Fitcher's Bird and Other Tales of the Macabre

by Forest Mountain Hymnal

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05:50
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about

Here are some spooky tunes to put you in the Halloween spirit! We suggest you turn them up, light a fire, drink some apple cider, and prepare to be haunted.

credits

released 26 October 2011
Jonathan Alan Moody, Rebecca Rose Moody

Cover art by Tracey Milum (traceymilum.com)

tags

tags: folk halloween americana ballad fairytale folk holiday indie singer-songwriter spooky Nashville

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all rights reserved

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about

Forest Mountain Hymnal (Jonathan and Rebecca Moody) is the result of our passion for folk music, fables, and the natural world in which we grew up, both in Nashville, Tennessee and Sewanee, Tennessee at the University of the South. We hope, with our music, to celebrate love, nature, peace and community. ... more

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Track Name: Fitcher's Bird
THE THREE SISTERS
Sister Dear, that beggar there, he’s done a wicked thing.
Mind the latch and guard your arm, or he’ll do to you the same.
In the house, in the woods, where it’s always night-
there alone, you’ll die.

Sister Sweet, your husband there, he’s done a wicked thing.
Mind the locks, the keys, the stair, or he’ll do to you the same
In the chamber where he killed the girls before-
if you’re careless, we'lll never see you more.

Devil sir, I know you well, and I’m not like other girls.
The one up there, with flowers in her hair, who’s wearing all your pearls-
she’s not your bride, she’s not alive,
she’s not you bride, she’s not alive.


THE WEDDING PARTY & FITCHER’S BIRD
Where do you come from?
I come from the Fitcher’s house.
Where do you go?
I’m following the river down.
Have you seen the young bride?
Some would say I know her well...
Have you seen the young bride?


She’s swept the house for you.
She’s beautiful and useful too.
She’s made a meal for you.
We can’t wait to see her soon
She’s waiting there for you.
An end to all these evil things...
She’s waiting there for you!


FITCHER & HIS BIRD
Where do you come from?
I come from your house.
Where do you go?
I’m following the river down.
Have you seen my young bride?
Some would say I know her well...
Have you seen my young bride?


She’s swept the house for you.
She's beautiful and useful too.
She’s made a meal for you.
I can’t wait to kiss her soon.
She’s waiting there for you.
An end to all these evil things...
She’s waiting there for you!


FITCHER’S BIRD
I am Fitcher’s bird!
I am Fitcher’s bird!
The flames will rise up,
and you’ll be gone.
The flames will rise up,
and you’ll be gone.

I am Fitcher's bird!
I am Fitcher’s bird!
And I’ll dance on home.
And I’ll dance on home.

I am Fitcher’s bird!
I am Fitcher’s bird!
The flames will rise up,
and he’ll be gone.
The flames will rise up,
and he’ll be gone.

I am Fitcher's bird!
I am Fitcher’s bird!
And I’ll dance on home.
And I’ll dance on home.
Track Name: Lady Margaret (Child Ballad 74)
Lady Margaret sitting in her high hall door,
Combing her long yellow hair,
She saw sweet William and his new-made bride
Riding from the church so near.

She throwed down her ivory comb,
She throwed back her long yellow hair,
Said "I'll go down an bid 'em farewell
and never more go there."

It was all lately in the night,
when they were fast asleep
Lady Margaret appeared all dressed in white
Standing at their bed feet.

"How do you like your pillow?" says she.
"How do you like your sheet?"
"And how do you like that fair young maiden,
Lying in your arms asleep?"

"Very well do I like my pillow" says he.
"Much better do I like my sheet."
"But better do I like that fair young lady
Standing at my bed feet."

Once he kissed her lilly white hand,
Twice he kissed her cheek,
Three times he kissed her cold corpsey lips
And fell in her arms asleep.

Is Lady Margaret in her room,
Or is she in the hall?
No, Lady Margaret's in her cold black coffin,
Face turned to the wall.
Track Name: Jack of the Lantern
MOTHER
Jack of the Lantern,
my children, beware him.
He wanders the road
with the light in his hand.
He knew the devil-
was with him, deceived him.
The Lord will not have him now.
The nights are now longer.
The spirits all wander and
he walks the road
and he's ever at hand.
Jack of the lantern,
my children, beware him.
The lord will not have him now

CHILD
I could never believe her story-
it told of a shadows that never could be-
so I would walk by the road in the darkness
to prove that these fables meant nothing to me.
But one October’s eve I went wandering,
alone in the darkness, a light in my hand.
There I saw him, Jack of the Lantern,
walking beside me, a march of the damned.
White with fear, I could not go further.
I fell to my knees by the side of the road.
The sound of screams came strangely familiar,
I could not tell if they were his or my own.
Track Name: Pretty Polly
I courted pretty Polly the live long night,
I courted pretty Polly the live long night,
And left her next morning before it was light.

Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come and go along with me,
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come and go along with me,
Before we get married some pleasure to see.

I led her over hills and vallies so deep,
I led her over hills and vallies so deep,
And then pretty Polly, she began to weep.

Oh Willy, oh Willy, I'm 'fraid of your ways,
Oh Willy, oh Willy, I'm 'fraid of your ways,
I fear you will lead my poor body astray.

Oh Polly, pretty Polly, you guessed just 'bout right,
Oh Polly, pretty Polly, you guessed just 'bout right,
I dug on your grave biggest part of last night.

She throwed her arms around him and trembled with fear,
She throwed her arms around him and trembled with fear,
How can you kill a girl, who was to you so dear?

He stabbed her through the heart, her heart's blood it did flow,
He stabbed her through the heart, her heart's blood it did flow,
Into the grave pretty Polly did go.

He throwed a little dirt over her and started for home,
He throwed a little dirt over her and started for home,
Leaving nothing behind but the wild birds to moan.
Track Name: The Ghost of John
Have you seen the ghost of John?
Long white bones with the skin all gone,
Oooh, wouldn't it be chilly with no skin on?