Page type: lyric reference
Artist: Ralph Stanley
Canonical path: /ralph-stanley/henry-lee
Related lyric paths: 6
Lyric guide
Henry Lee
Read Henry Lee lyrics by Ralph Stanley on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
Henry Lee
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
Get down get down little Henry Lee
And stay all night with me
The very best lodging I can afford
Will be far better with thee
I can't get down I won't get down
And stay all night with thee
For the girl I have in that merry green land
I love far better than thee
She leaned herself against the fence
Just for a kiss or two
With a little pen knife held in her hand
She plugged him through and through
Come all you ladies in the town
A secret for me keep
With a diamond ring held on my hand
I'll never will forsake
Some take him by his lily white hand
Some take him by his feet
We'll throw him in this deep deep well
More than one hundred feet
Lie there lie there loving Henry Lee
Till the flesh drops from your bones
The girl you have in that merry green land
Still waits for your return
Fly down fly down you little bird
And alight on my right knee
Your cage will be the purest gold
In deed of property
I can't fly down I won't fly down
And alight on your right knee
A girl would murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me
If I had my bended bow
My arrow and my sling
I'd pierce a dart so nigh your heart
Your warble would be in vain
If you had your bended bow
Your arrow and your sling
I'd fly away to the merry green land
And tell what I have seen
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "Henry Lee"?
Ralph Stanley performs "Henry Lee", and this lyric page sits inside the Ralph Stanley catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "Henry Lee"?
Yes. The related section below points to Down Where the River Bends and East Virginia Blues with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by Ralph Stanley?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Ralph Stanley's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on Henry Lee yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.