- Adapted from “The Prickly Bush” (Bronson 95.17), sung by Heywood Sumner, Somerset, collected in English County Songs, Broadwood & Maitland, 1893
- Adapted from “Hangman” (Bronson 95.12), sung by Mary Drain, Arkansas, 1942, collected by Vance Randolph (Vol. I, 1946, p. 146)
- Adapted from “The Prickle Holly Bush” (Bronson 95.20), sung by Walter Lucas, Dorset, 1951
- Adapted from Bellowhead, 2015
- Variant by Lixie, 2025
Oh, that prickle-eye bush,
It pricks my heart full sore,
And if ever I get out of this prickle-eye bush,
I never will get in it any more!
Oh hangman, stay your hand
Oh, stay it for a while
For I think I see my mother coming over yonder stile
Oh, mother- have you brought me gold?
Or silver to set me free?
Or have you come to see me hung
By my neck from the gallows tree?
No- I have not brought you gold
Or silver to set you free
For- I’ve just come to see you hung
By your neck from the gallows tree
Oh, that prickle-eye bush,
It pricks my heart full sore,
And if ever I get out of this prickle-eye bush,
I never will get in it any more!
[Repeat for “father”, “sister”, “brother”]
Oh hangman, stay your hand
Oh, stay it for a while
For I think I see my true love coming over yonder stile
Oh, true love- have you brought me gold?
Or silver to set me free?
Or- have you come to see me hung
By my neck from the gallows tree?
Yes- I have brought you gold
And silver to set you free
For- I’ve not come to see you hung
By your neck from the gallows tree
Oh, that prickle-eye bush,
It pricks my heart full sore,
And- now that I’m out of this prickle-eye bush,
I never will get in it any more!
And- now that I’m out of this prickle-eye bush,
I never will get in it any more!
The 1951 recording of Walter Lucas:
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