DOWN FROM DOVER
(Dolly Parton)
Dolly Parton - 1969
Skeeter Davis - 1970
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood - 1970
Also recorded by: Spell; Kate Campbell.
I know this dress I'm wearin' doesn't hide the secret I have tried concealing
When he left he promised me that he'd be back by the time it was revealing
The sun behind the cloud just cast a crawling shadow o'er the fields of clover
And time is running out for me, I wish that he would hurry down from Dover
He's been gone so long, when he left the snow was deep upon the ground
And I have seen a spring and summer pass and now the leaves are turnin' brown
At any time a tiny face will show itself, 'cause waiting's almost over
But I won't have a name to give it if he doesn't hurry down from Dover (Dover)
My folks weren't understanding, when they found out they sent me from the home place
My Daddy said if folks found out he'd be ashamed to ever show his face
My Mama said I was a fool and she did not believe it when I told her
That everything would be all right 'cause soon he would be comin' down from Dover (Dover)
I loved him more than anything and I could not refuse him when he needed me
He was the only one I'd loved and I just can't believe that he was usin' me
He couldn't leave me here like this, I know it can't be so, it can't be over
He wouldn't make me go through this alone, oh, he'll be comin' down from Dover
My body aches, the time is here, it's lonely in this place where I am lyin'
Our baby has been born, but somethin's wrong, it's much too still, I hear no cryin'
I guess in some strange way she knew she'd never have a father's arms to hold her
And dying was her way of tellin' me he wasn't comin' down from Dover
(Dover)
>From Dover (Dover)
>From Dover
**********
Extra verse included by Parton on later recordings:
I found a place to stay out on a farm, takin' care of an old lady
She never asked me nothin', so I never talked to her about my baby
I sent a message to my Mom with a name and address of ol' Missus Grover
And to make sure he got that information when he came down from Dover
**********
As recorded by Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood:
NANCY:
I know this dress I'm wearin' doesn't hide the secret I have tried concealin'
When he left he promised me that he'd be back by the time it was revealin'
The sun behind the cloud just cast a crawlin' shadow o'er the fields of clover
And time is runnin' out for me, I wish that he would hurry down from Dover
LEE:
And I've been gone so long, when I left the snow was deep upon the ground
She has seen the spring and summer come and now the leaves are turnin' brown
At any time a tiny face will show itself, the waiting's almost over
But she won't have a name to give it if I don't hurry down from Dover
NANCY:
My folks weren't understandin', when they found out they sent me from the home place
My Daddy said if folks found out he'd be ashamed to ever show his face
My Mama said I was a fool, she did not believe it when I told her
That everything would be all right 'cause soon he would be comin' down from Dover
LEE:
She loved me more than anything, she could not refuse me when I needed her
She was the only one I loved and she did not believe that I was using her
NANCY:
He couldn't leave me here like this, oh no, it can't be so, it can't be over
LEE:
I wouldn't make her go through this alone, no, I'll be comin' down from Dover
NANCY:
My body aches, the time is here, it's lonely in this place where I'm lyin'
Our baby has been born, but somethin's wrong, it's much too still, I hear no cryin'
I guess in some strange way she knew she'd never have a father's arms to hold her
And dyin' was her way of tellin' me he wasn't comin' down from Dover
**********
(Transcriptions by Mel Priddle - June 2008)
