Henry Lee – English Lyrics

• By: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, P.J Harvey
• Album: Murder Ballads

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and "Henry Lee" offers a unique opportunity to delve into the dark and poetic storytelling of Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. The song's narrative structure, rooted in a traditional ballad, provides a clear storyline to follow, while the evocative and sometimes archaic language can introduce learners to a richer, more literary side of English. The duet format allows you to hear two distinct and iconic voices interacting, making it a compelling piece for understanding lyrical delivery and emotional expression in song.

[English]

Get down, get down, little Henry Lee

And stay all night with me

You won't find a girl in this damn world

That will compare with me

And the wind did howl

And the wind did blow

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

...

I can't get down and I won't get down

And stay all night with thee

For the girl I have in that merry green land

I love fair better than thee

And the wind did howl

And the wind did blow

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

She leaned herself against a fence

Just for a kiss or two

And with a little pen-knife held in her hand

Well, she plugged him through and through

And the wind did roar

And the wind did moan

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

Come take him by his lily-white hands

Come take him by his feet

And throw him in this deep, deep well

That's more than 100 feet

And the wind did howl

And the wind did blow

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

Lie there, lie there, little Henry Lee

'Til the flesh drops from your bones

For the girl you have in that merry green land

Can wait forever for you to come home

And the wind did howl

And the wind did moan

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

La, la-la-la-la

La, la-la-la-lee

A little bird lit down on Henry Lee

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
stay /steɪ/ A2	verb - to remain in the same place or condition
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise
girl /ɡɜːrl/ (general American) A1	noun - a female child or young woman
wind /wɪnd/ B1	noun - the movement of air verb - to twist or turn
blow /bloʊ/ B2	verb - to move air, or to cause to move air
lit /lɪt/ B1	verb (past of light) - to illuminate or set on fire
fence /fɛns/ B2	noun - a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc.
kiss /kɪs/ A2	noun - a touch with the lips as a sign of love or greeting verb - to touch or press with the lips as a sign of love or greeting
deep /diːp/ B2	adjective - extending far downward or inward
flesh /flɛʃ/ C1	noun - the soft tissue of the body, especially muscles and skin
bones /boʊnz/ C2	noun - the rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates