Joan Baez - The Unquiet Grave [HD]

Joan Baez sings the traditional song 'The Unquiet Grave' (Child #78) from her 1964 Vanguard album 'Joan/5'. For this album Joan Baez is on vocals and guitar, David Soyer on cello and Gino Foreman on second guitar. The song lyrics are in the video and listed below.

The "twelve-month and a day" of the second and third verses was the conventional grieving period and it was a common belief that excessive grieving disturbed the dead - the theme of the song.

I don't think I ever really listened to this song; the name may have put me off. A song title with "unquiet grave" in it doesn't sound like a fun song. Now that I've listened to it, I've decided I really like this song and I hope the name doesn't stop others. The song has some quite poetic lines like the first two; it's a simple but beautiful song.

[Vinyl/Lyrics/18-Images/WAV]

The Unquiet Grave

Singer - Joan Baez

Cold blows the wind to my true love
And gently drops the rain
I've never had but one true love
And in greenwood he lies slain

I'll do as much for my true love
As any young girl may
I'll sit and mourn all on his grave
For a twelve-month and a day

And when twelve-month and a day was passed
The ghost did rise and speak
Why sittest thou all on my grave
And will not let me sleep

Go fetch me water from the desert
And blood from out of a stone
Go fetch me milk from a fair maid's breast
That a young man never has known

How oft in yonder grave, sweetheart
Where we were wont to walk
The fairest flower that e'er I saw
Has withered to a stalk

The stalk is withered and dead, sweetheart
The flower will never return
And since I've lost my own true love
What can I do but yearn

When will we meet again, sweetheart
When will we meet again
When the autumn leaves that fall from the trees
Are green and spring up again

Songwriter: Traditional

© Universal Music Publishing Group

[ardalla]

Perfect song for Joan's voice. No one has ever done this better.

[flamingogirl]

Poignant and beautifully sung well done Joan