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There lived a wife at Usher's Well
And a wealthy wife was she
She had three stout and stalwart sons
And she sent them o'er the sea
They hadna been a month frae her
Not one month and a day
Till cauld, cauld Death come oâer the land
And he stole those boys away
She said âI wish the wind would never mair blaw
Nor fish swim in the flood
Till my my three boys come hame tae me
In earthly flesh and blood
In earthly flesh and bloodâ
Well it fell aboot the Martinmas time
When the nichts are lang and mirk
The carlin wifeâs three boys come hame
And their hats were oâ the birk
That neither grew in any wood
Nor down by any wall
But at the gates o Paradise
Aye, the birken tree grew tall
So she has laid the table braid
Wi bread and blood red wine
âCome eat and drink my bonnie boys
Come and eat and drink o mineâ
âOh mither bread we cannae eat
Nor can we drink the wine
For cauld, cauld death is Lord of All
And to him we must resignâ
âFor the green, green grass is at oor heads
And the clay is at oor feet
And how your tears come tumbling down
Tae wet the winding sheet
Tae wet the winding sheetâ
So she has made a bed full braid
And sheâs made it lang and deep
She's laid it all wi golden thread
And sheâs lulled those boys tae sleep
But the cock he hadna crowed but once
Tae welcome in the day
When the eldest tae the youngest says
âBrother we must awayâ
âFor the cock does craw, the day does daw
And the chunnerin worm does chide
And if we're missed out oâ oor place
Then a sair pain we maun bideâ
âFor the green, green grass is at oor heads
And the clay is at oor feet
And how your tears come tumbling down
Tae wet the winding sheet
Tae wet the winding sheetâ
She said âI wish the wind may never blaw
Nor fish swim in the flood
Till my three sons return to me
In earthly flesh and blood
In earthly flesh and bloodâ
- Album:
- This Earthly Spell
- Scribbled In Chalk
- Faultlines
- This Earthly Spell (Expanded Edition)
- Traces
- Traces (Bonus Track Version)
- Celtic Connections 2008 Souvenir CD Sunday Herald
- Songlines: Top of the World 37
- Songlines: Top of the World 58
- Songlines: Top of the World 50
- The Build-Your-Own-Cathedral EP
- The Rough Guide to Scottish Folk
- Now Hear This! May 2006
- Folk Awards 2007
- Word of Mouth: August 2005
- Folk Awards 2009
- The Rough Guide to Celtic Women
- Folk Awards 2006
- Rough Guide To Scottish Folk
- Live In Hope: The Wildlife Album 2