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Barbara Allen Lyrics by Gavin Bryars

Mercy and Grand: The Music of Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan

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In Scarlet town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwellin'
Made every youth cry well a-day
Her name was Barbara Allen
All in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swellin'
Young Willie Grove on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen
He sent his servant to her door
To the town where she was dwellin'
Haste ye come, to my master's call
If your name be Barbara Allen
So slowly, slowly got shе up
And slowly drew she nigh him
And all she said, whеn there she came
'Young man I think you're dying'
He turned his head unto the wall
And death was drawing nigh him
Goodbye, goodbye dear friends and all
Be kind to Barbara Allen
Oh mother, mother, make my bed
And make it soft and narrow
Sweet William died for love of me
And I shall die of sorrow
They buried her in the old churchyard
Sweet William's grave was nigh hers
And from his grave grew a red, red rose
From hers a cruel briar
They grew and grew up the old church spire
Until they could grow no higher
And there they twined, in a true love knot
The red, red rose and the briar
Credits
Gavin Bryars

Gavin Bryars

About “Barbara Allen” by Gavin Bryars

Read the complete lyrics to "Barbara Allen" by Gavin Bryars from the album "Mercy and Grand: The Music of Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock.

"Barbara Allen" is performed by Gavin Bryars. from the album "Mercy and Grand: The Music of Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Barbara Allen", explore more songs by Gavin Bryars using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Barbara Allen" is credited to Gavin Bryars. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Barbara Allen" appears on "Mercy and Grand: The Music of Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan".

Visit the Gavin Bryars artist page at /artist/gavin-bryars for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.