Here are 12 recordings of The Three Ravens/The Twa Corbies, that I've put into three groups, not a scientific grouping but useful to me.

The Three Ravens (#26) (Ia) (Ewan MacColl)
The Three Ravens (#26) (Ib) (Ed McCurdy)
The Three Ravens (#26) (Ic) (Ewan MacColl)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIa: The Crow Song) (Peggy Seeger)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIb: Crow Song) (Ed McCurdy)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIc: The Three Crows) (Peggy Seeger)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IId: The Three Ravens) (Peggy Seeger)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIe: Poor Old Crow) (Peggy Seeger)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIf: Blow The Man Down) (Ewan MacColl)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIIa: The Twa Corbies) (Ewan MacColl)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIIb: The Twa Corbies) (Ray Fisher)
The Three Ravens (#26) (IIIc: The Two Ravens) (Robin & Barry Dransfield)


THE THREE RAVENS (#26) (I)

a) The Three Ravens
Ewan MacColl, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72

There were three ravens sat on a tree
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
There were three ravens sat on a tree
With a downe
There were three ravens sat on a tree
They were as black as they might be
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

The one of them said to his make
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
The one of them said to his make
With a downe
The one of them said to his make
Where shall we our breakfast take?
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

Downe in yonder greene field
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
Downe in yonder greene field
With a downe
Downe in yonder greene field
There lies a knight slain under his shield
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

His hounds they lie downe at his feete
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
His hounds they lie downe at his feete
With a downe
His hounds they lie downe at his feete
So well they can their master keepe
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

His hawks they flie so eagerly
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
His hawks they flie so eagerly
With a downe
His hawks they flie so eagerly
There 's no fowle dare him come nie
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

Downe there comes a fallow doe   
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
Downe there comes a fallow doe   
With a downe
Downe there comes a fallow doe   
As great with young as she might goe
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

She lift up his bloudy head
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
She lift up his bloudy head
With a downe
She lift up his bloudy head
And kist his wounds that were so red
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

She gat him up upon her backe
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
She gat him up upon her backe
With a downe
She gat him up upon her backe
And carried him to earthen lake
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

She buried him before the prime
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
She buried him before the prime
With a downe
She buried him before the prime
She was dead herselfe ere even-song time
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe

God send every gentleman   
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
God send every gentleman   
With a downe
God send every gentleman   
Such hounds, such hawks, and such a leman
With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe


b) The Three Ravens
Ed McCurdy, The Ballad Record, Riverside RLP 12-601

There were three ravens sat on a tree
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
They were as black as they might be
With a downe
The one of them said to his make
Where shall we our breakfast take?
With a downe derrie derrie derrie downe downe

Downe in yonder greene field
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
There lies a knight slain under his shield
With a downe
His hounds they lie downe at his feete
So well they can their master keepe
With a downe derrie derrie derrie downe downe

His hawks they flie so eagerly
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
There 's no fowle dare him come nie
With a downe
Downe there comes a fallow doe   
As great with young as she might goe
With a downe derrie derrie derrie downe downe

She lift up his bloudy head
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
And kist his wounds that were so red
With a downe
She got him up upon her backe
And carried him to the earthen lake
With a downe derrie derrie derrie downe downe

She buried him before the prime
Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe
She was dead herselfe ere even-song time
With a downe
God send every gentleman   
Such hounds, such hawks, and such a leman
With a downe derrie derrie derrie downe downe



c) The Three Ravens
Ewan MacColl, with Peggy Seeger, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72

There were three ravens on a tree
A down, a down, a derry down
There were three ravens on a tree
Heigh ho!
The middlemost raven said to me:
There lies a dead man at yon tree
A down, a down, a derry down
Heigh ho!

There comes his lady full of woe
A down, a down, a derry down
There comes his lady full of woe
Heigh ho!
There comes his lady full of woe
As great with child as she could go
A down, a down, a derry down
Heigh ho!

Who's this that's killed my own true love
A down, a down, a derry down
Who's this that's killed my own true love
Heigh ho!
I hope in heaven he'll nevere rest
Nor e'er enjoy that blessed place
A down, a down, a derry down
Heigh ho!



THE THREE RAVENS (#26) (II)
The Crow Song (Billy Magee Magar; Billy MaGee MaGaw, ecc)


a) The Crow Song
Peggy Seeger, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72

There were three crows sat on a tree
O Billy Magee Magar!
There were three crows sat on a tree
O Billy Magee Magar!
There were three crows sat on a tree
And they were black as crows could be
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!

Said one old crow unto his mate
O Billy Magee Magar!
Said one old crow unto his mate
O Billy Magee Magar!
Said one old crow unto his mate:
What shall we do for grub to ate?
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!

There lies a horse on yonders plain
O Billy Magee Magar!
There lies a horse on yonders plain
O Billy Magee Magar!
There lies a horse on yonders plain
Who's by some cruel butcher slain
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!

We'll perch ourselves on his backbone
O Billy Magee Magar!
We'll perch ourselves on his backbone
O Billy Magee Magar!
We'll perch ourselves on his backbone
And eat his eyeballs one by one
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!



b) Crow Song
Ed McCurdy, The Ballad Record, Riverside RLP 12-601

There were three crows sat on a tree
Billy Magee Magar!
There were three crows sat on a tree
Billy Magee Magar!
There were three crows sat on a tree
They were black as crows could be
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!

Said one old crow unto his mate
O Billy Magee Magar!
Says one old crow unto his mate
O Billy Magee Magar!
Says one old crow unto his mate:
What'll we do for grub to ate?
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!

There lies a horse on yonder plain
O Billy Magee Magar!
There lies a horse on yonder plain
O Billy Magee Magar!
There lies a horse on yonder plain
Who by some cruel butcher was slain
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!

We'll perch ourselves on his backbone
O Billy Magee Magar!
We'll perch ourselves on his backbone
O Billy Magee Magar!
We'll perch ourselves on his backbone
And pick his eyes out one by one
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Caw! Caw! Caw! Billy Magee Magar!
And they all flapped their wings and cried:
Billy Magee Magar!



c) The Three Crows
Peggy Seeger, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72

There was three crows set on a tree
Billy MaGee MaGaw
There was three crows set on a tree
They was as black as black could be
Billy MaGee MaGaw, MaGaw
Billy MaGee MaGaw

The old crow he said to his mate
Billy MaGee MaGaw
The old crow he said to his mate:
What shall we do for meat to eat?
Billy MaGee MaGaw, MaGaw
Billy MaGee MaGaw

There lies a horse in yonder's town
Billy MaGee MaGaw
There lies a horse in yonder's town
That by the butcher has been slain
Billy MaGee MaGaw, MaGaw
Billy MaGee MaGaw

We'll set ourselves on his backbone
Billy MaGee MaGaw
We'll set ourselves on his backbone
And pick his eyes out one by one
Billy MaGee MaGaw, MaGaw
Billy MaGee MaGaw



d) The Three Ravens
Peggy Seeger, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72

There were three crows sat on yonder's tree
They're just as black as crows can be
One of them said to the mate:
What shall we do for grub to eat?

There's an old dead horse in yonder's lane
Whose body has been lately slain
We'll fly upon his old breast bone
And pluck his eyes out one by one

Old Satan tried to injure me
By cutting down my apple tree
He could not injure me at all
For I had apples all the fall



e) Poor Old Crow
Peggy Seeger, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72

Three old crows sat on a tree
Just as black as crows could be
Poor old crow, poor old crow
Just as black as crows could be

The old he-crow says to his mate:
What shall we do for meat to eat?
Poor old crow, poor old crow
Just as black as crows could be



f) Blow The Man Down
Ewan MacColl, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72
BLOW THE MAN DOWN / CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Ratcliffe Highway" (lyrics)
cf. "The Salt Horse Song" (lyrics)
cf. "The Three Ravens" [Child 26] (lyrics)

There was three crows sat on a tree
To me way hay, blow the man down
And they was as black as black could be
O gimme some time to blow the man down

Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
To me way hay, blow the man down
Blow him right back to Liverpool Town
O gimme some time to blow the man down

Says one old crow unto his mate -
To me way hay, blow the man down
Where shall we go for somethin' to ate?
O gimme some time to blow the man down

There is an old horse on yonder hill
To me way hay, blow the man down
And there we can go and eat our fill
O gimme some time to blow the man down

There is an old horse on yonder mound
To me way hay, blow the man down
We'll light upon to his jaw-bone
O gimme some time to blow the man down

Says one old crow unto the other -
To me way hay, blow the man down
We'll pick his eyes out one by one
O gimme some time to blow the man down



THE THREE RAVENS (#26) (III)
The Twa Corbies


a) The Twa Corbies
Ewan MacColl, The Long Harvest, Record Seven, Argo (Z)DA 72

As I was walking all alane   
I heard twa corbies making their mane:   
The tane unto the tither did say
Whar sall we gang and dine the day?

In behint yon auld fail dyke
I wot there lies a new-slain knight
And naebody kens that he lies there   
But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair

His hound is to the hunting gane,   
His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame
His lady 's ta'en anither mate
So we may mak our dinner sweet

Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane
And I'll pike out his bonny blue e'en
Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare

Mony's the one for him maks mane,   
But nane sall ken whar he is gane:   
O'er his white banes, when they are bare
The wind sall blaw for evermair



b) The Twa Corbies
Ray Fisher, with Archie Fisher, Bonny Lass Come O'er the Burn, Topic 12T128, 1961

As I was walking all alane
I heard twa corbies making a mane
The tane untae the t'other did say-O
Where sall we gang and dine the day-O?
Where sall we gang and dine the day?

It's in ahint yon auld fail dyke
I wot there lies a new slain knight
And naebody kens that he lies there-O
But his hawk and his hound and his lady fair-O
Hawk and his hound and his lady fair

His hawk is tae the hunting gane
His hound to bring the wild-fowl hame
His lady 's ta'en another mate-O
So we maun mak our dinner sweet-O
So we maun mak our dinner sweet

It's ye'll sit on his white hause-bane
And I'll pike out his bonny blue een
Wi ae lock o his gowden hair-O
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare-O
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare

There's mony a one for him makes mane
But nane sall ken where he is gane
And o'er his banes, when they lie bare
The wind sall blaw for evermair-O
The wind sall blaw for evermair



c) The Two Ravens
Robin & Barry Dransfield, Up to Now, A history of Robin & Barry Dransfield, Rare, un-released and classic tracks from 1970 up to 1996, Free Reed FRDCD 18 (song recorded 1977)

As I was walking all alone
I saw two ravens make their moan
The one unto the other say-O:
Where shall we go and dine today-O?
Where shall we go and dine today?

It's 'way behind yon fallen dyke
Oh, there I've seen a new slain knight
And there's nobody knows that he lies there-O
But his hawk, his hound and his lady fair-O
His hawk, his hound, his lady fair

His hawk is to the hunting gone
His hound to fetch the wild fowl home
His lady 's taken another mate-O
So we can have our dinner sweet-O
So we can have our dinner sweet

You sit on his horse's back
While I from his head his eyes I'll take
With a gold lock o his golden hair-O
We'll mend our nest when it grows bare-O
We'll mend our nest when it grows bare

There's nobody here for him to moan
And nobody knows where he is gone
O'er his white bones, when they are bare-O
The wind shall blaw for evermore-O
The wind shall blow for evermore