The Daemon Lover Lyrics by Alasdair Roberts
'Where have you been my long, long love These seven long years or more? I'm seeking for my former vows You gave to me before'
'Oh, hold your tongue of your former vows For they will breed sad strife Hold your tongue of your former vows For I'm become a wife'
He's turned him right and round about And the salt tear blint his ee 'I never would have trodden on Irish ground But for the love of thee'
'If I should leave my dear husband And my two babes also What have you to take me to If I with you would go?'
'I've seven ships upon the sea And the eighth brought me to land With four and twenty mariners bold And music on command'
She's put her foot on board the ship No mariners she beheld But the sails were of the taffeta And the masts of the beaten gold
They had not sailed a league, a league A league but barely three Til dismal grew his countenance And drumly grew the sea
They had not sailed a league, a league A league but barely three Until she saw his cloven foot And she wept most bitterly
'Leave off your weeping' then said he 'Of your weeping let me be And I'll show you how the lilies grow On the banks of Italy'
'What hill, what hill is thon I see As white as any snow?' 'Thon is the hill of heaven' he said Where all good people go
'What hill, what hill is thon I see As black as any coal?' 'Thon is the hill of hell' he said 'Where you and I must go'
He struck the top mast with his hand And the main mast with his knee And he struck that gallant ship in two And he sunk her beneath the sea.
House Carpenter
Bob Dylan version
O where have you been, my long, long love,
This long seven years and mair?'
'O I'm come to seek my former vows
Ye granted me before.'
'O hold your tongue of your former vows,
For they will breed sad strife;
O hold your tongue of your former vows,
For I am become a wife.'
He turned him right and round about,
And the tear blinded his ee:
'I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground,
'I might hae had a king's daughter,
I might have had a king's daughter,
Had it not been for love o thee.'
'If ye might have had a king's daughter,
Ye might have taken the king's daughter,
'If I was to leave my husband dear,
O what have you to take me to,
'I hae seven ships upon the sea-
The eighth brought me to land-
With four-and-twenty bold mariners,
And music on every hand.'
She has taken up her two little babes,
Kissd them baith cheeks and chin:
'O fair ye weel, my ain two babes,
For I'll never see you again.'
She set her foot upon the ship,
But the sails were o the taffetie
And the masts o the beaten gold.
She had not sailed a league, a league,
A league but barely three,
When dismal drew his countenance,
And drumlie grew his ee.
They had not saild a league, a league
A league but barely three,
Until she espied his cloven foot,
'O hold your tongue of your weeping,' says he,
'Of your weeping now let me be;
I will shew you how the lilies grow
On the banks of Italy.'
'O what hills are yon, yon pleasant hills,
That the sun shines sweetly on?'
'O yon are the hills of heaven,' he said,
'O whaten a mountain is yon,' she said,
'All so dreary wi frost and snow?'
'O yon is the mountain of hell,' he cries,
'Where you and I will go.'
He strack up the tap-mast wi his hand,