Arguably one of the most famous English folk songs in history, "Greensleeves" is a haunting melody that has survived for over four centuries.
In this striking re-imagining, I transform the traditional tune into a visceral, cinematic descent, deconstructing a legacy of longing into a narrative of betrayal and eventual darkness.
I have stripped away the "sad puppy" energy of the original and replaced it with a sense of aggressive devastation, capturing the jagged bitterness of a love that has turned truly toxic.
By bridging the gap between 16th-century courtly prose and a sharp, modern linguistic fracture, I’ve created an atmosphere that feels both ancient and arrestingly current.
Evolving from simple unrequited longing into themes of existential despair, the story moves from the light of devotion to a haunting, final end.
This expansion honors the song's 400-year legacy while plunging it into the raw intensity of the present day.
💚 Greensleeves
Bitter Devastation - A Love Song (v35) 2/3/2026 2105
📗 [Phase 1 - Style: Ghostly, Minimalist Piano, Pianissimo, Haunting]
[Verse 1] [The Hook]
Alas, my love you do me wrong, To cast me off Discourteously.
[Verse 2]
Alas, my love it’s such a shame, Thy owns a heart of Vanity.
And now, I wander this world alone, All thanks to your Insincerity.
📗 [Phase 3 - Build: Low piano thrum, Mezzo-Piano, Tension]
[Verse 3] [The Fall]
Your vows, you've Broken, like my Heart, Oh, why did you so Enrapture Me?
‘Cause now I live in a world apart, But my heart remains in your Captivity.
📗 [Phase 4 - Shift: Sudden Staccato, Bitter, Cynical]
[Verse 4]
I brought thee into my private space; I gave my home, and all I Had.
I kept thee in my royal bed, gave you jewels for thy breast, It wasn’t Bad.
[Verse 5]
Thy gown I gave, was from finest silk, Thy sleeves were laced with Silver Thread;
Thy skin felt soft, and oh, so warm, But you’re as cold as stone, in the End.
[💚 Chorus 2]
Greensleeves, you were my only Queen, My gift from God, precious love so Fair;
Thy love was the Cruelest I’d seen, How dare you leave thy love alone in Despair.
📗 [Phase 5 - Bridge: Heavy Funeral March, Forte, Deep Bass Octaves]
[Verse 6] [The Bridge]
The seasons turn from Gold to grey, The winter frost to me now feels so Kind.
Since thee has turned thy face away, Now no sun in my soul, doth Shine.
📗 [Phase 6 - Climax: Fortissimo, Gothic Choir, Gates of Hell, Sudden Silence]
[💚 Chorus 3] [The Climax]
Greensleeves, you’re my Life, my Breath, my hopes and needs, and Soon my Death.
I will Love Her to the Gates of Hell, Though I fear that I’m Already There.
📗 [Phase 7 - Style: Soft, Minimalist Piano, Pianissimo, Haunting]
[Verse 7] [The Farwell]
So fare thee well, my Lady Green, I Seek a Shore that’s Far away from Here.
Thy Face the Fairest I’d ever Seen, So sad you’re Cold and Bitter Thorns, Dear.
Composed by 𝄞SunsetPiano 2/3/2026 1047 Strikingly Dark Re-imagining (28)
Custom Lyrics (10) 🎹 Sheet-Music Arrangements & 🎵Music Theory
🌅 Live with compassion, play with passion, and spread positivity.
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