Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms - Celtic Whistles Collection Vol.15

"Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms," is based on the 18th-century Irish folk melody "My Lodging is on the Cold Ground."

In 1808, the Irish poet Thomas Moore wrote new lyrics for this melody and included it in his song collection Irish Melodies. The song expresses eternal love-the idea that love remains unchanged even after a lover's beauty fades. It is said that Moore wrote the lyrics for his wife Elizabeth, who had been left with facial scars from smallpox.

Before Moore's version, the tune had been associated with the English-language song "My Lodging is on the Cold Ground," and people at the time regarded it as an English melody. By writing new lyrics, Moore seems to have intended to restore the tune's Irish identity.

In Japan, the song became popular in the 1920s, when it was introduced through NHK radio broadcasts and school textbooks. Today, it stands alongside Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) as one of the most beloved Irish ballads.