I got into an argument about this just the other day - I've sung (or led) it a few times, always as

"Bright morning star's a-rising"

which of course sounds pretty much the same as

"Bright morning stars a-rising".

Anyway, I was accused of singing about bright morning stars, plural. I explained about the "star's", apostrophe S, and said that I'd got it from the Young Tradition recording (which I'm lucky enough to have). My friend was having none of it & maintained that the YT sang it as

"Bright morning star a-rising"

no stars plural and no star's apostrophe S.

I've just listened to it again, and I'm sure there's an S in there - in fact they linger on the "a-" so long it sounds more like

"Bright morning stars are rising"

which would be wrong in a whole other way. (Unless you prefer the Stanley Brothers' take on it to Martin Carthy's, of course.)

What do other people think? Should it be

"Bright morning star a-rising"?

And what were the Young Tradition singing?