The water is wide I cannot get o’er,
And neither have I wings to fly.
Give me a boat that will carry two,
And both shall row, my love and I.

You and I
Enamored were we
Sailing by
Yet lost at sea

A boat not so easy to row
When we can’t agree where to go
As you know

I leaned my back up against an oak
Thinking it was a trusty tree;
But first it bended, then it broke;
And so my false love did to me.

A tree, not as strong as you thought
Intentions we somehow forgot
Did we not?

O, love is handsome, love is fine,
And love’s a jewel when it is new,
But when it’s old, it groweth cold,
And fades away like morning dew.

You and I
Enamored were we
Sailing by
Yet lost at sea

A jewel, but not without flaw
The ice that no fire could thaw
As we saw

And both shall row, my love and I.

The popular Scottish folk song "O Waly Waly" dates back to the 17th century. As I thought about this well-loved folk song, it struck me how the lyrics offer only one person’s view. Though the speaker faults the other for the end of this relationship, there are two sides to every story. Many of us gamble on love, only to join the ranks of those who have loved and lost. In this reconceived version of the folk song, a new countermelody and added lyrics explore the bittersweet realities of a love that, despite good intentions, did not last. Every relationship takes two, "my love and I," and both have a story to tell.

Duration: 3:50