Annachie Gordon

Traditional, arranged by Loreena McKennitt

Harking is bonny and there lives my love

My love lies on him and cannot remove

It cannot remove for all that I have done

And I never will forget my love Annachie

For Annachie Gordon he's bonny and he's bright

He'd entice any woman that e'er he saw

He'd entice any woman and so he has done me

And I never will forget my love Annachie.

Down came her father and he's standing at the door

Saying Jeannie you are trying the tricks of a whore

You care nothing for a man who cares so much for thee

You must marry Lord Sultan and leave Annachie

For Annachie Gordon is barely but a man

Although he may be pretty but where are his lands

For the Sultan's lands are broad and his towers they run high

You must marry Lord Sultan and leave Annachie.

With Annachie Gordon I beg for my bread

Before I marry Sultan his gold to my head

With gold to my head and straight down to my knee

I'll die if I don't get my love Annachie

And you who are my parents to church you may me bring

But onto Lord Sultan I'll never bear a son

To a son or a daughter I'll never bow my knee

And I'll die if I don't get my love Annachie.

Jeannie was married and from church was brought home

When she and her maidens so merry should have been

When she and her maidens so merry should have been

She goes into her chamber and cries all alone.

Come to bed my Jeannie my honey and my sweet

To stile you my mistress it would be so sweet

Be it mistress or Jeannie it's all the same to me

But in your bed Lord Sultan I never will lie

And down came her father and he's spoken with reknown

Saying you who are her maidens

Go loosen up her gowns

And she fell down to the floor

And straight down to his knee saying

Father look I'm dying for my love Annachie.

The day that she married was the day that Jeannie died

And the day that young Annachie came home on the tide

And down came her maidens all wringing of their hands

Saying oh it's been so long? You've been so long on the sands

So long on the sands so long on the flood

They have married your Jeannie and now she lies dead.

You who are her maidens come take me by the hand

And lead me to the chamber where my love she lies in

And he kissed her cold lips till his heart it turned to stone

And he died in the chamber that his love she lies in.

END