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THE BLOOD ON HIS SHIRT SLEEVE Sung by: Almeda Riddle Recorded in 1970 Click here to listen to the original recording Now, my son, come and tell it to me.” “It is the blood of the guinea gay hawk That soared through the sky for me.” “And that’s too red for the guinea gay hawk That soared through the sky for thee. And how come the blood on your shirt sleeve? Now, my son, come and tell it to me. “And how come the blood on your shirt sleeve? My son, come and tell it to me.” “That is the blood of the bonnie gray mare That hunted the fields with me.” “That is too red for the bonnie gray mare That hunted the fields with thee. And how come the blood on your shirt sleeve? Now, son, come and tell it to me. “And how come the blood on your shirt sleeve? Now, son, come and tell it to me.” “It is the blood of my own dear brother That used to play with me.” “What did you and your brother fall out about; My son, will you tell it to me?” “We fell out about a hazelwood sprout, And it never would have been a tree.” “What will you do when your father comes home? My son, come and tell it to me.” “I’ll put my foot in yonder boat, And I’ll sail across the sea.” “When will you return from your trip, my son? Oh, my son, come and tell it to me.” “When the sun rises in the west and sinks in the east, And I think that never will be.” (Mrs. Riddle: “That’s at least a part of it. I haven’t sung that since I was a kid.”) Also found in Randolph, Vol. I, #6, “What Blood on the Point of Your Knife?” |
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All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas Back to the Song Index Back to the Wolf Collection Homepage ©Copyright 2002 Lyon College |