The Willow Tree (American Version); c. 1950; Abraham B. Shiffrin, (1902-1998) Playwright, dealer in antiquarian books. Born in Poland; lived in New York.
[Posted on John Renfro Davis' site: The Contemplator; no information is given about the source. This is may not be strictly traditional. I'm including it here so that folks will know it's probable origin. I think it was an adaptation of Child 4, probably written by Shiffrin himself, for his play, The Twilight Walk. When the play was produced by Margo Jones in Dallas, the title was changed to "The Willow Tree." This ballad adaptation would have been written in the late 1940s or early in 1950. It appears in the Mudcat DT with music, no source given. The Willow Tree was recorded by Peggy Seeger on "Long Harvest" as a version of one of the Child Ballads. According to Joe Offer, Seeger learned this around 1952 at college.
The Twilight Walk: Play in Three Acts by Abraham B. Shiffrin - 1951 - 68 pages; According to Shiffrin, "When the play was produced by Margo Jones in Dallas, the title was changed to " The Willow Tree." There was a youth, a cruel youth, He dwelt beside the sea; Six little maidens he murdered there 'Neath a lonely willow tree. But on Broadway the play was called "Twilight Walk" — since most of the murders were committed during a twilight.
The ballad also appears in Song Fest by Richard Lundelius Best, Beth Arlene Best - 1964. The earliest reference to the Willow tree is found in Irish Child G, dated late 1700s.
R. Matteson 2014, 2018]
Willow Tree
There was a youth, a cruel youth;
He lived beside the sea.
Six pretty maidens he drowned there
By the lonely willow tree.
As he walked forth with Sally Brown,
As he walked by the sea,
An evil thought then came ...
Denton Record-Chronicle; 7 January 1951 adds:
"The Willow Tree" is set In Manhattan's Central Park and concerns a psychopathic murderer who strangles young women walking alone in the park. Despite a dragnet of detectives, the killer strikes again and again. Title of the play is derived from an old folk song which begins: "There was a youth, a cruel youth, who dwelt beside the sea. Six little maidens he murdered there, neath a lonely willow tree."
This information from Contemplator site with the text below: This ballad is an American variant of Child Ballad #4 (Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight or The Outlandish Knight). It is also known as The Lonely Willow Tree. The ballad appears in several collections as May Colvin, the earliest of which is Herd's Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs (1776). The tune is much older. The McNeils (see reference below) place this version in 17th century America.
The Willow Tree was recorded by James Leisy in 1962 from Songs for Pickin' and Singin'. Joe Offer comments:
Leisy doesn't give any source information. I also checked Songs for Swinging Housemothers and Song Fest (1958 - not in the 1948 edition). It's more-or-less the same song, give or take a word - and again, no source information. But ya know, there's real satisfaction in being able to find this turkey in three different songbooks. Kinda like the tailor who killed "seven in one blow." But it still would be nice to have source information for this song. Maybe it was Burl Ives - or some Greenwich Village beatnik chick that Greenhaus knew in the 1950's. The notes on the Long Harvest's booklet say the song was "learned as a comic song at college by the singer (Peggy Seeger) in 1952."
It was not included in Bronson's "Traditional Tunes," although at that time (1959) there may not have been a published melody or Bronson simply may not have been aware of it. It's also not published in any academic collection like the JAFL or book.
R. Matteson 2011; 2014]
The Willow Tree (American Version) as posted on John Renfro Davis' site: The Contemplator
There was a youth, a cruel youth,
Who lived beside the sea,
Six little maidens he drowned there
By the lonely willow tree.
As he walked o'er with Sally Brown,
As he walked o'er with she,
And evil thought came to him there,
By the lonely willow tree.
O turn you back to the water's side,
And face the willow tree,
Six little maidens I've drowned here,
And you the seventh shall be.
Take off, take off, your golden crown,
Take off your gown, cried he.
For though I am going to murder you
I would not spoil your finery.
Oh, turn around, you false young man,
Oh turn around, cried she,
For 'tis not meet that such a youth
A naked woman should you see.
He turned around, that false young man,
And faced the willow tree,
And seizing him boldly in both her arms,
She threw him into the sea.
Lie there, lie there, you false young man,
Lie there, lie there, cried she,
Six little maidens you've drowned here,
Now keep them company!
He sank beneath the icy waves,
He sank down into the sea,
And no living thing wept a tear for him,
Save the lonely willow tree.
------------------
The Lonely Willow Tree [Digital Tradition version] w/music
There was a youth, a cruel youth
Who dwelt beside the sea,
Six pretty maidens he murdered there
By the lonely willow tree.
One day he walked with Sally Brown,
One day they walked by the sea;
When an evil thought came into his mind
By the lonely willow tree.
"Take off your clothes, sweet Sally Brown.
Take off your clothes," said he,
For though I am going to murder you
I would not spoil your finery.
"Turn 'round, turn 'round, you false young man
"Turn 'round, turn 'round," said she,
"For 'tis not fit for a man such as you
A naked woman to see."
So 'round about he turned himself,
'Round about turned he.
She quickly grasped him in both of her arms,
And cast him into the sea.
"Lie there, lie there, you false young man
Lie there, lie there," said she
"Six pretty maidens you've murdered here
Now keep them company."
So down he sank, that false young man,
Down he sank in the sea.
And there was none to mourn him, save
That lonely willow tree.
------------------
The Willow Tree- James Leisy (1962) from Songs for Pickin' and Singin'
There was a youth, a cruel youth,
He lived beside the sea,
Six lovely maidens he drowned there
By the lonely willow tree.
As he went out with Sally Brown,
And they walked by the sea,
An evil thought it came to him,
By that lonely willow tree.
"Now turn your back to the waterside,
Your face to the willow tree,
Six pretty maidens I've drowned them here,
And you the seventh shall be.
"But first take off your golden gown,
Take off your gown," said he;
"For though I am going to murder you,
I would not spoil your finery."
"Then turn around, you false young man,
Then turn around," said she;
"For it is not proper that such a youth
A naked woman should see."
Then 'round he turned, that false young man,
Around about turned he,
And seizing him boldly in both her arms,
She cast him into the sea.
"Lie there, lie there, you false young man,
Lie there, lie there," said she;
"For six pretty maidens you've drowned them here,
Go, keep them company!"
He sank beneath the icy waves,
He sank down into the sea,
No living thing wept a tear for him,
Save that lonely willow tree.