> The Watersons > Songs > Lal Waterson: Song for Thirza

Song for Thirza

[Lal Waterson]

A demo version sung by Lal Waterson at home in Hull in 1970 with Mike Waterson playing the guitar was published in 2004 on the Watersons' 4CD anthology Mighty River of Song.

Cover Versions

1. Norma Waterson with Eliza Carthy and Ben Ivitsky, violin and Martin Carthy guitar on the tribute album Shining Bright - The Songs of Lal & Mike Waterson (2002)
2. Jo Freya's Lal Waterson Project, Lal (2007)
3. Lindsey Woolsey on Migrating Bird: The Songs of Lal Waterson (2007)

Lyrics

You were brought from the workhouse to live with us
And you named yourself Dog on a very bad day
And I strayed in my youth and lost my precious dog
Whilst gazing through another new day
Where are you now my precious running dog
Who ran after me in my growing years?

Whilst hiding outside your bedroom door
Or kneeling on those scary attic stairs
I'd listen to the private conversations
That you had when you thought there was no-one there
Where are you now my precious running dog
Who ran after me in my growing years?

Wooden bed, rosary under pillow on the head
Exaggerating so she could understand what I said
And often I tried to teach her my name
Because she didn't know it she never could say it
Too young was I and too late I tried
To reach out for the flower when she died

I've recently lost a very precious running dog
Who ran after me in my growing years
And if I could bring back my running dog
I'd shower her with kisses and with tears
Where are you now my precious running dog
Who ran after me in my growing years?

(© 2002 Topic Records)

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Reinhard Zierke. Thanks to Ernie Fortnum for a lot of corrections.