It was a lover and his lass in the spring time -
a modern madrigal
composed and performed by David W Solomons,
very loosely based on the song of the same name penned by Shakespeare

for male voice choir (ATTB) (a score of the SATB version is also available, see below)

downloadDownload It was a lover

streamStream It was a lover




ring ding dong
ring ding dong

It was a lover and his lass in the spring time
that through the city streets did pass in this ring time
calling each other every minute or two
texting in case they couldn't get through
oh hearken to the lovers in the spring time!

Between the supermarket aisles while they're shopping
these pretty city folk would chat without stopping
vainly the birds are welcoming spring with their song
they'll wear themselves out e'er very long
while lads and lasses never tire of ringing!

Then one day when Romeo must text his Julietta
just to say I luv ya yeah I luv ya so much
but she rings back to tell him that it's all over
she's met a nicer lad from Folkestone or Dover
(It's all over it's all over, lad from Dover)

so he just rings to all of his pals and calls her a slag!

and all the people on the tram hear the show, while
our pretty city folk live all on their mobile
then suddenly the battery's flat as a skate
and Romeo can not ring his mate
he's sorry that he called her "slag" in spring time
he can't ring her he can't ring his Julietta
sorry now in spring.

Words and music by David W Solomons © February 2007
[Note: this mp3 is only a webpage quality encoding - The performance will be released later this year in full quality on the Delian Society's 2007 CD - more news later...]

pdfScore for ATTB (pdf)

pdfScore for SATB (pdf)


Here is the image to illustrate the song, created by Joe Dillon Ford:
lover and his lass collage by Joe Dillon Ford



Note: for lovers of recorder and guitar duets, there is also a version of this tune here, going by the name of Bell Dance



other domain