I used to sing this beautiful haunting song when I was accompanied by a wonderful guitarist named Terry Piper, in Darwin, Oz - sadly, his ilk are far and few between and I haven't performed it for some years ... I keep hoping though ...

Cheers! R-J


THE SCARECROW
As recorded by Mike and Lal Waterson on "Bright Phoebus" (1972)

As I roved out one summer's morn
I saw a scarecrow tied to a pole in a field of corn.
His coat was black and his head was bare
And as the wind shook him, the crows took into the air.

Ah, but you'd lay me down and love me
Ah, but you'd lay me down and love me if you could
For you're only a bag of rags in an overall
That the wind sways, so the crows fly away and the corn can grow tall.

And as I roved out one winter's day
I saw an old man hanging from a pole in a field of clay
His coat was gone and his head hung low
Till the wind flung it up to look, wrung it's neck and let it go.

How could you lay me down and love me
How could you lay me down and love me now
For you're only a bag of bones in an overall
That the wind blows and the kids throw stones at the thing on the pole.

And as I roved out one fine spring day
I saw twelve jolly dons dressed out in the blue and the gold so gay
And to a stake, they tied a child new-born
And the songs were sung the bells was rung and they sowed their corn.

Now you can lay me down and love me
Now you can lay me down and love me if you will
For you're only a bag of rags in an overall
But the wind blew, the sun shone too and the corn grew tall.

As I roved out, one summer's morn
I saw a scarecrow tied to a pole in a field of corn [FADE]