The Cherry Tree Carol (Reissue Bonus Track)

(album: Paul Kelly's Christmas Train - 2021)

Joseph was an old man, an old man was he
When he married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee
As Joseph and Mary were walking one day
To an orchard of cherry trees, they chanced for to stray

And Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild
"Will you pick some cherries for me, for I am with child"
But Joseph flew angry, so angry flew he
"Let the father of your baby gather cherries for thee!"

When up spoke baby Jesus, from in his mother's womb
"Bow down, oh you cherry trees, bow low to the ground"
And the cherry trees then bowed down, so low to the ground
And Mary gathered cherries while Joseph stood around

Now Joseph took Mary and sat her on his knee
And said "Tell me, little baby, when your birthday shall be?"
"On the fifth day of January my birthday shall be
And the stars in the heavens shall all bow down to me"

Then Mary asked Jesus a question of she
"Oh tell me, pretty baby, what will become of thee?"
"Oh, I will die and be dead, mother, as the stones in the wall
All the stones in the streets, mother, shall mourn for me all
Upon Easter-day morning my uprising shall be
And the sun and the moon, mother, they shall rise up with me"