See this thread for a discussion of the origin of this song. Some have mistakenly attributed it to Christy Moore. Although this is false, he does seem to have popularized it, so I thought his version ought to be documented. It is different from the version in the DT on several points.


THE WELL BELOW THE VALLEY
As recorded by Christy Moore on "Live at the Point" (1994)

CHORUS: Green grows the lily-o
Right among the bushes-o.

A gentleman was passin' by.
He asked for a drink as he was dry
At the well below the valley-o. CHORUS

"My cup is full up to the brim.
And if I were to stoop I might fall in
At the well below the valley-o. CHORUS

"If your true love was passin' by,
You'd fill a drink if he was dry
At the well below the valley-o." CHORUS

She swore by grass, she swore by corn,
Her true love had never been born
At the well below the valley-o. CHORUS

He said to her: "You're swearin' wrong.
Six fine childer you've had born
At the well below the valley-o." CHORUS

"If you be a man of noble fame,
You'll tell to me the father of them
At the well below the valley-o." CHORUS

"There's one of them by your brother John
At the well below the valley-o,
One of them by your uncle Dan,
At the well below the valley-o,
Two of them by your father dear
At the well below the valley-o." CHORUS

"If you be a man of noble fame,
You'll tell to me what did happen to them
At the well below the valley-o." CHORUS

"There's one of them buried beneath the tree
At the well below the valley-o,
Another two buried beneath the stone
At the well below the valley-o,
Two of them outside the graveyard wall,
At the well below the valley-o." CHORUS

"If you be a man of noble fame,
You'll tell to me what will happen myself
At the well below the valley-o." CHORUS

"You'll be seven years a-ringin' the bell
At the well below the valley-o,
Seven years a-burnin' in hell
At the well below the valley-o."
"I'll be seven years a-ringin' the bell,
But the Lord above may save my soul*
From burnin' in hell at the well below the valley-o. CHORUS TWICE


[* It actually sounds like he sings "son" not "soul"--but that makes no sense. I assume it's an error.]