From the film “Little Nellie Kelly”, 1940.
A traditional song adapted by Roger Edens.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
‘Twas on a bright mornin’ in summer
That I first heard his voice speakin’ low
As he said to the colleen beside him
“Who’s that purty girl milking her cow?”
Och, many times often ye met me
And told me that I should be
Your darlin’ Acushla, Alanna
Mavourneen, Asuilish, Machree
Pur-ur-ty girl, pur-hur-hur-ty girl
With no one there to show her how
The purt-purt-purt-y girl is now milking her cow
Chorus
Now I have not the manners or graces
Of the girls in the world where ye move
And I have not their beautiful faces
But oh, I’ve a heart that can love
And if it plase ye I’ll dress me in satin
With jewels, jewels in me brow
But och, don’t be after forgettin’
Your purty girl milking her cow
Purty girl, purty cow
I’m sure this song would have never been wrote
If the purty girl had a been milking her goat
But the goat wasn’t feeling well
Anyhow so the purty girl was milking her cow
Her cow, her cow, La la la la la cow
La la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la
A purty girl milking her cow