Dreadful Wind And Rain

Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

There were two sisters came walkin' down the stream
Oh the wind and rain
The one behind pushed the other one in
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

Johnny gave the youngest a gay gold ring
Oh the wind and rain
Didn't give the oldest one anything
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

They pushed her into the river to drown
Oh the wind and rain
And watched her as she floated down
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

Floated 'till she came to a miller's pond
Oh the wind and rain
Mama oh father there swims a swan (note 1)
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

The miller pushed her out with a fishing hook (note 2)
Oh the wind and rain
Drew that fair maid from the brook (note 3)
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

He left her on the banks to dry
Cryin' oh the wind and rain
And a fiddlin' fool come passing by
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

Out of the woods came a fidder fair
Oh the wind and rain
Took thirty strands of her long yellow hair
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

And he made a fiddle bow of her long yellow hair
Oh the wind and rain
He made a fiddle bow of her long yellow hair
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

He made fiddle pegs of her long finger bones
Oh the wind and rain
He made fiddle pegs of her long finger bones
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

And he made a little fiddle of her breast bone
Oh the wind and rain
The sound could melt a heart of stone
Cryin' oh the dreadful wind and rain

And the only tune that the fiddle would play
Was oh the wind and rain
The only tune that the fiddle would play
Was oh the dreadful wind and rain
Notes
(1) Garcia sings "Father, oh father ..." with JGAB
(2) Garcia sings "The miller pulled her out ..." with JGAB (which makes better sense)
(3) Garcia sings "Pulled that fair maid from the brook" with JGAB

Jerry Garcia Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
      5 Dec 1987 Almost Acoustic Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band (note 4)
     27 Aug 1990 Shady Grove Garcia/Grisman
Notes
(4) the title on JGAB is "Oh, The Wind And Rain"

Origins
The origins of this song go back at least to the 17th century. See here for a full account.


Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com
For sheet music, see:
          Shady Grove (guitar TAB)

 


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