Wildwood Flower

An American song, Wildwood Flower, best known through the performances by the Carter family, bears the original title of “I’ll Twine ‘Mid The Ringlets.”

It was said the song was written in 1860 with words credited to Maud Irving while Joseph Philbrick Webster being responsible for the music.

The tune was utilized by Woody Guthrie, a folk artist strongly noted for his identification with the ordinary man, for the verses of his track “The Sinking of the Reuben James.”

Before Wildwood Flower made noise in the airwaves, it was originally intended for parlor games. However, it went through some minor twists especially when the Carter family recorded it.

They were a group centered on country genre that made a large impact in the 1960’s. It consisted of Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter together with his wife, Sara Dougherty Carter who performed with either her autoharp or guitar.

There was also Maybelle Addington Carter on guitar as well who was married to Ezra Carter, the brother of Alvin Pleasant. All of them were born and raised in the southwestern coast of Virginia. It was there that they were introduced to rigid harmonies of mountain gospel.

There are also other variations of Wildwood Flower such as the rendition by Iris Dement. She is a country and folk artist who composed about her daily mundane experiences in simple language.

It was in 1992 that her first album “Infamous Angel” was released. It explored on themes such as religious skepticism as well as in accepting apologies for human being’s frailty. Her second album “My Life” was launched in the market two years after.

It was there that she received a Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Folk or Country Album” category. In 1996, her third album “The Way I Should” was out. It tackled on fierce political topics like sexual abuse and government policy, among others.

Oh, I’ll twine with my mingles and waving black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the myrtle so bright with the emerald hue
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue.

Oh I’ll dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming, my idol was clay
All portion of love had all flown away.

Oh he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart is now wondering no misery can tell
He’s left me no warning, no words of farewell.

Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his
That was blooming to cheer him through life’s dreary hour
Oh, I long to see him and regret the dark hour
He’s gone and neglected this pale wildwood flower.