Keeping traditional folk songs alive and enjoyed is my main interest in my recorded songs.  I also have some of my own compositions and some gospel songs included.

Sue2BlueEyes's Own

A fairy who is in love with a mortal man is pining for him as she pulls bracken on the hill.  
This is a traditional Scottish folk song.

Tha Mi Sgith (I Am Tired)

Why should I sit and sigh,
Pu'in' bracken, Pu'in' bracken.
Why should I sit and sigh,
On the hillside dreary?
 Why should I sit and sigh,
Pu'in' bracken, Pu'in' bracken.
All alone and weary?

When I see the plover rising,
Or the curlew wheeling,
Then I trow my mortal lover,
Back to me is stealing.
 
Why should I sit and sigh,
Pu'in' bracken, Pu'in' bracken.
Why should I sit and sigh,
All alone and weary?
 
Why should I sit and sigh,
Pu'in' bracken, Pu'in' bracken.
Why should I sit and sigh,
All alone and weary?
 
Why should I sit and sigh,
Pu'in' bracken, Pu'in' bracken.
Why should I sit and sigh,
All alone and weary?
 
Ah! But there is something wanting.
Oh! But I am weary.
Come my blithe and bonny lad.
Come o'er the knolls to cheer me.
 
Why should I sit and sigh,
Pu'in' bracken, Pu'in' bracken.
Why should I sit and sigh,
Parted frae my dearie.

https://lyricstranslate.com

A Fairy's Love Song

This is about the life and treatment of women as witches in the 1500-1700s.  It starts with the perceptions of all the things they could do as evil beings.  Then tells of their true nature as healers and mid-wives, ending with their torture and deaths as witches.

Mysteries of the Witch

Shapeshifter,  Love fixer, 
Spellbinder, Lost finder,
 Ill-bringer into your house;
 Shrink down to size of a mouse. 
Spell caster, Disaster, 
Soul captor, Babe snatcher, 
The future read from the stars, 
Wielder of old and dark powers.

 Anquish and miseries,
 Behold our mysteries!

 We're ruining, Nightmooning, 
Caballing, Appalling,
 Enthralling all with our cants; 
We're witching all with a glance. 
You quiver, You shiver,
 You clamor, And stammer, 
You can't escape from our hold
Until you're shrivelled and old. 

With herb and flow'r tisanes, 
We heal and soothe your pains; 
With godly charms we mend;
 From evil acts defend; 
If these undertakings fail, 
Must we women scream and wail? 

You're hunting; You're dunking; 
You're testing; Arresting; 
Witch-trialing all that you can;
 The fires of panic you fan;
 You're branding, You're hanging,
 You're scorning, Witch-burning;
 We suffer heretic's fate 
Due to fanatical state. 

Anquish and miseries, 
Behold our mysteries!

Mysteries of the Witch

As the world rapidly deteriorates due to war, poverty, climate change, pollution, species endangerment, I like to retreat to my Fairy Sanctum to replenish my spirit of humanity.  This song is meant to contrast the human world as it is and the fairy world of our poetic past.
Fairy Sanctum
Sue Whitehead

In this human world 
Dread hunger reigns here without cease,
 Where-e'er I look, great pov- erty, 
War and conflict ever increase. 
The nations never can agree; 
No peace we see! 

But for me, I prefer... A faerie dream, 
CHORUS:
To hear the tinkling fairy song, 
See the glitter of their wings, 
Hear ev'ry time they trip along 
Their harp strings.

 2.--- Bane of Mother Earth, Lives in the wild are dying out, 
The air and water full of death; 
We change the climate with no thought; 
There's toxic air in ev'ry breath; 
So uncaring! 

But for me, I prefer... A faerie dream, 
CHORUS

In times of long ago,
 The magic of the Earth was real; 
And people loved this living world; 
Scars and wounds man sought to heal; 
A song of mystery was heard. 
When all knew grace! 

But for me, I prefer... A faerie dream, 

And To hear the tinkling fairy song, 
See the glitter of their wings,
 Hear ev'ry time they trip along 
Their harp strings; 
My faerie sanctum.

Fairy Sanctum

A farm woman has a Kerry cow that produces good butter and milk.  Her neighbor girl, who is a witch, is jealous of her cow.  The witch tries repeatedly to get the farm woman to allow her to milk the cow, which is how she intends to put a spell on it.  Finally she wears down the farm woman, who allows her milk it.  But then the cow stops giving milk.  The farmer goes to a wise woman to find out what she can do.  Together, they devise a plan to make the witch remove the spell.

The Butter Bewitched
Sue Whitehead

Not far from Rathmullen there lived, last spring
The Doghertys near by the Hanlons.        
The Hanlons had a good Kerry cow
Whose fine butter and milk you could always count on.
Grace Dogherty eyed that good moiley cow
With great interest from dusk until every dawn.

Grace came to the door of the Hanlons and asked
If the moiley cow she might milk it.
“Why wad you wish to milk my cow, Grace?’
“Why, because I know you’re sae throng at present.”
“How kind you are to offer your help,
But I’m never sae throng I cannot do it.”

Away went Grace with an air discontent,
But again she came the next evening.
“I see you are tired and needing a rest.
Let me milk your cow while you are a-napping.”
“I’ll no trouble you, lass.  My ain work I can do.”
On her face is a frown as Grace furious grew.

At long length, the farm wife could refuse her no more,
So the milking that day she allowed her. 
But the next day, and next, and three days all told,
Still no milk the cow gave to her kindly owner.
To wise McKerron Mrs. Hanlon did go,
And the ‘why’ for no milk she soon did know.

“The cow has been milked by an evil-eyed one.
Get some milk and nine pins that are new for the fix.
Before you proceed, you must lock all the doors.
Then rapidly heat the entire draiocht mix.
This magical spell you'll happily find
That it ever will unsettle greatly the witch."

You never have heard such screams or such howls.
You would think there were banshees or goblins.
Then spoke up the witch, "Won't you unlock the door?
Them pins are too sharp and are piercing my skin!
Your dear Kerry cow I'll no milk it again.
So go tak' off that pot and tak' out them cruel pins!"

CHORUS;
Mix it and boil it and then it’s a broth,
These draiocht’ ingredients whip to a froth.
Then spread it liberally on with a spoon,
While chanting and praying and singing this tune.
(You witches beware! Now don't bother my cow!)

moiley (pronounced “mweeal”;) means a cow without horns
throng means crowded or pressed upon
draiocht (dree-okt) means magical

The Butter Bewitched

The Reaper's Ghost was written by Richard Dyer-Bennett in 1935.  It is about the dangers of farm work, and hay making in particular.  The reaper's ghost haunts the hay stacks.

The Reaper's Ghost

This album features traditional and new Christmas music in the style of folk music.  Several tracks are original songs written by Sue Whitehead.  All tracks are performed by Sue Whitehead.

Waken, Little Shepherd

The Makings of Christmas

O Who Would Be a Shepherd Boy

Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming

Little Donkey

Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head

In The Bleak Midwinter

Dear Little Stranger

Ain't That a-Rockin' All Night Long

A Child's Christmas Prayer

My Lagan Love is a traditional Irish folk song.  It references a leanan sidhe (pronounced "lanan shee") which is a fairy who seeks the love of mortals. If they refuse, she must be their slave; if they consent, they are hers, and can only escape by finding another to take their place. The fairy lives on their life, and they waste away. Death is no escape from her.

My Lagan Love
Lyrics credited to Joseph Campbell
Where Lagan stream sings lullaby, there blooms a lily fair,
The twilight gleam is in her eye, 
The night is on her hair.
And like a love-sick leanan-sidhe
She has my heart in thrall.  
Nor life I owe, nor liberty,
For love is lord of all.

And oft-times when the beetle’s horn
Hath lulled the eve to sleep,
I steal unto her shieling lorn,
And through the dooring peep.
There on the cricket’s singing stone,
She spares the bogwood fire,
And hums in sad, sweet undertone
The song of heart’s desire.

Her welcome, like her love for me,
Is from her heart within.
Her warm kiss is felicity
That knows no taint of sin.
And when I stir my foot to go,
‘Tis leaving love and light.
To feel the wind of longing blow
From out the dark of night.

For she has my heart in thrall,
For love is lord of all.

My Lagan Love

A beautiful young girl loves to play at the ocean's shore, collecting shells and swimming.  One day she disappears.  Perhaps she had disturbed some nymphs who became jealous of her beauty and dragged her to their caves under the waves?  

This is an adaptation of a poem by Charles Henry St. John which was published in Old Colony Songbook of Newfoundland in 1904.  It is in memory of Claribel who was presumed drowned, although her body was never recovered.

Claribel And The Sea Nymphs

A young woman has fallen in love with a man who has gone to sea.  She is longing for him and faults her parents for not supporting her love interest.

The lyrics are my own interpretation of the Irish version.

Jimmy Mo Mhile Stor

A humorous cautionary song about a wicked-tongued wife whom even the devil does not want.

The Devil's Curst Wife

Barbara Allen is a very old and popular folk song about lovers who cannot resolve their problems before they both die. He is considered to be sweet and loving while she is unforgiving and cruel.

Barbara Allen

This is a beautiful Yiddish lullaby popularized in the arrangement by Abraham Goldfaden (1840-1908) for his 1880 Yiddish musical, "Shulamis".

Raisins and Almonds

In dreams, love can come to life for the duration of the dream.  Sensations are often confused with touch being sound, sound being light, etc.

When I Dream
by Sue Whitehead

Soft shadows clear,
I feel a call,
A whispered scent,
I turn.

Eyes appear,
Loving eyes,
Brush across me,
See me.

Can you feel me?
Will you hear?
Do you also
Dream?

A ghostly warmth.
What? Who?
A gentle stroke.
It’s you.

No words are heard,
All, spoken, thoughts
Known in our souls.
Eyes kiss.

Can you feel me?
Will you hear?
Do you also
Dream?

Our hands entwine,
Our lips caress,
We share our hopes.
And wonderingly soar.

When I Dream

When I grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, I loved singing many songs.  This song refers to many of them.  See how many of them you can recognize.

Memories Of Childhood

If you been to the South US, you have probably seen trees and fields covered with this odious vine called Kudzu.  It is very fast growing, overcomes anything in its path, and is hard to kill.  
Hope you enjoy this humorous song about kudzu.

Kudzu, The Bane Of the South
By Sue Whitehead

 The kudzu is a-growin’, man, the kudzu is a-growin’.
My pappy’s farm here in Redneck Spring
Was the best dern place you’d ever seen,
Until that greedy weed moved in.
The kudzu is a-growing.

The kudzu is a-growin’, man, the kudzu is a-growin’.
It’s growing over my old fence.
It knocked it down into the ditch
My cows they walked right over it.
The kudzu is a-growing.

The kudzu is a-growin’, man, the kudzu is a-growin’.
It’s crawling over my old car
That sits in the yard without no tires
And the vines keep growing up higher and higher.
The kudzu is a-growing.

Now Kudzu is the bane of the South,
It ain’t no good, well shut my mouth.
Well, looky there what it’s doin’ now.
It’s growin’, growin’, growin’.

The kudzu is a-growin’, man, the kudzu is a-growin’.
It’s covered over my whole house,
With the sagging roof that is falling down.My seven kids, they can’t get out.
The kudzu is a-growing.

The kudzu is a-growin’, man, the kudzu is a-growin’.
It’s growing over the entire town
With the church bell falling down on the ground
And the steeple took its final bow.
Oh,the kudzu is a-growing.

Now Kudzu is the bane of the South,
It ain’t no good, well shut my mouth.
Well, looky there what it’s doin’ now.
It’s growin’, growin’, growin’.

The kudzu is a-growin’, man, the kudzu is a-growin’.
The army came to kill it off
With their ‘copters poisoning all the crops.
And the sirens’ wailing and the dogs all bark.
The kudzu is a-dying.

The kudzu is a-dyin’, man, the kudzu is a-dyin’.
What’s that I see climbing up my fence
That was all knocked down into the ditch,
And my cows had just walked over it?
OH NO, The kudzu is a-growing.

Kudzu, The Bane Of The South

A young man is going off to war and his sweetheart is mourning him when he has not returned.

Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier

This song describes the singer's hopes of what heaven will be like and asks if you wouldn't like to go to heaven also.  If so, just accept God's freely given love.

God's Symphony of Love
by Sue Whitehead

Upon my bed, my sleeping mind went soaring.
An angel’s silv’ry wing had touched my ear.
From heaven comes the sounds of many wonders
To touch the heart; and this is what I hear:

A gentle sigh caressingly touched me
From one who sees his grandchild has been born.
The whispered words of two long-parted lovers-
“I love you” lyrics are the lovers’ songs.

CHORUS
O Don’t you want to go 
And dwell there up above,
Where always you will hear
God’s Symphony of Love?

The music children make when they are playing--
The crying, laughing, babbling words they say.
What do I hear now, sobs and tears below us.
But here above, God’s joy fills every day.

CHORUS

A trumpet sounds, a harp is plucked, sweet music.
The heav’nly choir joins in from up above.
Eternal joy is offered to each person
Who will accept God’s Symphony of Love.

CHORUS

God's Symphony of Love

This is a famous poem by Eugene Field that has been set to music.  I have loved this since I was a child.  Hope you like it, too.

Little Boy Blue

A traditional English folk song.  An old man reflects on his days as a young man and the girls he knew.

Hares On the Mountains

In The Bird Courting Song, the birds are discussing their love-lives. I had so much fun making the accompaniment, which includes a jew's harp with its weird sound. It is sung here by Sue Whitehead, creating different voices for each bird.

The Bird Courting Song

This is an old English folk song, called Love Will Find Out the Way, that I found in a book called Panpipes, which has some beautiful illustrations along with the music and lyrics.

Over the mountains
And over the waves,
Under the fountains
And under the graves,
Under floods that are deepest,
Which Neptune does obey 
Over rocks which are the steepest,
Love will find out the way.

Where there is no place
For the glow-worm to lie,
Where there is no space
For receipt of a fly,
Where the gnat dares not venture,
Lest herself fast she lay,
But if Love comes, he will enter,
And will find out the way.

You may esteem him
A child for his might,
Or you may deem him
A coward from his flight.
But if she, whom Love doth honor,
Be concealed from the day
Set a thousand guards upon her,
Love will find out the way.

Some think to lose him
By having him confined
Some do suppose him,
Poor thing, to be blind;
But if ne'er so close ye wall him,
Do the best that you may,
Blind Love, if so ye call him,
Will find out his way.

You may train the eagle
To stoop to your fist.
You may inveigle 
The Phoenix of the east.
The lioness, you may move her
To give o'er her prey;
But you'll ne'er stop a lover;
He will find out his way.

But you'll ne'er stop a lover;
Love will find out the way.

Love Will Find Out the Way

Whistling Gypsy Rover is a very popular song with a upbeat tune.  A young woman hears a gypsy rover whistling as he passes by.  They fall in love and she leaves her family to go with him.  Her father gallops after her to take her home and gets a surprise when he finds her in a great castle.

The Whistling Gypsy Rover

Merlin's Cradle Song has a traditional Breton tune called Merlin in the Cradle.  I made my own lyrics, since I don't know the original language.  Many different myths about Merlin the magician and King Arthur and woven into the lyrics.

Merlin's Cradle Song

The lyrics are taken mostly from traditional Irish blessings with a few additional blessings of my own.  I also wrote the music.

May God Give You

A young child imagines that rainbows make drops of color, like clouds make drops of water.  This song is about watching the child play while the child imagines all the colors that are dropping down.  This is an original composition by Sue Whitehead.

Rainbow Drops
Melody and Lyrics by Sue Whitehead, vocals by Sue Whitehead

Rainbow drops drift down to you,
Yellow, blue, violet, orange, red, and green.
Butterflies wing by on breezes,
Fly through exultant skies,
While your twinkling smile I see,
With wonder in your eyes.

All the colors of the rainbow
Will be showering over you.
You chase them all to kiss them.
Each one your fav’rite toy.
Your delightful laugh I hear,
And smile to share your joy.

All the rainbow drops surround you,
Green of hills, yellow sun, blue skies.
Rainbow drops so real to you.
Fair Gaia’s glory nigh,
In the meadow sings her lullaby;
No sweeter than your sigh.

Rainbow Drops

The Castle of Dromore is an Irish lullaby.  

The Castle of Dromore
Lullaby

October winds lament
Around the castle of Dromore
Yet peace is in her lofty halls,
My loving treasure store
Though autumn leaves may droop and die,
A bud of spring are you
Sing hushabye loo, low loo, low lan
Sing hushabye loo, low lan

Dread spirits all of black water,
Clan Owen's wild banshee
Bring no ill wind to him nor us,
My helpless babe and me
Sing hushabye loo, low loo, low lan
Sing hushabye loo, low lan

And Holy Mary pitying us
To Heaven for grace doth sue
Take time to thrive, my ray of hope,
In the garden of Dromore
Sing hushabye loo, low loo, low lan
Sing hushabye loo, low lan

Take heed, young eaglet, till thy wings
Are feathered fit to soar
A little rest and then
The world is full of work to do
A little rest and then
The world is full of work to do
Sing hushabye loo, low loo, low lan
Sing hushabye loo, low lan

The Castle of Dromore

The lyrics of this song were written by James Montgomery in 1826.  This is an alternative tune to this hymn.  The tune is Shule Agra which is an old folk tune.

Lyrics

A poor wayfaring Man of grief  Hath often crossed me on my way,
Who sued so humbly for relief  That I could never answer nay.
I had not pow'r to ask his name, Whereto he went,  or whence he came
Yet there was something in his eye That won my love; I knew not why.

Once, when my scanty meal was spread, He entered; not a word he spake,
Just perishing for want of bread. I gave him all; he blessed it, brake,
And ate, but gave me part a-gain. Mine was an angel's portion then,
For while I fed with eager haste, The crust was manna to my taste.

I spied him where a fountain burst Clear from the rock; his strength was gone.
The heedless water mocked his thirst; He heard it, saw it hurrying on.
I ran and raised the suff'rer up; Thrice from the stream he drained my cup,
Dipped and returned it running o'er; I drank and never thirsted more.

In pris'n I saw him next, condemned To meet a traitor's doom at morn.
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed, And honored him 'mid shame and scorn.
My friendship's utmost zeal to try, He asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill, But my free spirit cried, "I will!"

Then in a moment to my view  The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in his hands I knew;  The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name he named,  "Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;  Fear not, thou didst them unto me."

A Poor Wayfaring Man Of Grief

This song marries the poem "Lady Button Eyes" by Eugene Field, written in 1893, with the planxty "Miss Fanny Po'er" by Turlough O'Carolan (1670–1738).  I arranged it as a lullaby.  Barry Taylor did the lovely midi sequencing for the tune, which was used by me in the writing process.

Lady Button Eyes - by Eugene Field

When the busy day is done,
And my weary little one
Rocketh gently to and fro;
When the night winds softly blow,
And the crickets in the glen
Chirp and chirp and chirp again;
When upon the haunted green
Fairies dance around their queen,
Then from yonder misty skies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes.
     
Through the murk and mist and gloam
To our quiet, cozy home,
Where to singing, sweet and low,
Rocks a cradle to and fro;
Where the clock's dull monotone
Telleth of the day that's done;
Where the moonbeams hover o'er
Playthings sleeping on the floor,
Where my weary wee one lies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes.
Where my weary wee one lies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes!

Where my weary wee one lies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes.
Where my weary wee one lies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes!

Cometh like a fleeting ghost
From some distant eerie coast;
Never footfall can you hear
As that spirit fareth near -
Never whisper, never word
From that shadow-queen is heard.
In ethereal raiment dight,
From the realm of fay and sprite 
In the depth of yonder skies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes
     
Layeth she her hands upon
My dear weary little one,
And those white hands overspread
Like a veil the curly head,
Seem to fondle and caress
Every little silken tress;
Then she smooths the eyelids down
Over those two eyes of brown,
In such soothing, tender-wise
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes.

Dearest, feel upon your brow
That caressing magic now;
For the crickets in the glen
Chirp and chirp and chirp again,
While upon the haunted green
Fairies dance around their queen,
And the moonbeams hover o'er
Playthings sleeping on the floor,
Hush, my sweet! from yonder skies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes!

Hush, my sweet! from yonder skies
Cometh Lady Button-Eyes!

Lady Button Eyes

Allison Gross, or sometimes "Cross", is a very ugly witch.  She tries to entice a man to be her lover.  When he refuses, she turns him into an "ugly worm", and makes him "toddle" around a tree.  Then the fairy queen comes by and turns him back into a man. This song is a very old Scottish folk song, #35 in the Child ballad collection. In Scotland at this time. worm was the term used for dragon.

 The last verse is my own. 

Lyrics
Aul' Allison Gross she lives in yon tow'r, 
The ugliest witch in the North country,
 Has trysted me ae till her bow'r, 
And monny'a braw speech she's made tae me. 
She stroked my head and she kembed my hair. 
And she set me down softly on her knee. 
Says, "Gin ye will be my lover so true, 
Sae monny braw things I woud give to ye."
 "A wa' a wa'! Ye ugly witch, 
Haud far a wa' an lat me be.
 I'll never be yer lover so true.
 I wish I were out o' yer company." 

She's neist brought a sark of the saftest silk 
Well wrought with pearles about the ban. 
Says, "Gin you will be my own true love, 
This goodly gift you sal comman".
 She showed me a cup of the good red gold. 
Well set wi' jewels sae fair to see. 
Says, "Gin ye will be my lover so true,
 This goodly gift I will you gi'." 
"Awa', awa'! Ye ugly witch,
 Haud far awa' an lat me be.
 I woudna kiss yer ugly mouth,
 For a' the gifts that ye coud gi'." 

She's turned her right and roun about,
 And thrice she blaw on a grassgreen horn.
 An she sware by the moon and the stars aboon, 
That she'd gar me rue day I was born. 
Then out has she taen a silver wand. 
An she's turned her three times roun an roun.
 She's muttered sich words til my strength it failed.
 An I fell down senseless upon the groun.
 She's turned me into a ugly worm,
 An gard me toddle bout the tree. 
An aye, on ilka Saturdays night, 
My sister Maisry came to me.     (This may refer to another Child ballad, Lady 
                                                        Maisry, who is burned at the stake.  In other 
                                                       ballads, Maisry suffers madness or is 
                                                        murdered. )

Wi' silver basin and silver kemp, 
To kemp my head upon her knee, 
But or I had kissed your ugly mouth,
 I'd rather toddled about the tree.
 But as it out on last hallowe'en, 
When the seely court wa ridin' by,
 The queen lighted down on a gowany bank,
 Nae far frae the trae where i wont to lye, 
She took me up in milkwhite han, 
An she's stroked me three o'er her knee. 
She changed me again to my ain proper shape. 
An I nae mair toddle about the tree. 

Alison Gross, Oh Alison Gross, 
Wi' wand ye maun cast a glamourie. 
Aince ye hiv fand an ogre or troll 
That is as ugly as ye be.

Allison Gross

This my journey into getting back into performing.  I am focusing on folk songs and especially old traditional ones.  
My tracks are available for purchase at https://oca2blue.bandcamp.com.  Come check out my album "For the Love Of Folk Music" there.

Since these tracks are works in progress in many cases, I often remove older versions and replace with newer versions.  If you heart a track, you may later find it is not showing your heart any longer when I have replaced it.   I try to keep all the songs on my playlist, Sue2BlueEyes Own, so you can always hear all the current versions on it.

I have 28 of these tracks available on ITunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play, Apple Music, and other venues.

Sue2BlueEyes

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks