"I Am Stretched on Your Grave" is an anonymous 17th century Irish poem titled "Táim shínte ar do h'uaigh", and further translated by Frank O'Connor. While the translation existed prior to its first recording, and in various versions of melody and lyric (and all or most likely possessing a strong similarity), the popular and current versions are influenced or rely heavily on the adapted version by musician Philip King, which was recorded on Scullion's first album from 1979 on the Mulligan Records label, and titled "I Am Stretched on Your Grave."

The song's third line of each verse contains a level shift from minor to major.

Since then it has been played on recordings and in performances by many professional, semi-professional, and amateur musicians, students, and hobbyists.

Album recordings

• In Gowan Ring
• Dead Can Dance, on the album Toward the Within
• Peta Webb (of the band "Oak") and Ken Hall, track 9 on the 2000 album 'As Close As Can Be' (Fellside Records), and crediting 'P.King/F.O'Connor/Trad'.
• The Voice Squad, on the album 'Hollywood' (Hummingbird Records)
• The Lennon Family. CEFCD 167 Dúchas Ceoil
• The "gothic-gaelic" band Eden, on the album "Fire and Rain"
• Kate Rusby on the album "Hourglass", whose version is altered melodically, but not lyrically.
• Sinéad O'Connor on the album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
• Charlotte Martin on her album Reproductions
• Abney Park on the album Lost Horizons

Credits

• O'Connor, Frank (trans). "I am Stretched on Your Grave". Lucy, Seán, (ed). "Love Poems of the Irish", Cork, Ireland: Mercier, 1967
• "Walsh's Irish Popular Songs", 1847; tune: An Lóchrann March, 1918, 2, noted by Fionán Mac Coilm from "Tadhg MacCarthy of Emlagh", Prior, Co. Kerry

See also

• The Unquiet Grave an English folk song thought to date from the 15th century.
• The Western Wynde, aka (The) Western/Westron Wind/Wynde, an early 16th century song, of earlier Middle English origins.

References