Tag: banjo

The Green Grave, or The Restless Dead*

The wind across the graveyard blew

With tiny drops of rain,

“I never had but one true love,

And she in the grave, one year hath lain,

And she in the grave hath lain.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

He sat and grieved upon her grave

As many lovers may,

He sat and grieved and made a moan

A twelvemonth and a day,

A twelvemonth and a day.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And when the grieving time was past,

The maiden’s ghost did say,

“Who sits a-weeping on my grave

A twelvemonth and a day,

A twelvemonth and a day?”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“My lips are cold as coldest clay,

My breath is earthy strong,

Now you have kissed me once again,

Your days will not be long,

Your days will not be long.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*Traditional ballad compiled by John Jacob Niles (Niles No. 32 C).