Henry My Son
Pete Seeger (Family) Lyrics
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Henry my son?
Where have you been all the day,
My currant bun?
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 boy?
What did you do in the woods all day,
My saveloy?
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 son?
What did you eat in the woods all day
My pretty one?
Eels, dear mother. Eels, dear mother.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and
Lay me down to die.
What color were those eels, Henry
My boy?
What color were 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 son.
Those eels were snakes, my pretty one.
Urgh, dear mother. Urgh, dear mother.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and
Lay me down to die.
The lyrics of Pete Seeger's Henry My Son are a conversation between a mother and her son. The mother is asking her son where he has been all day and what he has been doing. The song takes a dark turn when the son reveals that he ate eels in the woods and has now fallen ill, requesting his mother to lay him down to die. The mother inquiries about the color of the eels only to find out that they were actually snakes, causing her son to react in disgust and request to die.
There are a few interpretations of the lyrics in Henry My Son, but one common interpretation is that the song is a cautionary tale for children about the dangers of the woods and the importance of being mindful of what you eat. The lyrics also depict the contrast between the innocence of childhood and the stark reality of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Where have you been all the day, Henry my son?
Mother enquires her son's whereabouts throughout the day.
Where have you been all the day, My currant bun?
Mother affectionately calls her son with a sweet nickname - currant bun.
In the woods, dear mother
Henry informs his mother that he was in the woods.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and
Lay me down to die.
Henry complains of being sick and requests his mother to attend to him.
What did you do in the woods all day, Henry my boy?
Mother inquires about the son's woodland activities.
What did you do in the woods all day, My saveloy?
Mother affectionately calls her son with a slang term - saveloy.
Ate, dear mother. Ate, dear mother.
Henry mentions that he ate in the woods.
What did you eat in the woods all day, Henry my son?
Mother inquires about the food Henry consumed.
What did you eat in the woods all day My pretty one?
Mother addresses her son with a pet name - pretty one - and inquires about his food.
Eels, dear mother. Eels, dear mother.
Henry mentions that he ate eels in the woods.
What color were those eels, Henry
My boy?
Mother asks about the color of the eels they consumed.
What color were those eels, my pride and joy
Green and yeller. Green and yeller.
Henry responds that the eels were green and yellow.
Those eels were snakes, Henry my son.
Those eels were snakes, my pretty one.
Mother corrects Henry, saying that he actually ate snakes.
Urgh, dear mother. Urgh, dear mother.
Henry expresses disgust, having realized he ate snakes instead of eels.
Mother be quick I got to be sick and
Lay me down to die.
Henry once again begs his mother to attend to him in his current state of sickness.
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: JIM GOULD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind