HENRY LEE

Created on 20/01/2006
Latest update on 11/02/2024

Artist: Dick Justice
Author: traditional
Label: Brunswick
Year: 1929

First track on the Anthology of American Folk Music because this ballad holds the lowest number in Child's collection, who noted 11 versions, most of them Scottish.

Covers:

1930s:

Darby & Tarlton [as Lowe Bonnie]

1963:

Judy Henske [as Love Henry]

1993:

Bob Dylan [idem]

1996:

Nick Cave & P.J. Harvey

2002:

Ralph Stanley

2003:

Peggy Seeger [with both of her sons]

2004:

Martin Simpson [as Love Henry]

2004:

Sheila Kay Adams [as Young Hunting; Child ballad 68 & Roud #47]

2010:

Crooked Still

2023:

ØXN [as Love Henry; vocal: Radie Peat]

"And the little bird looks down on Henry Lee", the only witness of a crime passionnel. Not the girl but the man's the victim. Drowned by his mistress, he pays the highest price for sticking to his lawful wedded wife. A bird as witness and betrayer of murder appears to be a universal metaphor in folk songs: Dutch collection Onder De Groene Linde (M&W) has another example on its murder ballad cd (In Amsterdam Die Grote Stad).

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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