The Wife Of Usher's Well-Martin Carthy

[ti:The Wife Of Usher's Well] [ar:Martin Carthy] [al:Signs Of Life] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.72]The Wife Of Usher's Well - Martin Carthy [00:01.52]Written by：Traditional [00:02.16] [00:10.48]There lived a wife in Usher's Well [00:13.07]And a wealthy wife was she [00:15.34]She'd three fine and stalwart sons [00:17.84]And sent them o'er the sea [00:20.02] [00:20.65]They'd not been gone a week [00:22.79]And a week but barely one [00:25.12]When death sweeping over the land [00:27.77]Took 'em one by one [00:30.05]And they'd not been gone a week [00:32.53]A week but barely three [00:34.82]When word come to that young girl [00:37.46]Her babes she'd never see [00:39.90]I wish the wind would never blow [00:42.48]No fish swim in the flood [00:44.76]Till my darling babes are home [00:47.51]They're home in flesh and blood [00:50.34] [00:59.21]And there about the Martinmas [01:01.88]Nights are long and dark [01:04.10]Her three kids come to her door [01:06.87]Their hats were made of bark [01:09.13]And the tree never grew in any ditch [01:11.79]Nor down by any wall [01:14.20]But at the gates of Paradise [01:16.76]Grew strong grew tall [01:19.37]Blow up the fire my maidens all [01:21.86]Bring water from the well [01:24.23]Since my darling babes are home [01:26.87]They've come home safe and well [01:28.86] [01:38.68]So she has laid the table [01:41.10]With bread and with wine [01:43.48]Come eat and drink my darling babes [01:46.23]Eat and drink of mine [01:48.41]We may not eat your bread mother [01:51.20]Nor may we drink your wine [01:53.53]For cold death is Lord of all [01:56.08]To him we must resign [01:58.37]The green grass is at our head [02:01.00]And the clay is at our feet [02:03.38]And your tears come tumbling down [02:05.83]And wet our winding sheet [02:08.68] [02:17.80]So she has made the bed for them [02:20.42]Spread the milk-white sheet [02:22.82]She's laid it all with cloth of gold [02:25.30]To see if they could sleep [02:27.84]And up and crew the red cock [02:30.38]Up and crew the grey [02:32.79]And the youngest to the eldest says [02:35.15]Brother we must away [02:37.62]And the cock had not crowed once [02:40.17]And clapped his wings for day [02:42.46]When the eldest to the youngest says [02:45.05]Brother we must away [02:47.61]For the cock crow the day dawn [02:50.13]The chunnering worm chide [02:52.52]And if we're missed out of our place [02:55.12]Then pain we must bide [02:57.64]Farewell farewell my mother dear [03:00.46]Farewell to barn and byre [03:02.84]And farewell the sweet young girl [03:05.27]Kindling my mother's fire