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May Colvin

from Every bird that flies by julie murphy

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lyrics

may colvin

false sir john a wooing came
to a lady young and fair
may colvin was this lady's name
and her fathers only heir
her fathers only heir

he wooed her while they spun the thread
and while they made the hay
until he gained her low consent
to mount and ride away
to mount and ride away

it's bring me some of your fathers gold
and some of your mothers fee
I'll take you to a far away land
and there I'll marry thee
and there I'll marry thee

she's gone into her fathers coffa
where all of his money lay
she's taken the yellow snd left the white
and lightly skipped away
and lightly skipped away

she's gone into her fathers stable
where all of his steeds did stand
she's taken the best
and left the worst
in all of her fathers lands
in all of her fathers lands

she's mounted on the milk white steed
and he on the dapple grey
and they rode til they came 
to a lonely spot
a cliff by the side of the sea

light down light down may colvin
your bridal bed you see
it's seven women have drownded here
and the eighthen you shall be
the eighthen you shall be

cast off cast off your holland smock
with borders all around
it's too fine and costly 
too rot on the cold cold ground
to rot on the cold cold ground

likewise likewise your silken stays
also your handsome shoes
for they're too fine and costly to rot in the sea with you
rot in the sea with you

cast off cast off your silks so fine
and lay them on a stone
they're too fine and costly
to rot in the salt sea foam
rot in the salt sea foam

turn around turn around then false sir john
and gaze at the leaves on the trees 
for it don't become a gentleman a naked woman to see
a naked woman to see

so false sir john has turned around
to gaze at the leaves on the trees
she's made a dash with her tender arms
and pushed him into the sea
pushed him into the sea

oh help oh help may colvin
oh help or I will drown
give to me your lily white hand
and I'll lightly set you down
lightly set you down

lie there lie there now false sir john
lie there instead of me
it's seven women have drownded here
and the eighth has drownded thee
the eighth has drownded thee

she's mounted on the milk white steed
and led the dapple grey
and she's rode til she came to her fathers hall
at the breaking of the day
the breaking of the day

then up spoke the little parrot
may colvin where have you been?
and what have you done with false sir john who went with you riding?

hold your tongue hold your tongue you little parrot
and tell no tales on me
I'll give you a cage of beaten gold
with spokes of ivory
spokes of ivory

traditional arranged murphy : from the singing of the great jean ritchie

credits

from Every bird that flies, released March 1, 2016

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julie murphy Swansea, UK

Julie Murphy is a singer songwriter and member of Welsh folk innovators fernhill. She writes songs at the piano at home in the Welsh countryside. Her fourth solo album 'Every bird that flies' is available now

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