You And I In The One Bed Lie Lyrics
Cathie RyanMusic Video
You And I In The One Bed Lie
A nobleman's fair daughter was walking down yon lane
When up comes Captain Dixon, the keeper of the game
Says he unto his serving man, "If it was not for the law
I'd have that maid within my bed and she'd lie next to the wall"
"Go away, young man," says she, "And do not me perplex
Before I lie one night with you, you'll answer questions six
Six questions you will answer, and I will make them all
Before you and I in the one bed lie and I lie next to the wall
What is rounder than a ring? What's higher than a tree?
What is worse than womankind? What's deeper than the sea?
What tree blooms first? What bird sings best? From where do dew drops fall?
Then it's you and I in the one bed lie and I lie next to the wall"
"A globe is rounder than a ring, sky higher than a tree
A girl is worse than womankind, hell deeper than the sea
The yew blooms first, the thrush sings best, from heaven the dew drops fall
So it's you and I in the one bed lie and you lie next to the wall"
"You must get for me some winter fruit that in December grew
Find for me a mantle, a weft it never went through
A sparrow's horn, a priest unshorn, a bird without a gall
Then it's you and I in the one bed lie and I lie next to the wall"
"My father has some winter fruit that in December grew
My mother wears a mantle, a weft it never went through
A sparrow's horn's not hard to find, there's one in every claw
Melchizedek is a priest unshorn," and he rolled her to the wall
Dee da da dee dee dee - da da...
Song Details
🎶 Music & Lyrics: Traditional - an old Scottish Ballad from as far back as 1785 or earlier.
✍️ Other Titles: There are several different titles to the song. The original song was titled Captain Wedderburn's Courtship. Other titles include:
- Captain Wedderburn
- Lord Roslin's Daughter
- The Laird of Rosslyn's Daughter
- Lord Roslyn's daughter
- Captain Woodstock's Courtship
- The Song of the Riddles
📝 Song Brief: The story follows a bold captain who meets a nobleman’s daughter while she is out walking. He declares he would like to share her bed, but she refuses unless he can answer a series of clever riddles.
The riddles test his wit, knowledge, and quick thinking — from what is rounder than a ring to where dew drops fall. When he answers every question correctly, she sets him a second set of impossible tasks, which he also solves with charm and confidence. The ballad ends with the captain winning her affection and “rolling her to the wall,” a playful folkloric phrase signalling that the courtship has succeeded.
📖 Glossary:- yon — A shortened form of “yonder,” meaning “that one over there” or “at a distance.” Common in Scots and older English speech.
- mantle — A cloak or long outer garment, often worn for warmth or as a sign of status. In ballads, it usually suggests a noblewoman’s cloak.
- weft — The woven threads that run across a loom, forming the fabric when interlaced with the warp. In songs, it can simply mean a woven garment or cloth.
- gall — The gallbladder of an animal, traditionally associated with bitterness. In riddles and folk songs, “gall” often symbolises something sharp, bitter, or difficult — used metaphorically rather than literally.
- Melchizedek — A priest‑king from the Book of Genesis, known for blessing Abraham. In riddling ballads, he is referenced as a figure of ancient wisdom and spiritual authority.
🎻 Genre: Folk, Ballad
👥 Covers: The Great Big Sea (Captain Wedderburn), Willie Clancy, Cara Luft, Séamus Ennis, Moving Cloud feat. Donal Lunny, Jennifer Clarke .
🎤 Featured Artists: Cathie Ryan
💿 Album: Cathie Ryan
Released: Feb 18, 1997
Country: US
Format: CD
Label: Shanachie
