Judy Collins

[fox69]

"Lily Of The Valley"

"Lily Of The Valley"


Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley

They called her Lily of the Valley
And she lived beside the river
The youngest of her sisters
And the prettiest of them all
She was courted by the men in town
She could have married anyone
The one she made her husband
Was the handsomest of all.

They were married in a chapel
Lily bore him seven children
And every night he put her down
And made her feel ashamed.

He took the face she used to wear
And put a look of sorrow there
The more he made her suffer
The more she felt to blame

No more tears Lily
Don't cry anymore
Tears of yours won't fall another time.
Don't cry Lilly
We know how you've tried
Fighting for your life was not a crime.

One night Lily turned to him
Before he raised his hand to her
One more time she said, and not again
He laughed and threw another punch
The blow knocked Lily to the floor,
Somehow she grabbed the kitchen knife
And stabbed her husband dead.

The jury they decided it was murder in the first degree
They said she had provoked him
With her wild and wicked talk.
They hanged her by the river
Where so many times she wandered
And left her children motherless
In sorrow and in shock.

No more tears Lily
Don't cry anymore
Tears of yours won't fall another time.
Don't cry Lilly
We know how you've tried
Fighting for your life was not a crime.

A soldier in a uniform is meant to kill the enemy
But Lilly in her own defense was framed to take the fall
Her children watched their father beat their mother all too often
The battlefields of families are the saddest of them all.

The willow weeps for Lily
As its branches touch the water
The wind is crying, "Lily"
As it sighs along the shore
The river's singing "Lily -
We all know that you are innocent"
You were promised marriage
But you had to fight a war.

No more tears Lily
Don't cry any more
Tears of yours won't fall another time.
Don't cry Lily
We know how you tried
Fighting for your life was not a crime.

Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley

 

[fox69]

"Little Brown Dog"

"Little Brown Dog"


I buyed me a little dog its color it was brown
Taught him to whistle to sing and dance and run
His legs they were fourteen yards long his ears they were broad
Round the world in half a day on him I could ride
Sing terry O' day

I buyed me a little bull he was four inches high
Everybody feared him who ever heard him cry
When he began to bellow he made such melodious sound
That all the walls in London came tumblin' to the ground
Sing terry O day
Sing taddle day

I buyed me a flock of sheep thought they were all wethers
Sometimes they yielded wool sometimes yielded feathers
I know mine are the very best sheep for yield and increase
Every full and turn of the moon they bring forth lambs and geese
Sing terry O day
Sing taddle day

I buyed me a little glass colored it was green
In it was all the wonders man has ever seen
I put in my pocket tied up with a cloth
Cried and cried the day I found that it had been lost
Sing terry O day
Sing taddle day

I buyed me a little dog its color it was brown
Taught him to whistle to sing and dance and run
His legs they were fourteen yards long his ears they were broad
Round the world in half a day on him I could ride
Sing terry O day
Sing terry O day

 

[fox69]

"Little Road To Bethlehem"

"Little Road To Bethlehem"


As I walk down
The road
I sit up some
The lambs were
Coming homeward
One by one
I heard
A sheepbell
Softly
Calling them
Along
The little road
To Bethlehem

Beside
An open door
As I drew night
I heard
Sweet Mary
A lullaby
She sang
About the lambs
At close of day
And rocked her
Tiny boy
Among the hay

Across the air
The silver
Sheepbell rang
The lambs
Are coming home
Sweet Mary sang
You're
A star of gold
You're
A star of gold
Is shining
In the sky
So sleep
My little baby
Go lullaby

As I walk down
The road
I sit up some
The lambs were
Coming homeward
One by one
I heard
A sheepbell
Softly
Calling them
Along
The little road
To Bethlehem

 

[fox69]

"Liverpool Lullaby"

"Liverpool Lullaby"


Oh you are a mucky kid,
Dirty as a dustbin lid
When he finds out the things you did
You'll get a belt from your da
Oh you have your father's nose
So crimson in the dark, it glows
If you're not asleep when the boozers close
You'll get a belt from your da

You look so scruffy lying there
Strawberry jam tats in your hair
Though in the world you haven't a care
And I have got so many
It's quite a struggle everyday
Living on your father's pay
The bugger drinks it all away
And leaves me without any

Although we have no silver spoon
Better days are coming soon
Now Nellie's working at the loom
And she gets paid on Friday
Perhaps one day we'll have a splash
When Littlewoods provides the cash
We'll get a house in Knotty Ash
And buy your dad a brewery

Oh you are a mucky kid,
Dirty as a dustbin lid
When he finds out the things you did
You'll get a belt from your da
Oh you have your father's face
You're growing up a real hard case
But there's no one can take your place
Go fast asleep for Mammy

 

[fox69]

"Loch Lomond"

"Loch Lomond"


By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Where we two have passed so many blithesome days,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye.
But me and my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

I mind where we parted on yon shady glen,
On the steep, steep side o' Ben Lomond.
Where in purple hue, the Heiland hills we view,
And the moon shinin' out from the gloamin'.

O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye.
But me and my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

The wee bird may sing and the wild flowers spring,
And in sunshine the waters are sleeping:
The broken heart will ken nae second spring again,
And the world does not know how we're grievin'.

O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye.
But me and my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

 

[fox69]

"Lord Gregory"

"Lord Gregory"


I am a queen's daughter I come from Capakin
In search of Lord Gregory, Pray God I find him

The rain beats on my yellow head, the dew wets my skin
My wee babe's cold in my arms; Lord Gregory, Let me in

Lord Gregory, he is not here, I swear can't be seen
He's gone to bonny Scotland for to bring home a fair queen

So leave now these portals and likewise this hall
For it's deep in the sea you should find you downfall

Oh don't you remember, Love, that night in Capakin
When we exchanged rings, Love, and I against my will

Yours was pure silver and mine was but tin
Yours cost a guinea and mine but a pin

My curse on you, Mother, my curse being sore
I dreamed that my true love come a knocking at the door

Lie down now, my foolish son, lie down and sleep
Twas only a servant girl lies drowned in the deep

Go saddle my black horse, the brown or the bay
Go saddle the fastest horse in my stable this day

I'll ride over mountains and valleys so wide
I'll find the girl that I love and ride by her side

 

[fox69]

"Love"

"Love"


Love don't say you can't forgive me
How can I bear to have you say goodbye
G-d has mercy can't you spare some
I'm beggin' you to say if it's just a while
I'll take the crumbs you leave at my door
I just can't bear not to see you anymore
All those year of love can't be gone
Take me with you don't leave me here alone

Don't say goodbye love
I couldn't bear to hear it
Don't say goodbye love
It's what I always feared

Nightmares come I know I've had one
Why can't we be awake say it's just dream
This is all to real for dreaming
Like something in a play truer than a scene

How did you love change to hate
Only a moment passed
Now its too lave
Bind to the truth I have loved
Lost, I am helpless without you

Don't say goodbye love
I couldn't bear to hear it
Don't say goodbye love
It's what I've always feared

High above the moon is hiding
Clouds covering her face so she cannot tell
Tears are falling from my own eyes
Truth dying and my heart struggles to be free
I want to hide in the past
Where I thought that I found love at last
Love that would suffer my sins
Love that would let me begin to live

Don't say goodbye love
I couldn't bear to hear it
Don't say goodbye love
It's what I've always feared

 

[fox69]

"Love Hurts"

"Love Hurts"


Here I am at your door
Hoping you'll come back once more
And here I am and your love has died
It's one thing I wish you could hide

Love hurts when you know that it's gone
Love hurts when when you still love someone
Love hurts when there's nothing to do
But crty all the tears left inside you

I've heard it said that time brings relief
But hey just how long will it take
And here I am I feel like a fool
For causing this fool's heart to break

Love hurts when you know that it's gone
Love hurts when when you still love someone
Love hurts when there's nothing to do
But crty all the tears left inside you

How can I see you like seeing a friend
when each time I see you I break down again

Love hurts when there's nothing to do
But crty all the tears left inside you
Love hurts when you know that it's gone
Love hurts when when you still love someone
Love hurts when there's nothing to do
But crty all the tears left inside you

 

[fox69]

"Love Minus Zero / No Limit"

"Love Minus Zero / No Limit"


My love, she speaks like silence
Without ideals or violence
She doesn't have to say, she's faithful
Yet she's true like ice like fire

People carry roses
Make promises by the hours
My love laughs like the flowers
Valentines can't buy her

In the dime stores and bus stations
People talk of situations
Read books, repeat quotations
Draw conclusions on the wall

Some speak of the future
My love she speaks softly
She knows, there's no success like failure
And that failure's no success at all

The cloak and dagger dangles
Madams light the candles
In ceremonies of the horsemen
Even the pawn must hold a grudge

Statues made of match sticks
Crumble into one another
My love winks, she doesn't bother
She knows too much to argue or to judge

The bridge at midnight trembles
The country doctor rambles
Bankers' nieces seek perfection
Expecting all gifts that wise men bring

The wind howls like a hammer
The night blows cold and rainy
My love, she's like some raven
At my window with a broken wing

 

[fox69]

"Lovin' And Leavin'"

"Lovin' And Leavin'"


When you were a cowboy on the plain
You stole my heart away
I'm writing you to say that
You were my original hero

My fabulous prince and my lover
You had the right answer to the riddle
But the years went by
And finally I left you for another
Saying this is love

I'm sorry for the pain I caused you
I was a crazy girl in those days
But I have been burned
And, darling, I've learned
That lovin' and leavin' don't pay

You were just the first of many men
I thought you would set me free
I took what I could
Made you a promise
That you wouldn't bind me

Then I would see a new smile
See the future bright and shining
I turned and tossed
In a sea so deep no one could find me
Saying this must be love

I'm sorry for the pain I caused you
I was a crazy girl in those days
And I have been burned
And, darling, I've learned
That lovin' and leavin' don't pay

Finally a man came along
I gave him all I had
I would have gone
To the end of the Earth for him
If he'd asked me

He only turned on his heel
And walked back the way he came
All all of my tears
And the pieces of my heart
Couldn't turn him around

Maybe I've paid the price
For breaking all those hearts
Maybe my dice will come up this time
With a lover that's really mine

So can you say you forgive
The girl you used to love
I've played the stakes high
And I've paid for my crimes
In the name of love

I'm sorry for the pain I caused you
I was a crazy girl in those days
But I have been burned
And, darling, I've learned
That lovin' and leavin' don't pay