> Joseph Taylor > Songs > Joseph Leaning: Green Bushes

Green Bushes

[ Roud 1040 ; Laws P2 ; Ballad Index LP02 ; trad.]

Joseph Leaning sang Green Bushes on Unto Brigg Fair, from a cylinder recorded in 1908 by Percy Grainger. The LP sleeve notes said:

This tune had done great service with a great many folk song texts but even as Green Bushes has a very widespread popularity. Other versions in print include: BGSW, BCS, SFS, REC, HGG, KTT, OBSB, FSJ Nos. 19, 33, 34 and broadsides by C, H, Di, Fo, HP, HC etc. Sound recordings: BBC 12611 BBC 18624, BBC 21492, BBC 22038, BBC 22369, BBC 22740.

Lyrics

Joseph Leaning sings Green Bushes

As I was a-walking one morning in May,
To hear the birds whistle and see the lambs play.
I beheld a fair damsel so sweetly sung she,
Down by the green bushes where she chanced to meet me.

“Come let us be going kind sir if you please,
Come let us be going from under the trees
For yonder he's coming, he's coming I see,
Down by the green bushes where he thinks to meet me.”

Acknowledgements

Joseph Leaning's verses were copied from the liner notes of Unto Brigg Fair.