Greensleeves

“Greensleeves” is a traditional English folk song. It first appeared as a broadside ballad titled “A Newe Northen Dittye of ye Ladye Greene Sleves,” registered by Richard Jones at the London Stationers’ Company in September 1580. The melody can be found in several late 16th-century and early 17th-century sources, including Ballet’s MS Lute Book and Het Luitboek van Thysius. Contrary to popular belief, Henry VIII did not compose “Greensleeves.” The romantic myth that he wrote it for his lover, Anne Boleyn, is unfounded. The piece is more likely of Elizabethan origin and is based on an Italian style of composition. The lyrics remain open to interpretation, with some suggesting that Lady Green Sleeves was promiscuous, while others argue that her rejection of the singer’s advances indicates otherwise.