Joy McKean - The Spinning Wheel lyrics

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Mellow to the moonlight, to shine is beginnin',

Close by the window young Eileen is spinnin',

Then t'ward the fire her blind grandmother's sittin',

Who's croonin' and moanin' and drowsily knittin'.

"Eileen, Cara, I hear someone tappin'."

"'Tis the ivy, dear granny, against the glass tapping."

"But Eileen, I surely hear someone is sighin'."

"'Tis the sound, granny dear, of autumn winds dyin'."

Merrily, Cheerily, noiselessly working,

Spins the wheel, swings the wheel, while the food's stirring.

Sprightly and lightly and merrily ringin',

Sounds the sweet voice of a young maiden singin'.

There's a form at the casement, 'tis the form of her true love,

He whispers to her, "I am waiting for you, love,

Get up on the stool, through the lattice step lightly,

And we'll rove through the grove while the moon's shinin' brightly."

Lazily, easily, spins the wheel round,

Slowly and lowly is heard now the reel sound.

Noiseless and light through the lattice above her,

The maid creeps, then leeps to the arms of her lover.

Slower and slower and slower the wheel spins,

Lower and lower and lower the reel rings,

Now the reel and the wheel stop their spinning and movin'.

Through the grove young lovers by moonlight are rovin'.

[From Slim Dusty's album: "An Evening With Slim and Joy"

Contributed: Marten busstra 2009]