The Unquiet Grave
Gryphon Lyrics
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I only had but one true love and in greenwood she lies slain
I'll do as much for my true love as any young man may
I'll sit and mourn along her grave for a twelve-month and a day
When the twelve months and one day was past the ghost began to speak:
"Why sit thou'st here along my grave and will not let me sleep?"
"There's one thing that I want sweetheart, there's one thing that I crave
And that is a kiss from your lily white lips then I'll go from your grave"
And if you kiss my cold clay lips your days they won't be long
Go fetch me water from the desert and blood from out of stone
Go fetch me milk from a fair maid's breast that a young man never had known"
'Twas down in Cupid's Garden where you and I would walk
The finest flower that ever I saw is withered to a stalk
The stalk is withered and dry sweetheart the flower will ne'er return
And since I lost my one true love what can I do but mourn?
"When shall we meet again sweetheart? When shall we meet again?"
"Ere the oaken leaves that fall from the trees are green and spring up again"
Gryphon's The Unquiet Grave is a poignant ballad that recounts one man's everlasting love for a woman who died too soon. The lyrics are inspired by traditional English and Scottish ballads, and the song features hauntingly beautiful melodies that capture the emotions of the singer. The first stanza talks about the cold wind and rain, and how the singer's true love lies slain in the greenwood. The singer then expresses his undying love for his true love and says that he will mourn her for a year and a day.
In the second stanza, the ghost of the true love speaks to the singer and asks him why he won't let her sleep. The singer says that he wants a kiss from her lily white lips, even though they are as cold as clay. The ghost warns the singer that if he kisses her lips, his days won't be long, and tells him to fetch water from the desert, blood from a stone, and milk from a fair maid's breast that a young man has never known. In the third stanza, the singer talks about the garden where he used to walk with his true love and how everything has withered away since she died. He wonders when they will meet again, and the ghost replies that it will be before the oak leaves turn green and spring up again.
Overall, The Unquiet Grave is a timeless song that speaks to anyone who has lost a loved one. The singer's endless devotion to his true love and his willingness to do anything to be with her again are heart-wrenching and relatable. The haunting melodies and poetic lyrics make this song a classic that will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold blows the wind to my true love and gently drops the rain
The weather is melancholic and reflective of the sorrow I feel for my deceased beloved
I only had but one true love and in greenwood she lies slain
I had one true love who was killed in the woods
I'll do as much for my true love as any young man may
I will do anything a young man can do for my true love
I'll sit and mourn along her grave for a twelve-month and a day
I will spend a year and a day mourning at my love's grave
When the twelve months and one day was past the ghost began to speak:
After one year and one day, the ghost of my beloved started speaking to me
"Why sit thou'st here along my grave and will not let me sleep?"
The ghost of my love questions why I am constantly by her grave, not letting her rest
"There's one thing that I want sweetheart, there's one thing that I crave
My beloved's ghost asks me for one thing
And that is a kiss from your lily white lips then I'll go from your grave"
She wants a kiss from my lips and then she will leave her grave
"My lips they are as cold as clay my breath smells earthy strong
My love's ghost warns me that her lips are cold and her breath smells like earth
And if you kiss my cold clay lips your days they won't be long
If I kiss her cold lips, it will lead to my death soon after
Go fetch me water from the desert and blood from out of stone
The ghost sets impossible tasks for me, like bringing water from a desert and blood from a stone
Go fetch me milk from a fair maid's breast that a young man never had known"
She also demands milk from an unknown young mother
'Twas down in Cupid's Garden where you and I would walk
I think back to the moments I shared with my beloved in the Cupid's Garden
The finest flower that ever I saw is withered to a stalk
The most beautiful flower I had ever seen has now become nothing but a wilted stem
The stalk is withered and dry sweetheart the flower will ne'er return
The flower cannot return as the stem has dried out
And since I lost my one true love what can I do but mourn?
I feel so lost without my love that all I can do is mourn
"When shall we meet again sweetheart? When shall we meet again?"
I wonder when I can be with my love again
"Ere the oaken leaves that fall from the trees are green and spring up again"
We won't be able to meet until the oak tree leaves that have fallen turn green and bloom again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN DOUGLAS GULLAND, DAVID OBERLE, GRAEME TAYLOR, RICHARD ALLEN HARVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind