Pete Seeger - Henry My Son lyrics

You know it may seem hard to imagine
But once upon a time people didn't have
Any such thing as television
Didn't have any radios
And if you wanted to have any music
You just had to make it yourself

It was only the kings and queens
That could afford to have somebody
Else make music for them
And you might not think it
Would be very good music
Everybody making their own music
But you'd be surprised
In almost every family
It seemed like there'd be somebody
Who could sing a song
Or tell a story or tell a joke or something
And in the evening they'd
Crowd around the fire may be so keep warm

One man told me he learned
How to play the fiddle
Because he noticed the fiddler always got
To stand nearest to the fire
So he decided that if he wants to stay warm
He better learn how to play the fiddle
And they'd sing these old ballads you know
Like

Where have you been all the day
Randall my son?
Where have you been all the day
My pretty one?
I've been to my sweetheart, mother
I've been to my sweetheart, mother
Mother, make my bed soon
For I'm sick to my heart
And I fain would lie down

That's an old old song, very sad one
But I met a fellow last
November over in England
And he said he knew it a different way
Everybody knows these songs different
Ways it seems
He says, when he was a kid, all the
All the kids used to sing it

Where have you been all the day
Henry my boy?
Where have you been all the day
My pride and joy? In the woods, dear mother
In the woods, dear mother mother be quick
I got to be sick and lay me down to die
What did you do in the woods all day
Henry my son?
What did you do in the woods all day
My pretty one? Ate, dear mother
Ate, dear mother mother be quick
I got to be sick and lay me down to die

What did you eat in the woods all day
Henry my boy?
What did you eat in the woods all day
My saveloy? Eels, dear mother
Eels, dear mother mother be quick
I got to be sick and lay me down to die

What color was those eels, Henry my boy?
What color was those eels, my pride and joy?
Green and yeller green and yeller
Mother be quick
I got to be sick and lay me down to die

Those eels were snakes, Henry my boy
Those eels were snakes, my saveloy
Urgh, dear mother urgh, dear mother
Mother be quick
I got to be sick and lay me down to die

What color flowers would you like
Henry my son?
What color flowers would you like
My currant bun? Green and yeller
Green and yeller mother be quick
I got to be sick and lay me down to die