Loreena McKennitt - The Bonny Swans

 

 

 

A farmer there lived in the north country,
a hey ho and me bonny o
And he had daughters one, two, three,
The swans swim so bonny o
These daughters they walked by the river's brim
a hey ho and me bonny o
The eldest pushed the youngest in
The swans swim so bonny o.

Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand
a hey ho and me bonny o
and I will give you house and land
The swans swim so bonny o
I'll give you neither hand nor glove
a hey ho and me bonny o
Unless you give me your own true love
The swans swim so bonny o.

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
a hey ho and me bonny o
Until she came to a miller's dam
The swans swim so bonny o
The miller's daughter, dressed in red
a hey ho and me bonny o
She went for some water to make her bread
The swans swim so bonny o.

O father, o daddy, here swims a swan
a hey ho and me bonny o
It's very like a gentle woman
The swans swim so bonny o
They laid her on the bank to dry
a hey ho and me bonny o
There came a harper passing by
The swans swim so bonny o.

He made harp pins of her fingers fair
a hey ho and me bonny o
He made harp strings of her golden hair
The swans swim so bonny o
He made a harp of her breast bone
a hey ho and me bonny o
And straight it began to play alone
The swans swim so bonny o.

He brought it to her father's hall
a hey ho and me bonny o
And there was the court assembled all
The swans swim so bonny o
He laid the harp upon the stone
a hey ho and me bonny o
And straight it began to play alone
The swans swim so bonny o.

There does sit my father, the King
a hey ho and me bonny o
And yonder sits my mother the Queen
The swans swim so bonny o
And there does sit my brother Hugh
a hey ho and me bonny o
And by him William, sweet and true
The swans swim so bonny o.

And there does sit my false sister Anne
a hey ho and me bonny o
Who drowned me for the sake of a man
The swans swim so bonny o.