2
The Unquiet Grave
This is a real old one. I first heard it in a collection of Vaughan Williams folk songs, then later on a recording by Luke Kelley. This version here takes the tune of Kingsfold, which is possibly my favorite melody, and is also the setting for a number of other songs, including "Star of the County Down", "Dives and Lazarus", and "If you Could Hie to Kolob".
Traditional
Key of Am
X:1
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:Am
|c/B/|AAAG/A/|ccdc/d/|eed/c/A|G3|!
|c/B/|AAAG/A/|ccdc/d/|eed/c/A/G/|A3|!
|e|gee/d/c|ddee/d/|cAA/G/E|G3|!
|c/B/|AAAG/A/|ccdc/d/|eed/c/A/G/|A3|!
Am F C G
The Wind blows cold today my love
Am F Em
And gently falls the rain
Am F C G
I never had but one true love
Am F Am
And in cold clay she is lain.
C G
I’ll do as much for my true love
Am F Em
As any young man may.
Am F C G
I’ll sit and mourn upon her grave
Am F Am
For twelve months and a day.
When twelve months and a day were done
A voice began to speak
Who is it that sits upon my grave
And will not let me sleep?
Tis I, tis I, thine own true love
That sits upon your grave;
I came to seek of your sweet lips
Once kiss is all I crave.
You seek one kiss of my clay cold lips
But my breath is earthy-strong
If you had one kiss of my lily-white lips
Your time would not be long.
My Time be long my time be short
Ten-thousand years or a day:
May God in heaven have all my soul,
But I’ll kiss your lips of clay.
See down in yonder garden green?
Love, where we were used to walk:
The fairest flower that e’er was seen
Is withered to the stalk.
The stalk is withered dry my love!
So shall our hearts decay!
So make yourself content my love,
Until death calls you away!