about
A murder ballad learned from the singing of Nic Jones, one of the giants of thumb/finger-style guitar, of course. There are many variants throughout the British Isles and elsewhere, among them “My Son David,” “Son Come Tell It Unto Me,” “Two Turtle Doves,” “What Put the Blood?” and “Lucy Wan,” that have been collected far and wide, including by Francis J. Child in his famous anthology.
lyrics
What's that blood all on your shirt
Son, come tell to me?
It is the blood of my own greyhound
He wouldn't run with me, with me
He wouldn't run with me
But it's too red for your greyhound's blood
Son, come tell to me
It is the blood of my own gray mare
She wouldn't hunt with me, with me
But it's too pale for your gray mare's blood
Son, come tell to me
It is the blood of my own dear brother
He wouldn't ride with me, with me
And what were you two a-quarreling about
Son, come tell to me?
It's all about a little holly bush
And it might've made a tree, a tree
And what will you do when your father comes to know
Son, come tell to me?
I'll sail away in a little sailing boat
And I'll sail across the sea, the sea
And what will you do with your pretty little wife
Son, come tell to me?
She'll come along in my little sailing boat
And she'll sail along with me, with me
And what will you do with your eldest son
Son, come tell to me?
I'll leave him here for you to raise
And to rock all on your knee, your knee
And when will you come back again
Son, come tell to me?
When the sun and the moon are on yonder hill
And I know that will never be, never be
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