Murder Ballad Monday--Molly Bawn (Alison Kraus and the Chieftans)

Hello and welcome to Murder Ballad Monday. Last we looked at a very traditional Irish version of Molly Bawn by the Dubliners. This week, a more ethereal version of this song by Alison Kraus with the Chieftans from the album Down the Old Plank Road: The Nashville Sessions which was released in 2002.

                      

It is a strange mash-up that begins like the Dubliners’ version and ends like Peter, Paul and Mary’s one.  

You can listen to Alison Kraus and the Chieftans here:

I have included the lyrics below if you’d like to follow along.

Come all ye young fellas
That handle a gun
Beware of night rambling
By the setting of the sun
And beware of an accident
That happened of late
To young Molly Bawn
And sad was her fate

She was going to her uncles
When a shower came on
She went under a green bush
The shower to shun

Her white apron wrapped around her
He took her for a swan
But a hush and sigh
Was his own Molly Bawn

He quickly ran to her
And found she was dead
And there on her bosom
Where he soaked, tears he shed

He ran home to his father
With his gun in his hand
Saying "Father dear father
I have shot Molly Bawn"

Her white apron wrapped around her
He took her for a swan
But a hush and a sigh
'Twas his own Molly Bawn

He roamed near the place
Where his true love was slain
He wept bitter tears
But his cries were in vain
As he look on the lake
A swan glided by
And the sun slowly sank
In the gray of the sky

That’s all for this week. Stay tuned next week for a version entitled Polly Vaughan by Tony Rose.