Trivia
"The Water Is Wide" (also called "O Waly, Waly") is thought to be an English or Scottish folk song that has been sung since the 1600s and has seen considerable popularity through to the 21st century. It is related to Child Ballad 204 (Roud number 87), Jamie Douglas, which in turn refers to the ostensibly unhappy first marriage of James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas to Lady Barbara Erskine. Cecil Sharp collected this song during his journey to America in World War I.
The inherent challenges of love are made apparent in the narrator's imagery: "Love is handsome, love is kind" during the novel honeymoon phase of any relationship. However, as time progresses, "love grows old, and waxes cold". Even true love, the narrator admits, can "fade away like morning dew".
"The Water is Wide" has also been recorded countless times, with popular renditions by The Highwaymen, The Seekers, The Cowboy Junkies, Bob Dylan, Fred Neil, Pete Seeger, Rangers, Joan Baez, Enya, Steeleye Span, Karla Bonoff, James Taylor, Laura Wood, John Gorka, Bob McCarthy, Daniel Rodriguez, Luka Bloom, Steve Goodman, Eva Cassidy, Rory Block and Tom Chapin. Axel Schiøtz, tenor with Herman D. Koppel piano acc. recorded it in Copenhagen on May 7, 1951. It was released on the 78 rpm record His Master's Voice X 8009. The lyrics vary from period to period and from singer to singer.
