Three Little Babes
Newsom Joanna Lyrics
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And three little babes had she
She sent them away to a far country
To learn their grammary
They hadn't been gone but a very short time
About three months and a day
When the lark spread over this whole wide world
It was on a cold, cold Christmas night
When everything was still
And she saw her three little babes come runnin'
Come runnin' down the hill
She set them a table of bread and wine
That they might drink and eat
She spread them a bed of a winding sheet
That they might sleep so sweet
'Take it off, take it off!', cried the eldest one
'Take it off, take it off!', cried she
'For I shan't stay here in this wicked world
When there's a better one for me'
'Cold clods, cold clods inside my bed
Cold clods, down at my feet
The tears my dear mother shed for me
Would wet my winding sheet'
'The tears my dear mother shed for me
Would wet my winding sheet
Would wet my winding sheet'
Joanna Newsom’s song “Three Little Babes” tells the story of a knight and a lady who have three young children. The lady sends the children away to a far-off land to learn their “grammary”. After only three months, the lark spreads over the world and takes the babes away. The lady eventually sees her three children return to her on a cold Christmas night. She prepares a feast for them and lays them down to sleep, but they say that they cannot stay in the world and must return to the afterlife. They say that even their mother’s tears would wet their winding sheets. The song speaks to the idea of death and what happens after we pass from this world.
One interpretation of this song is that the children represent the innocence and purity of youth. The fact that they were taken away so quickly could be a metaphor for how young people often die before their time. The mother’s tears are a symbol of the mourning that occurs when someone is lost. The children’s insistence on returning to the afterlife could represent a belief in a better place beyond this world. Alternatively, it could represent the acceptance of death and the inevitability of passing from this world.
An interesting fact about “Three Little Babes” is that it is a traditional folk ballad that has been passed down for centuries. The song has been performed by countless artists over the years, including Doc Watson and Emmylou Harris. Newsom’s interpretation of the song reflects her interest in folk music and her desire to preserve traditional tunes. The song also appears on Newsom’s “Have One On Me” album alongside other songs that explore themes of love, loss, and the passing of time.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a knight and a lady bright
Once upon a time, there was a valiant and charming knight who fell in love with a radiant lady.
And three little babes had she
Together, they had three precious children.
She sent them away to a far country
The mother sent the young ones to a distant place.
To learn their grammary
They sent them to that place so that they can attain knowledge and education.
They hadn't been gone but a very short time
The children had only been away for a brief period.
About three months and a day
They had just spent three months and one day away from their mother.
When the lark spread over this whole wide world
Suddenly and unexpectedly, a lark flew over the whole world.
And taken those babes away
It took the little ones from where they were and carried them elsewhere.
It was on a cold, cold Christmas night
On a freezing Christmas evening,
When everything was still
When there was complete silence and calmness.
And she saw her three little babes come runnin'
The lady saw her children returning towards her, running happily.
Come runnin' down the hill
As the kids were coming down from the hills above.
She set them a table of bread and wine
The mother prepared food and drinks for her children.
That they might drink and eat
The food and drinks provided were for nourishment and pleasure.
She spread them a bed of a winding sheet
The mother arranged for her children to sleep on a linen cloth used to cover the dead.
That they might sleep so sweet
To make them sleep comfortably and sweetly.
'Take it off, take it off!', cried the eldest one
The oldest child exclaimed, 'Remove the winding sheet! Remove the winding sheet!'
'Take it off, take it off!', cried she
And the mother also repeated the same thing.
'For I shan't stay here in this wicked world
'I will not stay in this evil world,'
When there's a better one for me'
When there is a better place for me to be in.'
'Cold clods, cold clods inside my bed
'The bed is cold and made of dirt,'
Cold clods, down at my feet
And there is cold mud surrounding my feet.
The tears my dear mother shed for me
The tears that my mother has shed for me
Would wet my winding sheet'
Would moisten the linen in which I lie.'
'The tears my dear mother shed for me
'The tears that my mother has cried over me'
Would wet my winding sheet
Would dampen and soak the linen in which I'm resting.
Contributed by Caroline R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.