Artist: Dick Justice
Author: traditional
Label: Brunswick
Year: 1929

First track on the Anthology of American Folk Music because this ballad holds the lowest number in Child's collection. Henry Lee (or Love Henry) is the overseas variation of older Scottish murder ballad Young Hunting (from 1825?), Roud #47, Child #68. Whether his name is Henry Lee or Young Hunting, Earl Richard or Lowe Bonnie, it's always the same old story of the man confessing he's with another (ten times more beautiful) woman, when his old lady (or False Lady) fixes his drink, stabs him with a knife and throws his body in a well or a river, scene only witnessed by a (speaking) bird.

"And the little bird looks down on Henry Lee", the only witness of a crime passionnel. Not the girl but the man's the victim. Stabbed and drowned by his mistress, he pays the highest price for sticking to his lawful wedded wife. A bird as witness and betrayer of murder appears to be a universal metaphor in folk songs: Dutch collection Onder De Groene Linde (M&W) has another example on its murder ballad cd (In Amsterdam Die Grote Stad).