About the Yule, when the wind blew cool,
And the round tables began,
Then there is come to our king’s court
Many's the well-favoured man.
The queen looked over the castle-wall,
And beheld both dale and down,
And then she saw Young Waters
Come riding into town.
His footmen they ran on before,
His horsemen rode behind;
A mantle of the burning gold
Did keep him from the wind.
Gold-harnessed was his horse before,
And silver-shod behind;
The horse Young Waters rode upon
Was swifter than any wind.
Then up spoke a wily lord,
And to the queen did say
‘Pray tell me who’s the fairest face
Rides in the company?’
‘I’ve seen lords and I’ve seen lairds
And knights of all degree,
But Young Waters, he has the fairest face
That ever my two eyes did see.'
Then up spoke the jealous king,
And an angry man was he:
‘O if he had been twice as fair,
You might have excepted me.’
'You’re neither lord nor laird,’ she says,
‘But the king that wears the crown;
There is not a knight in all of Scotland
But to you would bow down.’
But for all that she could do or say,
He would not appeased be
And for the words that the Queen had spoke
Young Waters he must die.
They have taken Young Waters out
And put fetters on his feet
They have taken Young Waters out
And thrown him in a dungeon deep.
'Oft have I ridden through Stirling town
In the wind both and the wet
But I never rode through Stirling town
With fetters on my feet.
Oft have I ridden through Stirling town
In the wind both and the rain
But I never rode through Stirling town
Never to return again.'
They have taken to the heading hill
His horse both and his saddle
They have taken to the heading hill
His young son in his cradle
They have taken to the heading hill
His lady fair to see.
All for the words that the Queen had spoke
Young Waters, he must die.
credits
from 52 Folk Songs: Indigo,
released November 1, 2011
Phil Edwards: vocals, melodica, recorder, drumming
Adapting their calculated standards into a raw, live setting, the radical UK folk duo rework six highlights from their spellbindincatalogue. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 7, 2022
Traditional folk music and field recordings meld into fascinating long-form sound collages on the new LP from Shovel Dance Collective. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 6, 2022
Singer-songwriter Henry Parker puts his own spin on the classic sounds of '60s and '70s British folk on this wilderness-inspired new LP. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 9, 2021