Light down, light down, love Henry Lee
And stay with me this night
You will have my candle and coal
My fire's burning bright
My fire's burning bright

I won't light down, I can't light down
Nor stay all night with thee
There's a lady ten times fairer than you
In Lord Barnett's hall for me
In Lord Barnett's hall for me

He's leaned him o'er her soft pillow
For to give her a kiss so sweet
With her little pen-knife held keen and sharp
She's wounded him full deep
She's wounded him full deep

I will light down, I must light down
"I will come in", said he
"There is no lady in Barnett's hall
That I love more better than thee
I love more better than thee"

"O live, my love, Lord Henry", she said
"For an hour or two or three
And all these cards about my waist
I'd freely give to thee
I'd freely give to thee"
All them cards about your waist
They'd do no good to me
Love, don't you see my own heart's blood
Come twinkling at my knee
Come twinkling at my knee

She took him by his long yellow hair
She dragged him by his feet
She threw him down her cool draw-well
Full fifty fathoms deep
Full fifty fathoms deep

Lie there, lie there, you Henry Lee
I know you will not swim
That lady ten times fairer than me
She'll never see you again
She'll never see you again

Light down, light down, you pretty little bird
Light down all on my knee
No, a girl who'd murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me
Would kill a little bird like me

I wished I had my bending bow
My arrow and my string
I'd shoot my dart so nigh your heart
That you'd no longer sing
You'd no longer sing
I wished you had your bending bow
Your arrow and your string
I'd fly away to Barnett's hall
You'd always hear me sing
You'd always hear me sing