Daily Growing (The Trees They Do Grow High)

Traditional celtic song, The words may have been based upon the 17th century wedding of Lord Craighton to Elizabeth Innes . She was several years older than he and he died in 1634 shortly after the wedding. Scholars note, however, that the ballad may be older, as child marriages were common in the Middle Ages.

The trees they grow high,
and the leaves they do grow green
Many is the time my true love I've seen
Many is the hour I watched him all alone
He's young,
but he's daily growing.

Father, dear father,
you've done me great wrong
You have married me to a boy who is too young
I'm twice twelve and he is but fourteen
He's young,
but he's daily growing.

Daughter, dear daughter,
I've done you no wrong
I have married you to a great lord's son
He'll be a man for you when I am dead and gone
He's young,
but he's daily growing.

Father, dear father, if you see fit
Send my love to college for another year yet
and tie a blue ribbon all around his head
To let the maidens know that he's married.

One day I was looking o'er my father's castle wall
I spied all the boys aplaying with the ball
And My own true love he was the flower of them all
He's young, but he's daily growing.

(not sung)
And so early in the morning
at the dawning of the day
They went out into the hayfield
to have some sport and play;
And what they did there,
she never would declare
But she never more complained of his growing.

At the age of fourteen, he was a married man
At the age of fifteen, the father of my son
At the age of sixteen, his grave it was green
For cruel death had put an end to his growing.

I'll buy my love some flannel
and I will make a shroud
With every stitch I put in it,
how the tears they will pour down
With every stitch I put in it,
how the tears they will flow
Cruel fate has put an end to his growing.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Celtic
• irish
• scotland
• middleages
• Celts
• Music
• love
• death
• loss

[annaxbarath]

Thank you so much for this wonderful performance!!! This is the best version what I could find on YouTube!!! Thank you :)

[SJBirdsong]

@annaxbarath Thank you so much! We unfortunately were disbanded a few years ago. blessings!!

[raining1989]

I love this song. It is like a poetry. And this is the best version I can find on YouTube. Thank You

[SJBirdsong]

Thank you so much, I'm humbled that you think so.

All my best,

Sarah

[BettyBoops1234]

Beautifully done! I heard this song on the radio (Irish hour) one day and was dying to hear it again. Thanks for putting the words!

[SJBirdsong]

Thank you! Im so glad you like it. And you're most welcome for the words! My pleasure.

[7173boss351mach1]

Linda Palmer if you are out there you can out sing this. Your version was the best I have heard and remember it to this date from when you used to sing it in our music class in 1970 when we were in Taiwan!!

[annaxbarath]

what is the name of the band? where can I find them?

[dominiquedv]

Do I dream or I see Geoff on the right (with the hat!)? Beautiful voice, instruments and interpretation!

[11111deepa]

This song is mind blowing .Though I don know the singer I used to listen this song many many times .Duet version of this song is much better. Thanx a lot who posted this song.

[eireseeker]

This is amazing!!! I've loved the version by Altan for years and this is every bit as good as theirs..the vocalist in this version has an amazing voice!!! Simply beautiful!

[JoBrownMusic]

It's so pretty!

[stankospartak]

Who are these people! They're AMAZING!

Best version I've ever heard!