Dancing at Whitsun

Austin John Marshall wrote the words of this moving song. Many of the old ladies who formed Country Dance Societies in the second half of the 20^th century were 1914/18 war widows, or ladies who had lost fiancés and lovers. Country dancing kept the memory of their young men alive. When Shirley Collins started singing the piece to the tune of The False Bride, the impact was disturbing, for many people in audiences identified with it. We think they still do.