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