aired on October 6, 1961.
"Black Is The Color" is featured in the 1962 pilot for the western TV series Gallaway House, starring Johnny Cash, Merle Travis, Karen Downs and Eddie Dean.
"Black is the Color" is featured in The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. A sailor sings it to Heather as she and her new husband, Brandon Birmingham, pass by on the way to an inn before leaving London.
The "Lover's Lament" / "Love's Jewels" lyrics sung in Anne Bishop's Tir Alainn book series are loosely based on this song.
A cover of the song by Jim Moray featured on the Class season 1 finale "The Lost", appearing in both the post credit opening and closing fight sequence.
A cover of the song by Cara Dillon featured on Derry Girls (2018 TV series) season 3, episode 4 'The Haunting' ending sequence.
References
External links Song lyrics