Song origins: https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/tom-schnabels-rhythm-planet/black-is-the-color-unusual-song-interesting-history

My favorite cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5fBppsntAE

Lyrics (adapted)::

Black, black, black is the color of my true love's hair
His lips are like some roses fair
The sweetest eyes and the gentlest hands
I love the ground whereon he stands
Black is the color of my true love's hair

I love my love and well he knows
I love the ground whereon he goes
I hope the day it soon will come
When he and I will be as one

I go to the Clyde to mourn and weep
For satisfied I never shall be
I write him a letter, just a few short lines
And suffer death a thousand times

Black is the color of my true love's hair
His lips are like some roses fair
He has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands
And I love the ground whereon he stands
.......

My favorite cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5fBppsntAE

Black is the color (cover)

Rough Translation:
Why do you stand, swaying, slender ash tree,
your head bent over your roots?

And across the way, over the broad river,
likewise alone, an oak tree stands tall.

How could I, the ash tree, get to the oak?
Then I wouldn't stand here, bowing and swaying.

With my slender branches I'd press against him,
and with his leaves, whisper day and night.

But it's impossible for an ash tree to move to the oak.
This is its fate- forever alone, swaying.

Tonkaya Ryabina-3

Russian folk song!  Guitar played and arranged by Reid Oda, and vocals sung and arranged by Stasia. 


Image: From album Русские народные песни для детей

Vo pole bereza stoyala (Во поле береза стояла)

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Nostalgic recollections of singing Russian folk songs with my grandma, other folk covers, and originals (coming soon).

Stasia

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