Seeger's father was Charles Seeger (1886–1979), an important folklorist and musicologist; her mother was Seeger's second wife, Ruth Porter Crawford Ruth Crawford seeger (1901–1953), a modernist composer who was one of the first women to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship. ... (family photo)
One of her brothers is Mike Seeger, and the well-known songwriter Pete Seeger is her half-brother.
One of Peggy Seeger's first recordings was "American Folk Songs for Children" (1955), considered one of her most enduring, and probably the best-selling, collection of children's songs ever recorded.
Together with MacColl, Seeger joined The Critics Group, performing satirical songs in a mixture of theatre, comedy and song. Seeger and MacColl recorded as a duo and as solo artists; MacColl wrote "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in Seeger's honor.
Henry Lee
Peggy Seeger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And stay with me this night
You will have my candle and coal
My fire's burning bright
My fire's burning bright
I won't light down, I can't light down
Nor stay all night with thee
In Lord Barnett's hall for me
In Lord Barnett's hall for me
He's leaned him o'er her soft pillow
For to give her a kiss so sweet
With her little pen-knife held keen and sharp
She's wounded him full deep
She's wounded him full deep
I will light down, I must light down
"I will come in", said he
"There is no lady in Barnett's hall
That I love more better than thee
I love more better than thee"
"O live, my love, Lord Henry", she said
"For an hour or two or three
And all these cards about my waist
I'd freely give to thee
I'd freely give to thee"
All them cards about your waist
They'd do no good to me
Love, don't you see my own heart's blood
Come twinkling at my knee
Come twinkling at my knee
She took him by his long yellow hair
She dragged him by his feet
She threw him down her cool draw-well
Full fifty fathoms deep
Full fifty fathoms deep
Lie there, lie there, you Henry Lee
I know you will not swim
That lady ten times fairer than me
She'll never see you again
She'll never see you again
Light down, light down, you pretty little bird
Light down all on my knee
No, a girl who'd murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me
Would kill a little bird like me
I wished I had my bending bow
My arrow and my string
I'd shoot my dart so nigh your heart
That you'd no longer sing
You'd no longer sing
I wished you had your bending bow
Your arrow and your string
I'd fly away to Barnett's hall
You'd always hear me sing
You'd always hear me sing
Peggy Seeger's song Henry Lee is a classic murder ballad that is believed to have originated in Southern Appalachia. The song tells the story of a man named Henry Lee who is wooed by a woman who asks him to stay with her for the night. As they lie together, Henry tells her that he cannot stay, as he must meet with a lady who is ten times fairer than her in Lord Barnett's hall. The woman becomes jealous and stabs Henry with her pen-knife. Henry, wounded and dying, asks the woman to let him stay, and she relents, allowing him to live for an hour or two before throwing him into a well.
The song is a powerful meditation on the themes of love, jealousy, and betrayal, and it is often noted for its haunting melody and stark lyrics. The story of Henry Lee has a long history in traditional folk music, and Seeger's interpretation is just one of many versions that have been recorded over the years. Despite the darkness of its subject matter, the song has endured as a beloved classic that continues to be performed by artists of all genres.
Line by Line Meaning
Light down, light down, love Henry Lee
Come lay down with me, my love
And stay with me this night
Stay the night with me
You will have my candle and coal
You will have light and warmth
My fire's burning bright
My passion for you is strong
I won't light down, I can't light down
I cannot stay with you
Nor stay all night with thee
I cannot stay with you all night
There's a lady ten times fairer than you
There is another woman who is far more beautiful than you
In Lord Barnett's hall for me
She is waiting for me at Lord Barnett's hall
He's leaned him o'er her soft pillow
He leans over her on her pillow
For to give her a kiss so sweet
To give her a gentle kiss
With her little pen-knife held keen and sharp
She holds a small but sharp knife
She's wounded him full deep
She has cut him deeply with the knife
I will light down, I must light down
I will stay with you, I have no choice
"I will come in", said he
He agrees to stay with her
"There is no lady in Barnett's hall
There is no woman in Lord Barnett's hall for me
That I love more better than thee
I love you more than anyone else
"O live, my love, Lord Henry", she said
She pleads with him to stay alive
"For an hour or two or three
Just a little more time
And all these cards about my waist
She offers him her possessions
I'd freely give to thee
She would give them to him without hesitation
All them cards about your waist
Those possessions are meaningless to me
They'd do no good to me
They hold no value for me
Love, don't you see my own heart's blood
My love for you is greater than any treasure
Come twinkling at my knee
I am bleeding for you
She took him by his long yellow hair
She violently grabs his hair
She dragged him by his feet
She drags him towards the well
She threw him down her cool draw-well
She throws him into a deep well
Full fifty fathoms deep
The well is fifty fathoms deep
Lie there, lie there, you Henry Lee
Stay there in the well, Henry Lee
I know you will not swim
I know you cannot swim to safety
That lady ten times fairer than me
That woman whom you loved more than me
She'll never see you again
You are now dead and gone
Light down, light down, you pretty little bird
Come lay down with me, my love
Light down all on my knee
Come and sit on my lap
No, a girl who'd murder her own true love
I cannot trust a woman who would kill her lover
Would kill a little bird like me
She might harm me too
I wished I had my bending bow
I wish I had my weapons
My arrow and my string
So I could protect myself
I'd shoot my dart so nigh your heart
I would aim for your heart
That you'd no longer sing
So you would no longer be able to harm me
I wished you had your bending bow
I wish you had your weapons
Your arrow and your string
So you could defend yourself
I'd fly away to Barnett's hall
I would go to Lord Barnett's hall
You'd always hear me sing
You would miss me, and I would always be free
Contributed by Arianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@KatStilwellTV
What imagery. I love this song.
@williamballantyne2652
Light down, light down, love Henry Lee
And stay with me this night
You will have my candle and coal
My fire's burning bright
My fire's burning bright
I won't light down, I can't light down
Nor stay all night with thee
There's a lady ten times fairer than you
In Lord Barnett's hall for me
In Lord Barnett's hall for me
He's leaned him o'er her soft pillow
For to give her a kiss so sweet
With her little pen-knife held keen and sharp
She's wounded him full deep
She's wounded him full deep
I will light down, I must light down
"I will come in", said he
"There is no lady in Barnett's hall
That I love more better than thee
I love more better than thee"
"O live, my love, Lord Henry", she said
"For an hour or two or three
And all these cards about my waist
I'd freely give to thee
I'd freely give to thee"
All them cards about your waist
They'd do no good to me
Love, don't you see my own heart's blood
Come twinkling at my knee
Come twinkling at my knee
She took him by his long yellow hair
She dragged him by his feet
She threw him down her cool draw-well
Full fifty fathoms deep
Full fifty fathoms deep
Lie there, lie there, you Henry Lee
I know you will not swim
That lady ten times fairer than me
She'll never see you again
She'll never see you again
Light down, light down, you pretty little bird
Light down all on my knee
No, a girl who'd murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me
Would kill a little bird like me
I wished I had my bending bow
My arrow and my string
I'd shoot my dart so nigh your heart
That you'd no longer sing
You'd no longer sing
I wished you had your bending bow
Your arrow and your string
I'd fly away to Barnett's hall
You'd always hear me sing
You'd always hear me sing
@mouldybear
A favourite.
@Wiegler
Thank you! This one's wide open with no brakes.... :)
@knowndwarf
It's Child Ballad #68, also known as "Young Hunting".
@Deadlorado
@Patrick Twomey: I don't think so, I took it from "Heading for Home"
@acapellapatrick
Is this one in Child's book?
@samuel.j.barker
Nah, it's an old 17th century English folk song
"Lord Barnard's Hall" is referring to the Baron Barnard's castle in County Durham, Yorkshire
Henry Lee, is Lord Henry Lee; Queen Elizabeth's favourite courtier.
@Deadlorado
@Wiegler You are welcome!