Black is the Colour Lyrics: Origin, Meaning, and Key Versions

There’s a moment in nearly every folk session when someone sings the opening line, “Black is the colour of my true love’s hair,” and the room goes quiet. This guide traces where that ballad came from, what its lyrics actually mean, and why Christy Moore’s version became the one most people hear.

Traditional folk song origin: 18th century, Scotland or Appalachia ·
Notable early recorded version: Nina Simone, 1960 ·
Most covered artist (live): Christy Moore, 1970s onward ·
Common title variant: Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair ·
Roud Folk Song Index number: 3103

Six key facts about the song’s identity, from its traditional status to its modern performance history.

Who originally sang “Black is the Colour”?

Traditional roots and first known recordings

• The song is a traditional folk ballad, not attributable to a single original singer. Christy Moore’s official site labels it “Trad.” with his arrangement credit (Christy Moore official site 2008).
• First known print appearance in 1915 in a collection by Cecil Sharp, published as Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians (Mainly Norfolk).
• Early recorded versions include John Jacob Niles (1930s) and Nina Simone (1960). Nina Simone’s recording helped introduce the song to a wider audience (KCRW).

What this means: The song’s survival depends on a chain of collectors and performers, not a single author. The lack of an original singer is the reason it keeps being re-recorded.

Who originally wrote “Black is the color of my true love’s hair”?

Anonymous folk origins

• No known single author; the lyrics evolved orally over generations. Christy Moore’s site credits the song as “Trad.” — the standard designation for anonymous folk material (Christy Moore official site).
• Roud Folk Song Index lists variant texts under number 3103, with no credited writer (Mainly Norfolk).
• Some sources suggest Scottish or Appalachian origin. The Appalachian connection is documented by Cecil Sharp’s 1916 collection from Mrs Lizzie Roberts of Hot Springs, North Carolina (Onóir).

The pattern: Folk songs without authors are the ones that travel farthest. The lack of a known writer means every singer gets to claim a version as their own.

What is the song “Black is the Colour” about?

Lyrical themes of love and loss

• The singer praises their true love’s physical features: black hair, fair lips, sweet smile. The opening line — “Black is the colour of my true love’s hair” — establishes the central metaphor (Christy Moore official site).
• The repeated line “I love the ground whereon she stands” expresses total devotion. This phrase appears in Christy Moore’s version and many others (Christy Moore official site).
• Often performed as a lament for an absent or lost lover. The song has no plot — it’s a mood piece built around a single intense feeling (Christy Moore official site).

The trade-off: The song’s strength is also its limitation. Because it stays with one emotional register, it works best as a solo performance where the singer can stretch each line.

What are the lyrics to “Black is the Colour”?

Common modern version (Christy Moore)

The most commonly performed version in Irish and British folk sessions is Christy Moore’s arrangement. His official site presents these lyrics (Christy Moore official site):

Black is the colour of my true love’s hair.
Her lips are like some roses fair.
She has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands.
And I love the ground whereon she stands.

I love my love and well she knows.
I love the ground whereon she goes.
I wish the day it soon would come.
When she and I could be as one.

I go to the Clyde for to mourn and weep.
But satisfied I never could sleep.
I’ll write you a letter, just a few short lines.
And suffer death a thousand times.

— Christy Moore’s arrangement, published on Christymoore.com

Variations exist across recordings. Nina Simone’s version uses a different melody and her own phrasing. John Jacob Niles collected variants that include additional verses (Mainly Norfolk). Christy Moore’s official page credits the song as “Trad.” — typical for songs without a single fixed author (Christy Moore official site).

Why this matters: The lyric’s spelling of “colour” (not “color”) reflects Christy Moore’s Irish orthography. It’s a subtle signal that this version arrived via the Irish folk revival, not the American one.

Who has the most beautiful voice of all time?

Subjective question; not directly answerable with facts

This is a subjective question that can’t be resolved with rankings or data. What can be said: several singers have performed “Black is the Colour” with such impact that their versions define the song for different audiences. Nina Simone’s 1960 recording remains the best-known studio version (KCRW). Christy Moore’s live version is the definitive interpretation for Irish folk listeners. Joan Baez also recorded it in the 1960s.

The catch: Asking “who has the most beautiful voice” for this song assumes the song is about the singer’s voice. It’s not. The song is about the beloved’s hair, lips, and hands. The singer is secondary.

Quotes and perspectives

Black is the colour of my true love’s hair. Her lips are like some roses fair. She has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands. And I love the ground whereon she stands.

— Christy Moore’s version, Christy Moore official site

Christy Moore learned “Black is the Colour” from Hamish Imlach.

— KLOF Magazine, 2015 article

Cecil Sharp collected Black Is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair on 15 September 1916 from Mrs Lizzie Roberts of Hot Springs, North Carolina.

— Mainly Norfolk, folk song archive

The song is part of the broader traditional American folk canon and has an unusual history.

— KCRW, radio program description

The picture that emerges is of a song that has survived precisely because nobody owns it. Its lyrics remain open to every singer who wants to claim them. For Christy Moore, that openness turned a centuries-old Appalachian ballad into an Irish folk staple. For the next singer, it might become something else entirely.

Related reading: One Foot in the Grave: Meaning, Cast, Episodes, FAQs

Frequently asked questions