The Trees They Do Grow High
(Adapted from Walter Pardon's version, via Peter Bellamy)
Oh the trees they do grow high and the leaves they do grow green.
And the day is long and past my love that you and I have seen.
It's a cold winter's night that you must bide alone
For your bonny boy is young but he's growing, growing,
For your bonny boy is young but he's growing
“Oh father dearest father you've done to me much wrong
For you've wed me to a lad who I fear is too young”
“Oh daughter, dearest daughter if you'll stay at home with me
It's a lady you will be while he's growing, growing,
It's a lady you will be while he's growing”
“Oh we'll send him off to college for a year or maybe two
And perhaps in that time my love into a man he'll grow
I'll buy you white ribbons to tie around his waist
So the ladies they will know that he's married, married
So the ladies they will know that he's married”
Well, about the age of sixteen years he was a married man
And at the age of seventeen the father of a son
But at the age of eighteen years his grave was a-growing green
Cruel death had put an end to his growing, growing
Cruel death had put an end to his growing
Oh I'll make my love a shroud of the holland oh so fine
And every stitch I put in it the tears come trickling down
And I'll mourn his fate until the day I die
But I'll watch o'er his child while he's growing, growing
Yes I'll watch o'er his child while he's growing