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Fair Annie 
Fair Annie 
It's narrow, narrow make your bed and learn to lie alone For I'm going over the seas, Fair Annie, a rich bride to bring home 
With her, I'll get both gold and gear With you I ne'er got nane I took you as a waif woman I'll leave you as the same 
But who will bake my bridal bread And who'll brew my bridal ale And who will welcome my brisk bride That I bring over the dale 
It's I will bake your bridal bread And I'll brew your bridal ale And I will welcome your brisk bride That you bring over the dale 
But she who welcomes by brisk bride Must go like maiden fair And she must lace her middle so small And braid her yellow hair 
But how can I go maiden like Since maiden I am nane I have borne seven sons by thee And am with child again 
She took her youngest in her arms The eldest by the hand And she is off to the highest tower To watch them come to land 
Come up, come up, my eldest son And look on yonder sea strand And see your father's new come bride Before she comes to land 
Come down, come down, my mother dear 
Come down from the castle wall I fear if long you stay up there You'll let your self down fall 
So she's come down and farther down Her love's fine ship to see And the top mast and the main mast They shone like silver free 
And she's cone down and farther down The bride ship to behold And the top mast and the main mast They shone like the burning gold 
She took her seven sons by the hand And O, she did not fail She met Lord Thomas and his new come bride As they came o'er the dale 
You're welcome to your home lady You're welcome to your hearth You're welcome to your bower, lady For all that's here is yours 
I thank thee, Annie, I thank thee, Annie So dearly, I thank thee You're the likest to my sister, Annie That ever I did see 
There came a knight from over the sea And stole my sister away O shame on him and his company In the land where e'er they stay 
And aye she set the wide tables With white bread and with wine And aye she drank the warm waters To hold her collar fine 
And aye she set the long tables With white bread and with brown And aye she turned her round about So fast the tears ran down 
When bells were rung and mass was sung And all were sent to bed Lord Thomas and his new come bride To bed chambers they were led 
And she took her harp all in her hand To harp these two to sleep And aye she harped and aye she sang Full sorely did she weep 
If my seven sons were seven young rats Running on yon castle wall and if I were a cat myself I soon should worry them all 
If my seven sons were seven young hares Running on yon lily lea And I were a greyhound myself Soon worried they should be 
What ails thee, Annie, What ails thee, Annie That you make such a moan Has your wine barrel cast its girds Or is your white bread gone 
And who was your father Annie And who was your mother? And had you any sister, Annie and had you any brother? 
King Easter is my Father dear Queen Easter is my mother John Armstrong in the Western land He is my eldest brother 
If King Ester is your father dear Then also is he mine And it shall not be for want of gold That you your love should twine 
For I have seven ships of my own All loaded to the brim And I shall give them all to thee And four to thy eldest son And praise be to the powers in heaven That I go a maiden home 
Child #62 recorded by MacColl and Seeger on Blood Red Roses SOF