Lyrics:
Tonight I’m sad my heart is lonesome
For the only one I love
When will I see her, oh no never
Till we meet in heaven above
So bury me beneath the willow
Under the weeping willow tree
So she will know where I am sleeping
And perhaps she’ll weep for me
She told me that she dearly loved me
Oh how could I believe it untrue
Until the angels softly whispered
She will prove untrue to you
So bury me beneath the willow
Under the weeping willow tree
So she will know where I am sleeping
And perhaps she’ll weep for me
Plant on my grave a snow-white lily
One that blooms in purest love
For I never more shall see her
Till we meet in heaven above
So bury me beneath the willow
Under the weeping willow tree
So she will know where I am sleeping
And perhaps she’ll weep for me
Additional Verses
Tomorrow was to be our wedding
Oh god, oh god, where can he be?
He’s gone a-courting with another
And no longer cares for me
Upon my grave, you’ll plant a rosie
Below my tomb, a turtle dove
To show the world I died to save him
But I could not win in love
Lyrics Published in Ballads and Songs (1909)
Two versions, both as published in H. M. Belden’s 1940 collection Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society.
A. Under the Willow Tree
Collected by Miss Lucy Laws of Christian College from the manuscript ballad-book of Ada Belle Cowden of Woodlandville, Boone Co, MO.
My heart is broken, I am in sorrow
For the only one I love
I ne’er shall see his face again
Unless we meet in Heaven above
Then bury me beneath the willow
Beneath the weeping willow tree
And when he knows that I am sleeping
Then perhaps he’ll come and weep for me
They told me that he did not love me
But how could I belive them true
Until an angel came and whispered
“He will prove untrue”?
Tomorrow was to be my wedding day
But gone! Oh, gone! Oh, where is he?
He’s gone to wed another bride
And all alone he has left me
B. No Title Given
Collected by Miss Hamilton in 1909 from the singing of Julia Rickman of West Plains High School, who learned it from “a collection of old songs at home.”
My heart is broken, I am sorry
Over the one that I love
I know that I shall never see her
Unless we meet in heaven above
Bury me beneath the willow
Beneath the weeping willow tree
And when she knows that I am sleeping
Perhaps she’ll sometimes think of me
Once she told me that she loved me
How could I think her untrue
Until an angel softly whipsered
“Oh, she does not care for you”
Tomorrow is our wedding day
Where, oh, where is she?
She’s gone to love another fellow
Oh, she does not care for me
Lyrics Published in the Frank C. Brown Collection (1915)
Two versions from the Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore, Vol. 3 included-
A. The Weeping Willow
Collected by Thomas Smith in 1915 from Mrs. Frank Horton of Vilas, Watanuga Co, NC.
My heart is broken, I’m in sorrow
Weeping for the one I love
For I will never more shall see him
Till we meet in heaven above
Then bury me ‘neath the willow
Beneath the weeping willow tree
And when he knows where I am sleeping
Then, perhaps, he’ll weep for me
Tomorrow was our wedding day
But God knows where is he
For he’s gone to see another
And has left me alone to weep.
He told me that he did not love me
But how could I believe them true?
Until an angel softly whispered
“He will be untrue to you”
Put on my brow a wreath of violets
To prove that I’ve been true to him
Tell him that I died to save him
But his love I could not win.
Plant on my grave a snow-white lily
One that blooms in purest love
For I never more shall see him
Till we meet in heaven above
B. The Weeping Willow Tree
An additional verse collected from Miss Pearl Webb of Pineola, Avery Co, NC around 1921-1922.
Tomorrow was our wedding day
I pray the Lord, where is my love?
He’s gone, he’s gone, I never more see him
Till we meet in Heaven above.
Lyrics Published in Ballads of the Kentucky Highlands (1931)
Lyrics published under the title “The Weeping Willow” in Harvey H. Fuson’s 1931 collection, Ballads of the Kentucky Highlands. Collected from the singing of Evie Owens, no date given.
Some say my love has proved unfaithful
That he has broken every vow
That he has learned to love another lady
And my heart is broken now
Bury me beneath the willow
Beneath the weeping willow tree
So he may know where I am sleeping
Perhaps some day he will weep for me
Many hours we have spent together
But we have spent them all in vain
But now it breaks my heart, dear darling
To think we never meet again
Go tell my love that I am dying
And my feeble eyes be closed
Tell him to come and see me buried
Beneath the weeping willow tree
To-morrow was our wedding day
O God, O God, O where is he?
He’s gone to seek another lady
That he loves more dear than me
Take a message to the lady
The one that stole my love from me
Tell her to come and see me buried
Beneath the weeping willow tree
• More Recordings •
About the Song:
Weeping willow was a popular motif of unrequited love (cf. “Banks of the Green Willow”, “Under the Willow) in 19th and 20th century traditional and popular song, but none have remained so popular as “Bury Me Beneath the Willow”. The earliest extant collection was in 1909 by Miss Hamilton from Julia Rickman who learned it from “a collection of old songs at home,” as quoted in H. M. Belden’s Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society.
“Bury Me Beneath the Willow” is something of an enigma. There is no record of it before 1909, but by the 1920s, the song had spread like wildfire. In his 1927 collection, The American Songbag, Carl Sandburg reports, “Variants of this [song] are heard in all states.” Only noting that “It is old,” regarding the song’s age. The song had also become a hit for The Carter Family. The most likely scenario is that it descended from a now-lost parlor song, or, as Abernethy proposes in his 1983 book Singin’ Texas, from Tin Pan Alley.
Other titles include: “Under the Weeping Willow Tree”
Related Songs: “Answer to Weeping Willow” (A. P. Carter)
Learned from Chris Thile and Michael Daves’ 2011 duo album, Sleep With One Eye Open.