Bluegrass Messengers

The Trees They Are So High - James Parsons of Lew Down and Mathew Baker of South Brent (compilation) c. 1889

1. All the trees they are so high,
The leaves they are so green, 
The day is past and gone, sweet-heart,
That you and I have seen. 
It is cold winter's night, 
You and I must bide alone: 
Whilst my pretty lad is young 
And is growing.

2. O father, father dear,
 Great wrong to me is done, 
That I should married be this day, 
  Before the set of sun. 
  At the huffle of the gale, 
Here I toss and cannot sleep: 
  Whilst my pretty lad is young 
      And is growing. 

3. O daughter, daughter dear,
  No wrong to thee is done, 
For I have married thee this day 
  Unto a rich Lord's son. 
 O the wind is on the thatch 
Here and I alone must weep: 
  Whilst my pretty lad is young 
      And is growing. 

4. 0 father, father dear,
   If that you think it fit, 
Then send him to the school awhile, 
  To be a year there yet. 
  At the huffle of the gale 
Here I toss and cannot sleep: 
  Whilst my pretty lad is young 
     And is growing. 

5. To let the lovely ladies know[1]
They may not touch and taste, 
I'll bind a bunch of ribbons blue
About his little waist,
And I'll wait another year
0 the roaring of the sea: 
  Whilst my pretty lad is young 

6. And is growing,
In a garden as I walked,
I heard them laugh and call;
There were four-and-twenty playing there, 
  They played with bat and ball; 
   I must wait awhile, must wait, 
And then his bride will be: 
 O my pretty lad is young 
     And is growing. 

8. I listened in the garden,
 I looked o'er the wall; 
Amidst five-and-twenty gallants there, 
 My love exceeded all. 
O the snow, the snowflakes fall,
O and I am chill and freeze: 
But my pretty lad is young 
And is growing.

9. I'll cut my yellow hair,
    I'll cut it close my brow, 
I'll go unto the high college 
  And none shall know me so; 
   O the clouds are driving by 
  And they shake the leafy trees: 
    But my pretty lad is young 
       And is growing. 

10. To the college I did go,
I cut my yellow hair;
To be with him in sun and shower,
His sports and studies share.
O the taller that he grew
The sweeter still grew he:
O my pretty lad is young
And is growing.

11. As it fell upon a day, 
A bright and summer day, 
We went into the green green wood 
  To frolic and to play, 
 O and what did there befall 
I tell not unto thee: 
But my pretty lad so young, 
   Was still growing. 

12. At thirteen he married was,
 A father at fourteen, 
At fifteen his face was white as milk, 
  And then his grave was green; 
  And the daisies were outspread, 
And buttercups of gold 
O'er my pretty lad so young,  
   Now ceased growing.  

13. I'll make my pretty love
 A shroud of holland fine, 
And all the time I'm making it 
 My tears run down the twine; 
  And as the bell doth knell 
I shiver as one cold, 
And weep o'er my pretty lad 
   Now done growing.

1. may be omitted in singing