Ye little birds

General information

Lyricist: Thomas Heywood

Settings by composers

• Charles Hubert Hastings Parry T solo
• Kellow John Pye SATB
• Gustav Holst SATB

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• George Alexander Macfarren — Ye little birds that sit and sing

Text and translations

English text

Ye little birds that sit and sing
Amidst the shady valleys,
And see how Phillis sweetly walks
Within her garden alleys;
Go pretty birds about her bower,
Sing pretty birds she may not lower,
(Ah me, methinks I see her frown.)
Ye pretty wantons warble.

Go tell her through your chirping bills,
As you by me are bidden,
To her is only known my love,
Which from the world is hidden:
Go pretty birds and tell her so,
See that your notes strain not too low,
For still methinks I see her frown,
Ye pretty wantons warble.

Then tune your voices' melody,
Tell her I am her lover;
Sing loud and sweet, that ev'ry note,
With sweet content may move her.
And she that hath the sweetest voice,
Tell her I will not change my choice,
(Ah me, alas! I fear she frowns.)
But should you hear a kind reply,
You pretty wantons, warble.