The Crow On The Cradle Guitar Chords And Lyrics
[Carter] and recorded by Mary Black 6/8 with capo on the 4th fret for Mary Black version. The tin whistle sheet music notes are included along with the mandolin / banjo sheet music tab.
I have included many more Mary Black songs in a separate section of the site .
I have included many more Mary Black songs in a separate section of the site .
[C) The sheep's in the (G) meadow, the (C) cow's in the (G) corn(C) Now is the (a) time for a (d) child to be (G) bornYou'll (C) laugh at the (G) moon and you'll (C) cry for the (G) sunAnd (C) if it's a (a) boy he'll (d) carry a (G) gunSang the (a) cro----w on the (G) cradle (G – C – G)
And (C) if it should (G) be that this (C) baby's a (G) girl(C) Never you (a) mind if her (d) hair doesn't (G) curlWith (C) rings on her (G) fingers and (C) bells on her (G) toesA (C) shadow a(a)bove her where(d)ever she (G) goesSang the (a) cro----w on the (G) cradle (G – C – G)
The (C) crow on the (G) cradle, the (C) black on the (G) white(C) Somebody's (a) baby is (d) born for a (G) fightThe (C) crow on the (G) cradle, the (C) white on the (G) black(C) Somebody's (a) baby is (d) not coming (G) backSang the (a) cro----w on the (G) cradle (G – C - G)
(C) Bring me my (G) gun and I'll (C) shoot that bird (G) dead(C) That's what your (a) mother and (d) father once (G) saidA (C) crow on the (G) cradle (C) what can we (G) do(C) This is the (a) thing I must (d) leave up to (G) youSang the (a) cro-----w on the (G) cradle (G- C - G)
Sang the (a) cro-----w on the (G) cradle (G)
And (C) if it should (G) be that this (C) baby's a (G) girl(C) Never you (a) mind if her (d) hair doesn't (G) curlWith (C) rings on her (G) fingers and (C) bells on her (G) toesA (C) shadow a(a)bove her where(d)ever she (G) goesSang the (a) cro----w on the (G) cradle (G – C – G)
The (C) crow on the (G) cradle, the (C) black on the (G) white(C) Somebody's (a) baby is (d) born for a (G) fightThe (C) crow on the (G) cradle, the (C) white on the (G) black(C) Somebody's (a) baby is (d) not coming (G) backSang the (a) cro----w on the (G) cradle (G – C - G)
(C) Bring me my (G) gun and I'll (C) shoot that bird (G) dead(C) That's what your (a) mother and (d) father once (G) saidA (C) crow on the (G) cradle (C) what can we (G) do(C) This is the (a) thing I must (d) leave up to (G) youSang the (a) cro-----w on the (G) cradle (G- C - G)
Sang the (a) cro-----w on the (G) cradle (G)
"The Crow on the Cradle" is an Irish folk song that deals with themes of loss, mourning, and the passing of time. The song is often seen as a reflection on the inevitability of death and the cycle of life, particularly how it affects a family and the innocent.
Meaning of the Song:
Meaning of the Song:
- The Symbol of the Crow
- In the song, the crow is a powerful symbol of death and misfortune. The crow is perched on the cradle, which typically represents a newborn or the future. This juxtaposition of life and death creates a sense of foreboding and inevitability, suggesting that death will eventually come for everyone, even the most innocent.
- The Passing of Time
- The song reflects on the fleeting nature of life. It captures the sorrow of seeing loved ones grow old and pass away, particularly through the lens of a parent’s grief for their child. The song evokes themes of nostalgia for youth, while recognizing that death is an inescapable part of the natural cycle.
- A Family’s Struggle
- It’s often interpreted as a reflection on the loss of a child, and the devastation a family faces when this happens. It’s a mournful song that speaks to the emotional depth of grief, particularly the kind that arises from the untimely passing of the young.
- Irish Folk Tradition
- Like many Irish folk songs, The Crow on the Cradle incorporates themes of hardship, death, and the Irish spirit of resilience, dealing with the hardships of life and the inevitability of loss with a certain sadness but also a kind of acceptance.