Greensleeves first appears in written records in 1580, when it was registered with the London Stationers’ Company as “A Newe Northen Dittye of the Ladye Greene Sleeves.”
That places the song firmly in Elizabethan England, during the late Tudor period.
Although often attributed to King Henry VIII, this attribution is almost certainly false. The musical style—especially the Italianate chord progression (the Romanesco)—did not reach England until after Henry VIII’s death (1547). Most scholars now believe the song was written later in the 1500s, possibly during the reign of Elizabeth I.
The melody of Greensleeves was adopted for the Christmas carol “What Child Is This?” in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix.
Neil Young’s Greensleeves recordings are not part of his main studio albums; they were recorded and performed in 1974 and circulate primarily in Neil Young Archives / unofficial releases or live recordings shared by fans.
Neil’s version can be found on YouTube, it uses the traditional Greensleeves melody and lyrics but with his own artistic interpretation, reflecting his folk and acoustic roots and unique emotional depth.