Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find

Album: Lute Songs (1594)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Or in Olde English: Say loue if euer thou didst finde...

    With couplets like

    And what should that rare mirror be?
    Some goddess or some queen is she...


    This could be mistaken for a love song, but it is actually an ode to Elizabeth I by John Dowland, whose better-known works include "Come Again." We can be sure it is not a love song because the Virgin Queen was thirty years his senior. It is possible he composed such a sycophantic ode because he was angling for the position of royal lutenist, which came up at Elizabeth's court in 1594. If that was the case, his ploy didn't work, although he did enjoy royal patronage in Denmark, and eventually in England in 1612, by which time Elizabeth had been dead for the best part of a decade. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.