Five recordings (Gordeanna McCulloch; Joe Rae; Tony Rose (2); Mary Humphreys). R

Sheath and Knife
Gordeanna McCulloch, Sheath and Knife, Fellside FECD117 (original lp release, Topic 12TS370, 1978)

It is talked, it is talked the warld aa o'er
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
That the king's yae dochter gaes wi child tae her brither
And we'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

He's taen his sister doon tae their faither's deer park
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
Wi his yew-tree bow and arrows fast slung at his back
And we'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

Noo when that ye hear me gie a loud cry
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
Shoot an arrow frae your bow and there let me lye
And we'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

Noo when that he heard her gie a loud cry
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
An arrow frae his bow he suddenly let fly
Noo they'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

He has howkit a grave that wis lang and wis deep
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
He has laid his sister in, wi her bairn at her feet
And they'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

Aye and when that he cam tae his faither's coort haa
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
There wis music and dancin an minsterls mangst them aa
But they'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

O Willie dear, O Willie, whit maks ye in pain
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
I hae lost a sheath and knife and will never see again
And we'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

There are ships o yer faither's a-sailin on the sea
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
That will bring as guid a sheath and a knife untae ye
Noo we'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair

There are ships o my faither's a-sailin on the sea
The broom blooms bonnie and sae it is fair
But sic a sheath and knife they can never bring tae me
Noo we'll never gyang doon tae the broom ony mair



Sheath and Knife
Joe Rae, The Broom Bloms Bonny, Ballads, Songs and Stories from Ayrshire, Musical Traditions Records, MT CD 313, 2001

O it's whispered in the kitchen and it's whispered in the hall
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
That the king's dochter gaes wi a bairnie tae her brother
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair

He has taen his sister doon tae his faither's deer-park
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
Wi a yew-tree bow and arrows all strapped tae his back
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair

Weel, it's when that you hear me gie a lood, lood cry
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
Shoot an arrow from your bow, it's there let me lie
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair

Weel, it's when that he's heard her gie that lood, lood cry
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
A silver arrow from his bow he's suddenly let fly
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair

Then he has dug a grave, that was long, wide and deep
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
And he's buried his ain sister, wi her bairnie at her breist
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair

Then he has gone back to his father's court-hall
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
There was music, there was minstrels, ay dancing on the green
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair

O Willie, my son Willie, what gies tae ye sic pain?
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
I hae lost a sheath and knife, I can never find again
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair

There are ships of your father's, all sailing on the sea
O the broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
But sic a sheath and knife, they can never bring tae me
An they daurna gae doon tae the broom onymair



Sheath and Knife
Tony Rose, Under the Greenwood Tree, Leader LERCD 2024, first released 1971 (Trailer LER 2024).

Oh, it's whispered in the kitchen and it's whispered in the hall
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
That the King's daughter goes with a child to her brother
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

He has taken his sister down to her father's deer park
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Oh, with a yew tree bow and arrows slung fast across his back
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

Oh it's when that you hear me give a loud cry
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Shoot from your bow an arrow and there let me lie
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

And when that you see that I am lying dead
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Then you'll dig for me a grave with a turf at my head
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

Oh, it's when that he's heard her give a loud cry
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Ah, then a silver arrow from his bow he suddenly let fly
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

Then he has dug a grave both long wide and deep
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
And he's buried his own sister with their child at her feet
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

Then he has gone back to his father's own hall
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
There was music, there was minstrels and dancing and all
But they'll never go down to the broom any more

O Willie, O Willie, what gives you such pain?
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
I have lost a sheath and knife that I'll never see again
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

There are ships of your father's all sailing on the sea
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
That'll bring as good a sheath and a knife unto thee
But they'll never go down to the broom any more

There are ships of me father's all sailing on the sea
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
But such a sheath and knife they can never bring to me
And we'll never go down to the broom any more



Sheath and Knife
Tony Rose, Bare Bones, Boneshaker Records 1999 BSCD2001.

Oh, it's whispered in the kitchen and it's whispered in the hall
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
That the King's daughter goes with child to her brother
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

He has taken his sister down to his father's deer park
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
With a yew tree bow and arrows slung fast across his back
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

Oh it's when that you hear me give that loud cry
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Shoot from your bow an arrow and there let me lie
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

And when that you see that I am lying dead
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Then you'll dig for me a grave, put a turf at my head
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

Oh, it's when that he's heard her give that loud cry
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Then a silver arrow from his bow he suddenly let fly
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

And he has dug a grave both long wide and deep
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
And he's buried his own sister with her child at her feet
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

Then he has gone back to his father's own hall
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
There was music, there was minstrels all among the ladies all
But they'll never go down to the broom any more

O Willie, O Willie, what gives you such pain?
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
Well, I've lost a sheath and knife that I'll never see again
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

There are ships of your father's all sailing the sea
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
That'll bring as good a sheath and knife unto thee
But they'll never go down to the broom any more

There are ships of me father's all sailing the sea
Oh the broom blooms bonny and the broom blooms fair
But such a sheath and knife they can never bring to me
And we'll never go down to the broom any more



Sheath and Knife
Mary Humphreys, on Mary Humphreys & Anahata, Sharp Practice, rarities and renovations from the English Tradition, Wild Goose Records WGS312CD, 2003.

It is whispered in parlour, it's whispered in hall
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
Lady Margaret's with child among our ladies all
And she'll never go down to the broom any more

One lady whispered unto another
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
Lady Margaret's with child to Sir William her brother
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

He's taken his sister down to his father's deer park
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
With his yew tree bow and arrows fast slung at his back
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

Oh when that you hear me give a loud loud cry
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
Shoot your arrow from your bow, there let me lie
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

And when that you see me lying cold and dead
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
Lay me in a grave with a turf at my head
And I'll never go down to the broom any more

Oh, when that she gave a loud loud cry
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
His arrow from his bow he suddenly let fly
And she'll never go down to the broom any more

He's dug a grave long wide and deep
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
He's laid his sister in it with their baby at her feet
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

As he was a-going to his father's hall
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
There was music and minstrels and dancing among them all
And they'll never go down to the broom any more

O Willie, O Willie what makes you in pain?
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
I have lost a sheath and knife I will never see again
And I'll never go down to the broom any more

Oh, there's ships of your father's sailing on the sea
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
That will bring another sheath and knife unto thee
But he'll never go down to the broom any more

Though there's ships of my father's sailing on the sea
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
Oh, such a sheath and knife they can never bring to me
And we'll never go down to the broom any more

And it's not for the knife my tears down do run
The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
It's all for the sheath that I kept it in
And we'll never go down to the broom any more