OK, so here's the version from Songs for Pickin' and Singin', by James Leisy (1962) [I think this book played in the movie, A Mighty Wind]:

The Willow Tree

There was a youth, a cruel youth,
He lived beside the sea,
Six lovely maidens he drowned there
By the lonely willow tree.

As he went out with Sally Brown,
And they walked by the sea,
An evil thought it came to him,
By that lonely willow tree.

"Now turn your back to the waterside,
Your face to the willow tree,
Six pretty maidens I've drowned them here,
And you the seventh shall be.

"But first take off your golden gown,
Take off your gown," said he;
"For though I am going to murder you,
I would not spoil your finery."

"Then turn around, you false young man,
Then turn around," said she;
"For it is not proper that such a youth
A naked woman should see."

Then 'round he turned, that false young man,
Around about turned he,
And seizing him boldly in both her arms,
She cast him into the sea.

"Lie there, lie there, you false young man,
Lie there, lie there," said she;
"For six pretty maidens you've drowned them here,
Go, keep them company!"

He sank beneath the icy waves,
He sank down into the sea,
No living thing wept a tear for him,
Save that lonely willow tree.

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The tune is very similar to what's already in the Digital Tradition:

Click to play

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Leisy doesn't give any source information. I also checked Songs for Swinging Housemothers and Song Fest (1958 - not in the 1948 edition). It's more-or-less the same song, give or take a word - and again, no source information. But ya know, there's real satisfaction in being able to find this turkey in three different songbooks. Kinda like the tailor who killed "seven in one blow."
But it still would be nice to have source information for this song. Maybe it was Burl Ives - or some Greenwich Village beatnik chick that Greenhaus knew in the 1950's.
-Joe Offer-