5 on Friday - Set 24

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This week my mind wasn't far from the blooms unfurling in my garden. So here are five songs that celebrate flowers.

1 - Will Ye Go Lassie Go (Wild Mountain Thyme) - Lark & Spur

Oh the summertime is coming
And the trees are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather

Will ye go, Lassie go?

And we'll all go together
To pluck wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?

- William McPeake



2 - A Cherry Tree is Swaying - Ural Russian Folk Chorus

Outside the window
A cherry tree is swaying
Scattering its petals

Near the river
A familiar voice is heard
The nocturnal singing
Of the nightingales

A maidenly heart
Began sweetly beating
Ah, how it's blooming now
In the garden

Wait for me, my tender one
My joyful one

I will come at the secret hour

- Boris Timofieiev



3 - Mo Li Hua (Jasmine Flowers) - Traditional Chinese (instrumental version)

The version I've used here is an instrumental piece, but this is often sung. Here are some of the lyrics:

What a beautiful jasmine flower
Sweet-smelling
Beautiful
Stems full of buds
Fragrant and white
Everyone praises
Let me pluck you down
Give to someone
Jasmine flower, oh jasmine flower

- 18th century traditional folk song



4 - My Wild Irish Rose - Apponequet Barbershop Quartet

My wild Irish rose,
The sweetest flow'r that grows
You may search ev'rywhere
But none can compare
With my wild Irish rose

My wild Irish rose
The dearest flow'r that grows
And some day for my sake
She may let me take
The bloom from my wild Irish rose

- Chauncey Olcott



5 - Honeysuckle Rose - Django Reinhardt

This is another instrumental version of a tune with lyrics:

Every honeybee
Fills with jealousy
When they see you out with me
I don't blame them
Goodness knows
My honeysuckle rose

When you're passing by
Flowers droop and sigh
And I know the reason why
You're much sweeter
Goodness knows
My honeysuckle rose

- Fats Waller / Andy Razaf



Linda says I do so love a good quartet and the mixing and blending of voices into one instrument; My Wild Irish Rose is one of the most perfect songs ever for that sort of harmonizing!

Mike Golch says Great selection, thank you for sharing it.

Jamie says Oh my! Will Ye Go Lassie Go and Django Reinhardt in the same group! Now that is a genius collection.