Down in the Willow Garden
The Everly Brothers Lyrics


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Down in the Willow garden
Where me and my love did meet
As we sat a-courtin'
My love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of Burgundy wine
My love she did not know
So I poisoned that dear little girl
On the banks below

I drew a saber through her
It was a bloody knife
I threw her in the river
Which was a dreadful sign
My father often told me
That money would set me free
If I would murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly

My father sits at his cabin door
Wiping his tear-dimmed eyes
For his only son soon shall walk
To yonder scaffold high
My race is run, beneath the sun
The scaffold now waits for me




For I did murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly

Overall Meaning

The Everly Brothers' song, Down in the Willow Garden, is a haunting ballad that tells the tale of a man who murders the object of his affection, Rose Connolly. The lyrics recount how the man and his lover met in a willow garden while courting. The man, with a bottle of wine, secretly poisons his lover while she is asleep. He then draws a saber through her and throws her into the river. The man confesses that his father had encouraged him to commit the crime, promising that it would bring him wealth and freedom. In the end, the man is apprehended and sentenced to death, leaving his father to mourn his loss.


This song is a classic example of a murder ballad, a common genre in traditional folk music that tells the story of a violent crime. The tragic tale is full of symbolism and allegory. The willow garden represents a place of beauty and tranquility, but also serves as the setting for the horrific murder. The poison symbolizes the man's betrayal of his lover's trust, while the saber and the river serve as powerful images of violence and death.


The ballad's melody is a lovely and melancholic tune, perfectly matched to the dark and haunting lyrics. The Everly Brothers' version of the song, released in 1958, is particularly famous for its lush harmonies and spare acoustic arrangement.


Line by Line Meaning

Down in the Willow garden
In a quiet spot amongst the willow trees


Where me and my love did meet
Where I first fell in love with my significant other


As we sat a-courtin'
As we spent time getting to know each other


My love fell off to sleep
My love drifted off into slumber


I had a bottle of Burgundy wine
I had a bottle of red wine with me


My love she did not know
My love was unaware of the bottle and its contents


So I poisoned that dear little girl
I used the wine as a lethal weapon to harm my significant other


On the banks below
On the shore of the nearby river


I drew a saber through her
I used a sharp military sword to kill her


It was a bloody knife
The saber was covered in blood


I threw her in the river
I disposed of her body by throwing it into the river


Which was a dreadful sign
The act of disposing her body in the river was an indicator of something horrible done


My father often told me
My father gave me advice on the matter in the past


That money would set me free
My father advised me that money would absolve me of any crimes committed


If I would murder that dear little girl
If I would kill my lover


Whose name was Rose Connolly
The name of the victim was Rose Connolly


My father sits at his cabin door
My father at his residence


Wiping his tear-dimmed eyes
My father in a state of crying


For his only son soon shall walk
Because I am his only son who will be walking


To yonder scaffold high
Towards the high-platform gallows


My race is run, beneath the sun
My time on earth has ended


The scaffold now waits for me
The gallows has been set up for my execution


For I did murder that dear little girl
The reason for my punishment is that I killed Rose Connolly


Whose name was Rose Connolly
The victim was named Rose Connolly




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Charlie Monroe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

J B

Lyrics
Down in the Willow garden
Where me and my love did meet
As we sat a-courtin'
My love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of Burgundy wine
My love she did not know
So I poisoned that dear little girl
On the banks below
I drew a saber through her
It was a bloody knife
I threw her in the river
Which was a dreadful sign
My father often told me
That money would set me free
If I would murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly
My father sits at his cabin door
Wiping his tear-dimmed eyes
For his only son soon shall walk
To yonder scaffold high
My race is run, beneath the sun
The scaffold now waits for me
For I did murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly



Justa Drumbum

Down in the Willow garden
Where me and my love did meet
As we sat a-courtin'
My love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of Burgundy wine
My love she did not know
So I poisoned that dear little girl
On the banks below

I drew a sabre through her
It was a bloody knife
I threw her in the river
Which was a dreadful sign
My father often told me
That money would set me free
If I would murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly

My father sits at his cabin door
Wiping his tear-dimmed eyes
For his only son soon shall walk
To yonder scaffold high
My race is run, beneath the sun
The scaffold now waits for me
For I did murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connelly



Scotty Says

E.A. de Ruiter Down in the Willow garden
Where me and my love did meet
As we sat a-courtin'
My love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of Burgundy wine
My love she did not know
So I poisoned that dear little girl
On the banks below

I drew a sabre through her
It was a bloody knife
I threw her in the river
Which was a dreadful sign
My father often told me
That money would set me free
If I would murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly

My father sits at his cabin door
Wiping his tear-dimmed eyes
For his only son soon shall walk
To yonder scaffold high
My race is run, beneath the sun
The scaffold now waits for me
For I did murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connelly



Canal Mystery

Lá no jardim de salgueiros
Onde eu e meu amor nos encontramos
Enquanto nós estávamos namorando
Meu amor adormeceu
Eu tinha uma garrafa de vinho da Borgonha
Meu amor não sabia
Então eu envenenei aquela amada menininha
Nas margens mais adiante

Eu introduzi um sabre através dela
Era uma faca sangrenta
Eu a joguei no rio
O que era um gesto horrível
Meu pai frequentemente me dizia
Que o dinheiro me libertaria
Se eu matasse aquela amada menininha
Que se chamava Rose Connolly

Meu pai está sentato na porta de sua cabana
Enxugando seus olhos escurecidos pelas lágrimas que derrama
Pelo seu único filho que logo caminhará
Lá para o alto do seu cadafalso
Minha coragem fugiu, sob o Sol
O cadafalso espera por mim
Por ter matado aquela amada menininha
Que se chamava Rose Connelly



Lanh Thong

Down in the willow garden
Where me and my love did meet,
As we set there a courtin',
My love fell off to sleep.
I had a bottle of burgundy wine,
My love she did not know.
So I poisoned that dear little girl
On the banks below.
I drew a saber through her,
It was a bloody knife,
I threw her in the river,
Which was a dreadful sight.
My father often had told me
That money would set me free
If I would murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connelly.
My father sits at his cabin door,
Wiping his tear dimmed eyes,
For his only son soon shall walk
To yonder scaffold high.
My race is run beneath the sun,
The scaffold now waits for me,
For I did murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connelly



All comments from YouTube:

tackless

I just love murder ballads. They are just so uplifting.

Rue

lol

Peach Bellini ♥️

I just discovered them today.. lol.. I've heard a couple from way back but didn't know there was a whole segment of music described as murder ballads ..yikes.. thank goodness for disco and bubble gum pop 😥

MA. VICTORIA VARGAS

Lol

Wilhelm Friedkinheim

you mean "inspiring"?

Nykrev

@Wilhelm Friedkinheim Butter milk

4 More Replies...

J B

Lyrics
Down in the Willow garden
Where me and my love did meet
As we sat a-courtin'
My love fell off to sleep
I had a bottle of Burgundy wine
My love she did not know
So I poisoned that dear little girl
On the banks below
I drew a saber through her
It was a bloody knife
I threw her in the river
Which was a dreadful sign
My father often told me
That money would set me free
If I would murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly
My father sits at his cabin door
Wiping his tear-dimmed eyes
For his only son soon shall walk
To yonder scaffold high
My race is run, beneath the sun
The scaffold now waits for me
For I did murder that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connolly

i g

Whoa....

Ashley Phillips

The ACTUAL lyrics are the devil now waits for me. Not scaffold, Margaret wouldn't let Ike teach them a song with the word devil in it, so he had to change it to scaffold and that's how they learned to sing it

Roman Jagelka

I can't even describe what i feel whilst listening to this piece of art. Songs from back then are so profound and tell a story. So glad sharp objects brought me here. So sad the show is ending this Sunday.

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