My kids and I were talking about this song the other day, and one asked "What's he in jail for, Mom?"

I learned the song this way:

Down in the valley, valley so low,
Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.

Roses love sunshine, violets love dew,
angels in heaven, know I love you.

If you don't love me, love whom you please,
put your arms 'round me, give my heart ease.

Send me a letter, send it by mail
Send it in care of, Birmingham Jail

Build me a tower, ninety feet high
So I can see her, when she rides by.


I kind of always thought this was a jealous lover song, and that maybe he's in jail because he sexually assaulted her (because of the "If you don't love me" verse) or because he killed her boyfriend, but before I explained my theory to my kids, I thought I'd check the forum.

My research at this site tells me so far that the tune and some of the lyrics are probably borrowed from The Connemara Cradle song which is attributed to Delia Murphy. The lyrics attributed to Tom Darby tell a different story than the one I imagined, but includes a verse I never heard before, and leaves out two of the ones I know.

Can anyone help me sort this out? Are there any other verses out there? Is Birmingham Jail a different song altogether from Down in the Valley?