Lyr Req: The Willow Tree

Subject: Lyric request - The willow tree
From: GUEST,Guest, PaulaH
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 03:17 PM

I just heard an incredibly beautiful song on the Prairie Home Companion called The Willow Tree. None of the songs I have been able to research by that name match the lyrics I heard which were in part:

Down by the river there's a tall willow tree
Who weeps all night for you and me
And its lay down low, my love
And its lay down my own true love
The shadows are falling, the night has come
And its lay down my love.

I tried to get all the words to this very pretty song, but just couldn't keep up. If anyone knows the rest of the lyrics and a brief history, I would love to hear it. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyric request - The willow tree
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 04:38 PM

Hi Paula,

It's from Len Graham and Pádraigín Ní Uallachaín's CD When I was Young.

I think Pádraigín may have written the song. I don't have the lyrics to hand - they're in the sleeve notes (and they're with my parents - I've just got a copy on my ipod) but someone else on here might know them.

Subject: RE: Lyric request - The willow tree
From: GUEST,PaulaH
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 06:47 PM

Fibula - Thank you so much for the link - the song is just so beautiful I may get the CD for that alone!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WILLOW TREE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 10:52 PM

Fibula has correctly identified the song. (There are several other songs with the same title.) This one is also on Padraigin Ni Uallachain's album "An Irish Lullaby," Shanachie CD #78036, 2000.

On "A Prairie Home Companion," Cathal McConnell and Dave Richardson of The Boys of the Lough sang THE WILLOW TREE. You can hear the archived radio program at this page. The song begins 14 minutes and 15 seconds from the beginning of Segment 3.

Here's my transcription. I had to guess at the spelling of some of the place names.

THE WILLOW TREE

1. Down by the river there's a tall willow tree
Who weeps all night for you and me.

CHORUS: And it's lay down low, my love.
And it's lay you down, my own true love.
[It's] shadows are falling and night has come,
And it's lay down low, my love.

2. Under the branches of the brown thorn tree,
The wild bird is watching over Lissonshee (?).

3. On Lake Derravaragh there's a white-feathered swan
Who sings with sorrow the whole night long.

4. The moon is moving over Powmabrone (?)
Where two lovers are lying on their bed of stone.

5. Down by the river there's a tall willow tree
Who weeps all night for you and me.

---

From Shlomo Caine: Joe, for what it's worth.... in Patty's song you had the place name "Pawmabrone" with a question mark... The correct place name is Poll na Brón which is in the Burren in county Clare.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 05:06 AM

Hello,

Me again. In verse 4 it';s likely to be Poulnabrone, after the dolmen there that is claimed, like most other dolmens round the place, to be the bed of Diarmuid and Grainne, those famous pair of lovers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,PaulaH
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 08:06 PM

Many thanks to both of you!! I now know where to get the music on CD, the lyrics, some of the history and an opportunity to hear it again on PHC. I couldn't have asked for more. Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,Elizabeth
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 05:08 AM

Isn't it Brendan Begley that sings with Cathal McConnel on the PHC-clip, and not Dave Richardson?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 06:48 PM

Elizabeth: At the end of the song, Garrison says, "Thanks, Cathal--Dave". That's all I had to go on. I can't recognize them by their voices. Maybe Garrison was wrong!

Fibula: Thanks for the "Poulnabrone" correction.

I suspect "Lissonshee" is wrong, too, because Google doesn't find it. Can anyone correct it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,Elizabeth
Date: 08 Dec 06 - 03:48 AM

It could come from Lios na Sí? I think it means Ring-fort of the fairies, but maybe some Irish speakers can correct this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,Paul Fremantle
Date: 01 Dec 08 - 09:40 AM

Has anyone worked out the chords to this? I'd love to see them if you have.

Thanks
Paul

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Dec 08 - 01:33 PM

I now think that "Lissonshee" probably should be "Lissylisheen"—site of a "wedge tomb" about 4 km WSW from Poulnabrone.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,Sylvain Marchika
Date: 19 Jul 11 - 03:04 PM

"Lissonshee" is "Lios Na Si"

"Powmabrone" is "Poll na Bron"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,phil easthope
Date: 03 Mar 12 - 02:55 PM

can anyone help with the guitar chords

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,glasko
Date: 21 Nov 17 - 06:11 PM

The song was written by P?draig?n N? Uallach?in for her album ?An Dara Craiceann / Beneath the Surface?.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: leeneia
Date: 21 Nov 17 - 09:38 PM

You can hear the song on this YouTube video. Lovely!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT36BgrMuGE

It's in the key of G, but it seems to move stepwise a lot. Chords will require a delicate touch.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: pattyClink
Date: 31 Aug 20 - 10:49 PM

Let me try to post a clean version with chords. The text came from Shay Black so I'm not making any up! The chords are my own fault. I am omitting the fadas or whatever those little marks are on the Irish words, if someone would like to clean that up please do.

The Willow Tree
by Padraigin ni Uallachain

Em                         Am          D
Down by the river there's a tall willow tree,
    Em                  G       D
Who weeps all night for you and me.
         Em       Am      Em   
And it's lay down low, my love.


Chorus:
         G       D       Am
And it's lay you down, my own true love.
Em          D          Em       D
Shadows are falling and night has come,
         Em       Am      Em
And it's lay down low, my love.



Under the branches of the brown thorn tree,

The wild bird is watching over Lios na Si (pron. Leeshna-She)

And it's lay down low, my love.



On Lake Derravaragh there's a white-feathered swan

Who sings with sorrow the whole night long.

And it's lay down low, my love.



The moon is moving over Poulnabrone (Poll na Bron)

Where two lovers are lying on their bed of stone.

And it's lay down low, my love.


(repeat verse 1 and chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Willow Tree
From: GUEST,Rory
Date: 13 Nov 20 - 06:10 PM

The Willow Tree
Composed by Pádraigín Ní Uallachaín
Album: When I Was Young (1997),
Children's Songs From Ireland.
Pádraigín Ní Uallachaín, Len Graham and Garry Ó Briain


Artist recordings

The Boys of the Lough
Album: Twenty (2005)

Michael Black
Album: Michael Black (2007)

Danú (Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh)
Album: Buan (2015)

.