Shady Grove

O, shady grove
my pretty little love
shady grove
my darling
shady grove
my wounded dove
I’ll catch you when you come falling

I’ll hoot three times
at your back door
hoot three times in longing
hoot three times from the forest floor
so you’ll know me when I come calling

O, shady grove
my pretty little one
shady grove my wonder
shady grove
the girl I love
I’ll help you push him under

So won’t you weigh him down with some pretty big stones
and keep the man from thrashing
choke the groan
as it struggles up his throat
and his skull I’ll get to smashing

O, shady grove
my pretty little girl
O, shady grove
my lover
shady grove
my dirty little pearl
the night will lend me cover


And won’t you meet me there
by our shady little grove
once the dogs have stopped their barking
bring your lips and your pretty little throat
but we won’t get ‘round to talking

Follow the road where the arroyo flows
and a lasso from the brambles
will drag ya’ down
to my dirty little hole
where we’ll have ourselves a scramble

O, shady grove
my pretty little girl
I’ll love you ever after
but I was hurled into this her world
on black wings of disaster