From the recording Ballads
Food Of Love
©2024 Sammy Horner
Sammy Horner vocals, bass, acoustic guitar
Kylie Horner vocals, bgv
Nigel Cameron whistle
Julie Cameron-Hall fiddle
Tim Cotterell fiddle
Hilda Browne harp
Our name, ‘The Sweet Sorrows’ comes from Shakespeare’s play Romeo & Juliet, not because we know much of the bard’s work but it seemed fitting that our extensive traveling means we catch up with people all over the world for a day at a time before saying goodbye again. Then a few years ago Sammy’s son became one of the vocal coaches for the RSC at the Globe Theatre in London and we got to be a little more informed by visiting the historic theatre for performances. The title of this song comes from ‘Twelfth Night’ and is really a pining for love and seemed like a perfect image for a ballad.
Lyrics
There’s an old penny whistle that lays by the chair
Where you put on your make up and tousled your hair
it’s been silent this past year since you had to go
Now Im not a wise man but this much I know
If music be the food of love, If music be the food of love
If music be the food of love
Play on my heart, play on
And the harp that you plucked has dust on the strings
How you laughed when you thought of the angels with wings
High above us would play as blessed souls sang along
Now I’m praying your playing that heavenly song
I still pick up my fiddle and scratch out a tune
But it’s lonely at night as I play for the moon
And I think of you now in that glorious place
While down here on earth I still long for your face
"Más é an ceol bia an ghrá, seinn ar mo chroí, seinn Éire"