Arise, get up my dear

Song Meaning

This song paints a vivid picture of a wedding day, urging a reluctant bride to embrace the celebration. The opening lines immediately establish a sense of urgency, with the narrator imploring "my deere" to "Arise, get up." The imagery of "faire Daphne, bright" suggests a beautiful bride, yet her "tarries on thee" hints at hesitation or a lingering sadness. The contrast between the bride's potential sorrow and the surrounding revelry sets up the central tension. The festive atmosphere is palpable, described through the "merry maydens squealing" and the sharing of "Spice cake sopps in wyne." The instructions to "Runne then run a pace" and secure a "bride lace" and "guilt Rosemary branch" emphasize the communal participation and the traditional rituals of the day. However, the narrator's question, "Alas my deere why weep she," directly confronts the bride's distress, creating a poignant moment amidst the joy. The reassurance, "O feare not that, deere love the next day keep wee," attempts to soothe her, suggesting the wedding is just the beginning of their life together. The lyrics masterfully capture the dynamic energy of the celebration through the minstrel's music and the maids' dancing. Phrases like "how fine they firck it?" and the rhythmic descriptions of movement – "Now a skip, then a trip, finely set a loft" – convey a lively, almost chaotic, joy. The repetition of these lines, along with the exclamations of "Hey ho blessed holly, holly day," reinforces the overwhelming sense of a special, joyous occasion. The song effectively contrasts the bride's private tears with the public spectacle of happiness, making the listener wonder about the source of her sorrow and the narrator's efforts to assuage it.