Stick Stock from Acapella Songbook by 4th River Music Collective

Stick Stock, Stone Dead
Stick Stock, Stone Dead
(repeat in background until signaled to be silent for a verse and then pick it up again for the next two verses and quiet at the signal again for the final verse)

My Stepmother slew me
My dear Father ate me
Little Brother, whom I love
Sits below, I sing above

Stick Stock, Stone Dead (Continues in background)

My Stepmother was beautiful
She stole my Father's heart away
Wanted him all for herself
Wanted me out of the way

Stick Stock, Stone Dead (Continues in background)

Little brother he was born
With hair as black as the carrion crow
My hair grew gold as summer corn
She grew bitter as the sloe

Stick Stock, Stone Dead (Continues in background)

We played in the shade of the juniper tree
Like a raven and a dove
Stepmother's heart twisted like bark
Till she had no room for love

Stick Stock, Stone Dead (Continues in background)

"Come in, come in my sweetie pies
Night is near, you better beware
Before you sleep Susie Sweet
Let me comb your golden hair
Your lovely locks are full of knots
They will break my ebony comb
Fetch Father's axe, a billet of wood
We'll cut the knots the wind has blown."

*Stop the Stick Stock, Stone Dead (stops in background for next verse)

That night my brother had a dream
A snow white bird crying scarlet tears
And in the morning when he woke… (pause)
His tender heart was full of fear

Stick Stock, Stone Dead (picks up again in background)

My Stepmother made tender pies
Neat meat pies with crusts of gold
Father ate up every bite
Brother let his pies grow cold

They found my bones in the wood
Buried them under the juniper tree
Brother weeps at my grave
Weeps until he cannot see

*Stop the Stick Stock, Stone Dead (stops in background for final verse)

And I will sing my little song
To soothe my Brother's tears away
To ring in my Stepmother's ears
Until she turns into the clay

• Folk
• Pittsburgh
• Street Folk
• acoustic
• collective
• punk
• Pittsburgh