Henry's Songbook

Three craws sat upon a wa',
Sat upon a wa', sat upon a wa', '-a', '-a', '-a'
Three craws sat upon a wa'
On a cold and frosty morning

The first craw couldnae flee at a'
Couldnae flee at a', couldnae flee at a', a', a', a'
The first craw couldnae flee at a'
On a cold and frosty morning

The second craw fell and skinned his jaw
Fell and skinned his jaw, fell and skinned his jaw, '-aw', '-aw', '-aw'
The second craw fell and skinned his jaw
On a cold and frosty morning

The third craw was greetin' for its maw
Greetin' for its maw, greetin' for its maw, '-aw', '-aw', '-aw'
The third craw was greetin' for its maw
On a cold and frosty morning

The fourth craw wasnae there at a'
Wasnae there at a', wasnae there at a', a', a', a'
The fourth craw wasnae there at a'
On a cold and frosty morning

(as sung by Iain MacKintosh and Hamish Imlach)

[1984:] Many street songs and nursery rhymes have ancient pedigrees and sinister interpretations. In parts of Scotland crows are still regarded with fear, as omens of death (Munro, Revival 124)