Love Henry
Jolie Holland Lyrics
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And stay all night with me
I have gold chains and the finest I have
I'll apply them all to thee
I can't get down and I won't get down
And stay all night with you
There's a pretty little girl in Cornersville
She laid his head on a pillow of down
And kisses, gave him three
With a penny knife, she held in her hand
She murdered mortal he
Get well, get well love Henry, she cried
Get well, get well said she
Oh, don't you see my own heart's blood
Come flowing down so free?
She took him by his long yellow hair
And also at the knee
She plunged him into well water where
It runs both cold and deep
Lie there, lie there love Henry, she cried
Till the flesh rots off your bones
Some pretty little girl in Cornersville
Will mourn for your return
Hush up, hush up my parrot, she cried
Don't tell any tales on me
These costly beads around my neck
I'll apply them all to thee
I won't fly down and I can't fly down
And light on your right knee
A girl who'd murdered her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me
Fly down, fly down oh parrot, she cried
And light on my right knee
The doors to your cage shall be decked with gold
And hung on a willow tree
I won't fly down and I can't fly down
And light on your right knee
A girl who'd murdered her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me
The song "Love Henry" by Jolie Holland tells a gruesome story about a woman who murders her lover, Henry, out of jealousy. The song is sung in a traditional folk style, with a gentle guitar strum and a mournful lament in the vocals. The woman in the song tries to lure Henry to stay with her by offering him gold chains and fine jewels. However, Henry refuses, stating that he loves a pretty girl in Cornersville more than her. This enrages the woman, who then kills him with a penny knife. She lays Henry's head on a down pillow and gives him three kisses before killing him.
The lyrics continue to describe how the woman disposes of Henry's body, by plunging him into well water. She tells him to "lie there, lie there till the flesh rots off your bones," while she wears the beads she promised Henry to her parrot. The final stanza reveals that the parrot cannot be lured down to the woman's knee because it knows what she has done, and warns her not to kill it as well.
The song is a haunting tale of jealousy and murder, told in the traditional folk style. It speaks to the darker side of human nature, where love can turn into obsession and violence. Although the song is centuries old, its themes remain relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
Get down, get down love Henry, she cried
The woman calls out to Henry to come closer to her.
And stay all night with me
She wants him to spend the night with her.
I have gold chains and the finest I have
She tries to tempt him with her best possessions: her gold chains.
I'll apply them all to thee
She tells him that she would give him everything she has.
I can't get down and I won't get down
Henry refuses her advances.
And stay all night with you
He does not want to spend the night with her.
There's a pretty little girl in Cornersville
He tells her that he loves another girl more.
I love far better than you
Henry's love for the other girl is stronger.
She laid his head on a pillow of down
The woman shows affection to Henry.
And kisses, gave him three
She kisses him.
With a penny knife, she held in her hand
The woman has a knife.
She murdered mortal he
She kills Henry with the knife.
Get well, get well love Henry, she cried
She pretends to cry for him.
Get well, get well said she
She pretends to want him to recover.
Oh, don't you see my own heart's blood
She shows him a bleeding wound as evidence of her own heartbreak.
Come flowing down so free?
She tells him her blood is still pouring out.
She took him by his long yellow hair
The woman has control over Henry's lifeless body.
And also at the knee
She holds him by his hair and knee before submerging him.
She plunged him into well water where
The woman puts his body into a well.
It runs both cold and deep
The well has deep, cold water.
Lie there, lie there love Henry, she cried
She taunts his lifeless body.
Till the flesh rots off your bones
She hopes for his body to slowly decay.
Some pretty little girl in Cornersville
She predicts that someone else will love Henry.
Will mourn for your return
She predicts someone will miss his company.
Hush up, hush up my parrot, she cried
She does not want to be exposed for what she's done.
Don't tell any tales on me
She asks the parrot to keep her secret.
These costly beads around my neck
She entices the parrot with the promise of valuable items.
I'll apply them all to thee
She promises to give the parrot her valuable beads.
I won't fly down and I can't fly down
The parrot does not trust her.
And light on your right knee
The parrot will not sit on her right knee.
A girl who'd murdered her own true love
The parrot accuses her of being a murderer.
Would kill a little bird like me
The parrot is wary of her intentions.
Fly down, fly down oh parrot, she cried
The woman tries to coax the parrot down again.
And light on my right knee
She attempts to gain the parrot's trust again.
The doors to your cage shall be decked with gold
She promises to decorate the parrot's cage with gold, hinting at her desperation.
And hung on a willow tree
She offers the willow tree for the parrot's enjoyment, but it is not enough.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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