Trad Tuesday: I Know My Love sung by the Corrs and performed by the Chieftains

"I Know My Love" is a traditional Irish song, extant since at least 1922. It is about a woman's love for "an arrant rover" and her jealousy of his other women.

The Chieftains are a traditional Irish band formed in Dublin in 1963, by Paddy Moloney, Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy. The band had their first rehearsals at Moloney's house, with Tubridy, Martin Fay and David Fallon. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous with traditional Irish music and they are regarded as having helped popularise Irish music across the world.

The Corrs are an Irish band that combine pop rock with traditional Irish themes within their music. The group consists of the Corr siblings; Andrea (lead vocals, tin whistle, ukulele); Sharon (violin, vocals); Caroline (drums, percussion, piano, bodhrán, vocals) and Jim (guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals). They are from Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland.

Lyrics

I know my love by his way of walking
And I know my love by his way of talking
And I know my love dressed in a suit of blue
And if my love leaves me what will I do...

And still she cried, "I love him the best
And a troubled mind sure can know no rest"
And still she cried, "Bonny boys are few
And if my love leaves me what will I do"

There is a dance house in Maradyke
And there my true love goes every night
He takes a strange girl upon his knee
Well now don't you think that that vexes me?

And still she cried, "I love him the best
And a troubled mind sure can know no rest"
And still she cried, "Bonny boys are few
And if my love leaves me what will I do"

If my love knew I can wash and wring
If my love knew I can sew and spin
I'd make a coat of the finest kind
But the want of money sure leaves me behind

And still she cried, "I love him the best
And a troubled mind sure can know no rest"
And still she cried, "Bonny boys are few
And if my love leaves me what will I do"

I know my love is an arrant rover
I know he'll wander the wild world over
In dear old Ireland he'll no longer tarry
An American girl he's sure to marry

And still she cried, "I love him the best
And a troubled mind sure can know no rest"
And still she cried, "Bonny boys are few
And if my love leaves me what will I do"

And still she cried, "I love him the best
And a troubled mind sure can know no rest"
And still she cried, "Bonny boys are few
And if my love leaves me what will I do"

What will I do...

Songwriters: Paddy Moloney