What are the lyrics of I go before, my darling by Thomas Morley?

“I go before, my darling” begins: I go before, my darling,… Read the full lyrics on ChoirPDFs.

Who composed I go before, my darling?

I go before, my darling was composed by Thomas Morley.

What language is I go before, my darling sung in?

I go before, my darling is sung in English.

I go before, my darling by Thomas Morley — Lyrics & Sheet Music (PDF)

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SS, TT

Edition by André Vierendeels

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Added Jul 31, 2026

4 editions of this piece

Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.

SS, TT · James Gibb Preview

SS, TT · Brian Russell Preview

SS, TT · Suzi Nassen Stefl Preview

Composer: Thomas Morley

Format: Staff

Language: English

Pages: 2 pages

This edition was prepared by André Vierendeels — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.

I go before, my darling by Thomas Morley — Lyrics

I go before, my darling, Follow thou to the bower in the close alley, There we will together

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About I go before, my darling

Thomas Morley’s I go before, my darling is a charming example of secular part-music from the English Renaissance. Scored for two sopranos and two tenors (SS, TT), it would have been sung in intimate settings, perhaps during a social gathering or a private entertainment. The text speaks of a lovers’ tryst, a secluded and intimate meeting in a garden bower. The composer vividly captures the playful sensuality of the words with lively rhythms and imitative vocal lines, culminating in the repeated, languid invitations to 'Dally, dally, dally'. This brief, effervescent work offers a delightful glimpse into the domestic musical life of Elizabethan England.