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Gypsy Girl
Paul Archer's lyrics for Gypsy Girl were inspired by the passion and poignancy in the lyrics of flamenco songs from Southern Spain by artists such as Pepe Aznalcóllar, Paco Muriana, Niño del Brillante, Juan Cantero and Bernarda de Utrera.
The lyrics tell a story of love from first meeting to longing and despair and mature reflection.
The music for Gypsy Girl was composed by Mike Watts for solo voice and piano. It was first performed on 13th April 2015 by Fiona Stuart-Wilson (soprano) and Bernard Robertson (piano). It was subsequently performed on 6th and 7th November 2016 by Waltraud Mucher (mezzo-soprano) and Andreu Riera (piano).
It was recorded by Sarah Leonard (soprano) and Nigel Foster (piano) and is included on the CD of English artsong 'Sappho, Shropshire and Supertramp' released in January 2018 on the Divine Art label. Here is an extract from the review in The Ivor Gurney Society Journal: 'The text (Paul Archer) is utterly beautiful, and touchingly enamoured. Watts plays around with key, pacing and tessitura to lend these songs fractionally more bite than the preceding Carnell cycle. There is more of the unexpected here. A repeating high note on the piano suggests the 'cold wind' of song no. 5, 'If the cold wind comes', is somewhat ominous, as might suggest a ballad, not least as the poem engages 'song of sorrow, I sing of my lost one'. As the mood grows gradually dimmer, the feeling is fraught with danger. Watts seems often, as in the song, 'If you're the light', to be urging the music into a kind of bitonality. The text ('You say it breaks your heart...') is itself mysterious, even fatalistic: 'But if you're the light and I'm the shadow we'll become as one when day fades into night'. The dark plodding passacaglia that accompanies 'When it's snowing in the serranas' is pleasingly apt. The words are all by Paul Archer, and inspired by flamenco performers in Spain.'
An audio recording of the first performance by Fiona Stuart-Wilson and Bernard Robertson, can be heard here:
Gypsy Girl (mp3).
A recording of 'Green eyes', the first song in the series, is available on YouTube. Click here to view.
Copies of the score (pdf) are available on request, please email Paul Archer.
Green eyes
Oh country girl leaning in the doorway,
alone in the evening breeze of May.
I greet her with a smile and when she replies
all I can see are her two green eyes.
Green eyes, green as basil, green as a meadow,
and green, lime green, green, green eyes.
I saw the dawn break over the mountain,
she left my arms when morning came.
Oh country girl, I’ll buy you what you wish for,
she says I can’t give her anything more.
So I kiss her goodbye and go on my way.
Never will I spend a more beautiful night in May.
Silver sighs
In the silence
your horse
steps
silver sighs
in the snow
your horse
steps
silver sighs
in the snow
So in my arms
my love
lays
her dreams
on my pillow
my love
lays
her dreams
on my pillow
I would rather die
I would rather die
so I can forget
how I can’t live
without your warmth,
Oh gypsy girl!
From the day we met
you’ve treated me like
I was nothing to you.
I can’t take any more
of what you’ve put me through!
Oh gypsy girl!
When I think of the tricks
you’ve played on me
my heart breaks...
Oh, gypsy girl…
But when you come to me
I leave my mind behind
and I believe in you,
I forgive you.
No, don’t talk to me!
No, don’t walk by me!
I don’t ask for more…
I can’t take any more
of what you’ve put me through!
Oh gypsy girl!
I was nothing to you.
Remember my eyes
You, you left my side
and went away;
you now apologise
in this doorway.
I, I can give you words,
words of forgiveness,
as all my blood
runs from my veins,
I, I am dying
here in front of you,
here in this doorway
red with my blood.
Remember my eyes
when they were alive;
these were the eyes
that looked in love.
If a cold wind comes
If a cold wind comes
in the dark hours
as you lie in bed,
it’s just the sighs
from one who is dead,
from one who wanders
singing songs of sorrow,
I sing of my lost one,
sing of my sorrow,
shall I forget them?
You alone will know
if a cold wind comes
if a cold wind comes
If you’re the light
You say it breaks your heart,
everyone’s against us,
the world separates us,
it’s forcing us apart.
But if you’re the light
and I’m the shadow
we’ll become as one
when day fades to night.
But if you’re the sea
and I the river’s flow
our currents will run
to meet into one.
I say it won’t be long
though all is against us,
the world separates us,
but our love is strong
and with all its powers
we’ll make a palace
with every loving kiss
and the world will be ours.
When it’s snowing in the serranas
When it’s snowing in the serranas
snowing in the serranas
pity the shepherd with nowhere to sleep,
the pasture freezes where grasses grew
the cold bites into his heart so deep,
he mourns a woman he once knew
who was never faithful or true
and she had green eyes, green, green as a meadow
and green, lime green, green, green eyes
the cold wind is bitter as it blows
and many long years have passed
but my heart sees him as he goes
into the dark as the day fades at last
into the darkness that’s falling fast
when it’s snowing in the serranas
snowing in the serranas
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