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Come Into the Garden Maud was based on one of Alfred Lord Tennyson's most famous poems. At least, a famous lyric poem within the much longer, lesser known, narrative poem, called simply Maud.

Composed by Michael Balfe, it has to be said that when finished Alfred didn't like the song, which he thought gave a more suggestive meaning to the poem, by virtue of its opening few notes, particularly on the elevated word Come! In fact it caused a furious row between the two men. The publicity this generated of course further titillated the public's appetite for the song, and it went from strength to strength! 

The song contains all the essential ingredients for a popular love song: emotion (passion?), desire, hope,yearning, expectation, anticipation, ecstasy, pathos, apprehension, peppered with innuendo, and surrounded by controversy, but above all a rattling good tune. The music perfectly fits (and in our opinion enhances) the lyrics in this pattern.

It was one of the world's biggest hits, and it is still one of the best known and best loved songs in the concert (and tap-room) repertoire.. It became a popular song for Lyric Tenors (and light baritones) as soon as it was produced. Our thoughts turn to Robert Tear or Benjamin Luxon; just two of the many excellent singers over the years.  This MusicSmiles arrangement is in the key of D major, and we have discovered another in open key (C major). But don't be put off - tenor or baritone (or any other voice) - join in with Michael and give it a twirl . . .

Come Into the Garden Maud
(Short intro . . . wait for it!)

Come into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat, night, has flown;
Come into the garden, Maud,
I am here at the gate alone,
I am here at the gate . . . alone.

And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad,
And the musk of the roses blown,
For a breeze of morning moves,
And the planet of Love is on high;
Beginning to faint in the light that she loves,
On a bed of daffodil sky,
To faint in the light of the sun she loves,
To faint in his light, and . . . to die.

Come! . . . Come! . . .

Come into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat, night, has flown;
Come into the garden, Maud,
I am here at the gate alone,
I am here at the gate alone,
I am here . . . at the gate . . . alone.
(Brief interlude)

Queen rose of the rosebud
Garden of girls,
Come hither, the dances are done,
In gloss of satin and glimmer of pearls,
Queen lily, and rose, in one.
Shine out, little head, sunning over with curls,
To the flowers and be . . . their sun.

Shine out! . . . Shine out! . . .
And be their sun . . .

Come into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat, night, has flown;
Come into the garden, Maud, . .
She is coming, my own, my sweet,
Were it ever so airy a tread,
My heart would hear her and beat,
Were it earth in an earthly bed . . .;
Come, . . . my own, my sweet,
Come, . . . my own, my sweet,
Maud,  Maud,  come,
I'm . . here . . . at the gate . . . alone.

Did you enjoy that? It's great isn't it? Not as simple a song as first appears, but then that's the master poet's touch! And that superb accompaniment, but then that's the first class composer's contribution!  

All in all, worth another try? Yes, go on, go for it . . . 

Would you now like to see (and compare) a fuller version of Alfred's poem - Maud?

OR

Would you like a glimpse of Joyce Grenfell's masterly Maud's Reply?

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