Songs and Lyrics

Version 1

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X:1
T:Mattie Groves
T:Little Musgrave
Z:Webmaster
C:Trad
M:2/4
Q:1/4=120
L:1/4
K:F
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w:A ho-li-day, a ho -li-day, and the first one of the year - Lord
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w:Ar-nold's wife to the church did go, the Gos-pel for to hear 
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W:A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the year
W:Lord Arnold's wife to the church did go, the Gospel for to hear
W:.
W:And when the meeting it was done, she cast her eyes about
W:And there she spied little Matty Groves, walking in the crowd
W:.
W:"Come home with me little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight
W:Come home with me little Matty Groves, and sleep with me till light
W:.
W:"Oh I can't come home and I won't come home, to sleep with you tonight
W:By the rings on your fingers I can tell you are Lord Arnold's wife."
W:.
W:"What if I am Lord Arnold's wife, he is not at home
W:He's away in the far cornfields, he's bringing the yearlings home
W:.
W:A servant who was standing by, hearing what was said
W:Swore Lord Arnold he would know before the sun had set
W:.
W:And in his hurry to carry the news, he bent his breast and ran
W:And when he came to the broad mill stream, he took off his shoes and swam
W:.
W:Little Matty Groves, he lay down and took a little sleep
W:And when he woke Lord Arnold was standing at his feet
W:.
W:Saying "How do you like my feather bed, and how do you like my sheets
W:And how do you like my lady gay who lies in your arms asleep
W:.
W:"Oh it's well I like your feather bed, better I like your sheets
W:Best of all I like your lady who lies in my arms asleep
W:.
W:"Get up, get up," Lord Arnold cried, "get up as quick as you can
W:For they'll never say in England that I killed a sleeping man
W:.
W:"Oh I can't get up, I won't get up, I wouldn't get up for my life
W:For you have two long beaten swords, and I not a pocket knife
W:.
W:"It's true I have two beaten swords, and they cost me deep in my purse
W:But you shall have the better of them, and I will use the worse
W:.
W:"And you shall strike me the very first blow, strike it like a man!
W:For I will strike the very next blow, I'll kill you if I can
W:.
W:So Matty struck the very first blow, and he hurt Lord Arnold sore
W:Lord Arnold struck the very next blow, and Matty struck no more
W:.
W:And then Lord Arnold he took his wife, and set her on his knee
W:Saying "Who do you like the best of us now, your dead Matty Groves or me
W:.
W:And then up spoke his own dear wife, never heard to speak so free
W:"I had rather a kiss from dead Matty's lips than you and your finery"
W:.
W:At that Lord Arnold he did jump up and loudly did he bawl
W:He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her against the wall
W:.
W:"A grave, a grave," Lord Arnold cried, "to put these lovers in
W:But bury my lady at the top, for she was of noble kin

Version 2

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Song by Traditional
Country of origin: England

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