Jean Ritchie

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found, Was blind, but now I see. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fear relieved. How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed....

All in the merry month of May When the green buds they were swellin' Young William Green on his death bed lay For the love of Barbry Ellen He sent his servant to the town To the place where she was dwellin' Saying "Master's sick and he send for you, If...

I come from the mountains, Kentucky's my home Where the wild deer and black bear so lately did roam By the cool rushing waterfall the wildflowers dream And through every green valley, there runs a clear stream Now there's scenes of destruction on every han...

I remember the ways in the bygone days When we was all in our prime How us and John L. gave the old man hell Down in the Blue Diamond mines Where the whistle would blow 'fore the rooster crowed Full two hours before daylight When a man done his best, and...

1 Brightest and best of the stars of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid; Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. 2 Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining, Low lies His head with the beasts...

Love, oh love, oh careless love You've fly through my head like wine You've wrecked the life of a many poor girl And you nearly spoiled this life of mine Love, oh love, oh careless love In your clutches of desire You've made me break a many true vow Then you...

Children, go where I send thee How shall I send thee? I'm gonna send thee one by one One for the little bitty, baby Born of the Virgin Mary Who's born, born, born in Bethlehem Children, go where I send thee How shall I send thee? I'm gonna send thee two by tw...

Christ was born in Bethlehem, Christ was born in Bethlehem, Christ was born in Bethlehem, And in a manger lay. And in a manger lay, And in a manger lay, Christ was born in Bethlehem, And in a manger lay. Jews they crucified Him, Jews they crucified Him, Jews...

Dame, get up and bake your pies, Bake your pies, bake your pies; Dame, get up and bake your pies, On Christmas day in the morning. Dame, what makes your maidens lie, Maidens lie, maidens lie? Dame, what makes your maidens lie, On Christmas day in the morning?...

Down in yon forest there stands a hall Bells of paradise I hear them ring It's gilded all over with purple and pall And I love my lord Jesus above anything Down in that hall there lay a bed Voices of heaven here in my head All scarlet the cover that ove...

In Nottamun Town, not a soul would look up Not a soul would look up Not a soul would look down Not a soul would look up Not a soul would look down To show me the way to fair Nottamun Town When the king and the queen and the company mourn Come a-walking...

Go dig my grave, both wide and deep Place a marble stone at my head and my feet And on my breast a snow white dove To tell this world I died for love Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lordie me Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lordie me Well, I be gone these lonesome days I'l...

Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody The old gray goose is dead. The one she's been saving, The one she's been saving, The one she's been saving To make a feather bed. The goslings are mourning, The goslings are mourning, The...

Hangman, Hangman, slack up your rope, oh slack it for a while. I look down yonder to see Pa comin', he's walked for a many long mile. Oh Pa, say Pa, have you brung me any gold, any gold to pay my fee? Or have you walked these many long miles See me on the...

I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day in the morning. And what was in those ships all three, On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day? And what was in those ships all three, On Chris...

So my pretty little miss sixteen years old Hair just as yellow as the shinin' gold Well, the prettiest face and the sweetest hands God bless the ground on where she stands Now my mother sits and weeps and mourns My sister says she is left alone My truel...

Tell me why you are so cruel Tell me why you scorn me so Tell me why to all my questions You must always answer, no No sir, no sir, no sir, no sir No sir, no sir, no sir, no We'll go walking in the garden Gathering flowers fresh with dew Tell me, wou...

O Johnny's on the water let him sink or let him swim, if he can live without me I can live without him. O Johnny's a young boy but younger am I, often he's told me he'd wed me or die o meeting's a pleasure but parting's a grief and a false hearted lover i...

One, I love Two, he loves And three, he's true to me All of my friends fell out with me Because I kept your company Let them say whatever they will I love my love with a free good will One, I love Two, he loves And three, he's true to me They tell...

1 Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk, And Mary bore Jesus, all wrapped up in silk: And Mary bore Jesus our Saviour for to be, And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly. Holly! Holly! And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the ho...

Come all young girls of a tender mind My story I'll tell to you And listen well to my advice And to my counsel true As a rule, the mind of a girl is weak And the mind of a man is strong And if you listen to what they say They're sure to lead you wrong...

1. As I pass'd by the river side, And there as I did reign [run], In argument I chanced to hear A Carnal and a Crane. 2. The Carnal said unto the Crane, If all the world should turn, Before we had the Father, But now we have the Son! 3. From whence does...

As it fell out one may morning, And upon on bright holiday. Sweet Jesus asked of his dear mother, If he might go to play. To play, to play, sweet Jesus shall go, And to play pray get you gone; And let me hear of no complaint At night when you come home. Swee...

There's a little rosebud casket Sitting on a marvel stand There's a package of love-letters Written by my true lovers hand Go and bring them to me, sister Come and sit upon my bed, Lay your head upon my pillow Then I'll hear every word he said Read t...

So my pretty little miss sixteen years old Hair just as yellow as the shinin' gold Well, the prettiest face and the sweetest hands God bless the ground on where she stands Now my mother sits and weeps and mourns My sister says she is left alone My truel...

Say, did you see him walking? it was early this morning He passed by your house on his way to the coal He was tall, he was slender, and his blue eyes so tender His occupation was miner, West Virginia his home It was just about noon, I was feeding the chil...