Lyr Req/Add: Grief Is a Knot

Subject: GRIEF IS A KNOT
From: WAYNE
Date: 04 Feb 98 - 02:27 PM

I heard this song many years ago. I don't know the lyrics and I'm not even sure if this is the title, but I've had great luck with this site and thought I'd give it a try.

Subject: Sad Song? 45 yrs ago...lyrics???
From: GUEST,Sarah Sling
Date: 04 Apr 03 - 09:21 PM

Hi there !! I'm from the maritime provinces in Canada. Forty-five years ago I used to sing this song. Now this is all I can remember of it!!!!

   Send for the young man who led me astray,
\ Oh, tell him I want him, I want him today

   (later on in the song)

    She died that morning and the babe died that night
    Both wrapped up together in a long veil (gown) of white

That's all I remember !!!       Help !!!!!!!!!

Subject: Lyr Add: GRIEF IS A KNOT
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 03 - 09:28 PM

Does this look familiar?

GRIEF IS A KNOT

Grief is a knot that is hard to untie,
Love is a thing that no money can buy,
Sorrow and trouble and the breaking of my heart,
So let me tell you dear comrade it's hard for to part.

I haven't no father, no mother no home,
No one for to love me I'm one all alone,
I had but one brother and a sailor was he,
And tonight he lies slumbering into the deep sea.

But the worst of my troubles are yet for to come,
For the one I love dearly where can he be gone?
He's gone from me now leaving me all alone,
With no one for to love me, no friends or no home.

This young man was sent for, and quickly he came,
He knocked on the door and she answered come in,
He bent down to kiss her but turning her head,
"It's too often you've kissed me," the dying girl said.

"Are you dying in love? Are you dying in pain?
Can I do anything for you?" The young man exclaimed.
"Can I do anything for you, has you're all alone,
With no one for to love me no friends or no home."

"Yes Mary darling, it's true what you say,
For I'll take the baby when you pass away,
For you say it is mine and I cannot deny."
"Oh don't you be so deceitful as you were to I."

The day of Mary's funeral was a sad one for sight,
To see the babe on her bosom, in long rows of white,
For she died that morning and the babe died that night,
And now they both slumber in silence so white.

Subject: RE: Sad Song? 45 yrs ago...lyrics???
From: GUEST,Sarah Sling
Date: 04 Apr 03 - 09:41 PM

OH....thank you so very much!!!! YES, that is it!!!!
I must be getting old.... I mixed the lyrics all up :)
Thanks again!

Subject: RE: Sad Song? 45 yrs ago...lyrics???
From: Deckman
Date: 04 Apr 03 - 09:45 PM

Ain't MUDCAT Great!. Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Grief Is a Knot
From: GUEST,Brenda Daley
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 02:04 PM

yes, that is the song.
your not the only one who sings this song, i love this song to,
my grandmother Daley use to sing this song, and she loved it as well, i know this song off by heart, and those are the right lyrics.
good job ! :)

Subject: RE: GRIEF IS A KNOT
From: GUEST,cherri
Date: 13 Mar 08 - 08:29 PM

My mother used to sing it for us, I remember some lyrics:

Grief is a knot that is hard to untie, and love it is something that money can't buy
Sorrow and trouble is the break of my heart
Now I tell you dear comrade, it is hard for to part
I have no mother , no father, no home, I've no one to love me I am left all alone
I once had a brother and a sailor was he, but tonight he lie sleeping beneath the blue sea
But the worst of my troubles are yet for to come
For the one I love dearly, oh where has he gone
He's gone and he's left me and I 'm all alone
with no one for to love me, no one for my own

Oh grief is a knot....

Subject: Lyr Add: GRIEF IS A KNOT
From: Peace
Date: 13 Mar 08 - 08:54 PM

Lyrics here.

Grief Is A Knot

Grief is a knot that is hard to untie,
Love is a thing that no money can buy,
Sorrow and trouble and the breaking of my heart,
So let me tell you dear comrade it's hard for to part.

I haven't no father, no mother no home,
No one for to love me I'm one all alone,
I had but one brother and a sailor was he,
And tonight he lies slumbering into the deep sea.

But the worst of my troubles are yet for to come,
For the one I love dearly where can he be gone?
He's gone from me now leaving me all alone,
With no one for to love me, no friends or no home.

This young man was sent for, and quickly he came,
He knocked on the door and she answered come in,
He bent down to kiss her but turning her head,
"It's too often you've kissed me," the dying girl said.

"Are you dying in love? Are you dying in pain?
Can I do anything for you?" The young man exclaimed.
"Can I do anything for you, has you're all alone,
With no one for to love me no friends or no home."

"Yes Mary darling, it's true what you say,
For I'll take the baby when you pass away,
For you say it is mine and I cannot deny."
"Oh don't you be so deceitful as you were to I."

The day of Mary's funeral was a sad one for sight,
To see the babe on her bosom, in long rows of white,
For she died that morning and the babe died that night,
And now they both slumber in silence so white.

Subject: ADD: Grief Is a Knot
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 01:21 PM

What an amazing tear-jerker!! This song is included in Peacock's Songs of the Newfoundland Outports.

Grief Is a Knot

1.        Grief is a knot which is hard to untie,
        Love is a thing that money can't buy,
        Sorrow and trouble is the breaking of my heart,
        And I tell you, my comrades, it's hard for to part.

2.        I haven't no father, no mother, no home,
        No brother, no sister, I'm all all alone;
        I had one brother and a sailor was he,
        And today he lies slumbering into the deep sea.

3.        Oh the worst of my trouble is yet for to come,
        The one I love dearly, where can he be gone?
        This long week has passed, love, and he is not come,
        I wonder oh where can my Willie be gone?

4.        He's gone from me now leaving me all alone,
        No one to love me, no friends or no home,
        No brother, no sister for to comfort me,
        I wish I was in heaven with mother today.

5.        When he returned unto me he did say:
        "I think we'll get married before I go 'way;
        Don't you think it won't suit you as you're all alone,
        No one for to love you, no friends or no home?"

6.        Then I consented to be his young bride
        With his head on my bosom as he sat by my side,
        Saying, "Mary, I am sorry for the words that I said,
        I never intended that we should be wed."

7.        "What are you saying or what do you mean,
        Are you going to leave me in sorrow and shame,
        Are you going to leave me as I am alone,
        No one for to love me, no friends or no home?"

8.        "Yes Mary darling, we are going to part,
        For I now love another, she is my sweetheart,
        You know that I loved you in the days that's gone by,
        But I now love another, so Mary, goodbye."

9.        To her bed she was taken and this she did say:
        "Go send for that young man, I'm going to die,
        Go send for that young man and bring him in here,
        Go bring him before me, that's all I do ask."

10.        This young man was sent for and quickly he came,
        He knocked at the door and she answered, "Come in,
        You deceitful, hard-hearted, young Willie," said she,
        "Can't you see where I'm suffering and dying for thee?"

11.        "Are you dying in love, are you dying in pain,
        Can I do anything for you?" the young man exclaimed.
        "No nothing, no nothing, false Willie," said she,
        "It is all for your sake I am dying today."

12.        He bent for to kiss her but turning her head,
        "Don't you dare for to kiss me," the dying girl said,
        "Too often you kissed me, too often," said she,
        It's all to you Willie I'm suffering today."

13.        "Oh Mary, dearest Mary, what do you want of me?"
        "Will you take the baby when I pass away?
        For you know it is yours love and you can't deny,
        Don't you be so deceitful as you was to me."

14.        "Yes, Mary darling, I know it is mine,
        Yes, I'll take the baby when you pass away."
        "Oh I know it will be frowned on when I pass away,
        God answer my prayers and take him with me."

15.        Oh the day of Mary's funeral was a sad mournful sight,
        With her babe on her bosom in long robes of white;
        Where she died that evening and the babe died that night,
        And they both lay a-slumbering in silence so bright.

Verse 11 is from a similar variant sung by Mrs. A. Ghaney of Fermeuse.

Source: Ken Peacock, Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, Vol. 3, Page 673
Sung by Mrs. Freeman Bennett, Great Northern Peninsula, St. Paul's, Newfoundland - August, 1958

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Click to play

-Joe-




Theres's also a version posted at the wonderful GEST Website, a collection of Newfoundland songs.

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Grief Is a Knot
From: Beer
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 01:28 PM

Wow! Tear jerker indeed. I would love to hear how the melody goes.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Grief Is a Knot
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Mar 08 - 02:11 PM

Your wish is my command, Adrien.

---

Click to play

-Joe-


Note that there were two threads on this song. I combined them.

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Grief Is a Knot
From: Beer
Date: 15 Mar 08 - 09:49 AM

Thank you kindly Joe. Very much appreciated.

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Grief Is a Knot
From: GUEST,Myrick
Date: 06 Aug 08 - 07:16 PM

I grew up listening to this song and managed to get the words of it from my uncle to learn. If anyone happens to be in the St. John's, Newfoundland area on August 9th, drop by the St. John's Folk Festival - I'll be singing this song.