Little red bird on lonely moor,
Lonely moor, lonely moor,
Little red bird on lonely moor,
O where did you sleep last night?
Out on a gorse-bush dark and wide,
Dark and wide, dark and wide,
Rain kept falling on ev'ry side,
O hard was my sleep last night.

Little red bird on lonely moor,
Lonely moor, lonely moor,
Little red bird on lonely moor,
O where did you sleep last night?
Did I not sleep on a swaying briar,
Swaying briar? Swaying briar?
Tossing about as the wind rose higher,
O hard was my sleep last night.

Little red bird on lonely moor,
Lonely moor, lonely moor,
Little red bird on lonely moor,
O where did you sleep last night?
Did I not sleep on a cold wave's crest,
Cold wave's crest, cold wave's crest,
Where many others have taken rest,
O hard was my sleep last night.

Little red bird on lonely moor,
Lonely moor, lonely moor,
Little red bird on lonely moor,
O where did you sleep last night?
Wrapped in two leaves I lay at ease,
Lay at ease, lay at ease,
Just like a babe on its mother's knees,
O sweet was my sleep last night.

abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Singing Together, Spring 1978, BBC Publications

Notes:
Isle of Man.

Roud:
Laws:
Child: