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:
Darby & Tarlton [as Lowe Bonnie]
Judy Henske [as Love Henry]
Bob Dylan [idem]
Peggy Seeger [with both of her sons]
Martin Simpson [as Love Henry]
Sheila Kay Adams [as Young Hunting; Child ballad 68 & Roud #47]
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).
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)