Scarlet Ribbons

Lyrics

I peeked in to say goodnight

And I heard my child in prayer

"And for me some scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for my hair"

All the stores were closed and shuttered

All the streets were dark and bare

In our town, no scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for her hair

Thru the night my heart was aching

Just before the dawn was breaking

I peeped in and on her pillow

On her pillow lying there

Lovely ribbons, scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for her hair

If I live to be a hundred

I will never know from where

Came those ribbons, scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for her hair

This song is unreleased by Elvis Costello, but he performed it in concert in 1993 with The Brodsky Quartet.

Jo Stafford, 1949
Harry Belafonte, on Harry Belafonte Sings Man Smart EP, 1952
Eddy Arnold, on When They Were Young, 1957
Perry Como, on When You Come To The End Of The Day, 1958
The Kingston Trio, A-side of single, 1958; re-recorded for The Kingston Trio At Large, 1959
Jim Reeves, on Songs To Warm The Heart, 1959
The Browns, A-side of single, 1959; also included on Town & Country, 1960
Duane Eddy, on Songs Of Our Heritage, 1960
Joni James, on Sings Folk Songs, 1961
Joan Baez, on Joan Baez In San Francisco, 1964 (recorded 1958)
Patti Page, on Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte, 1965
Gene Vincent, on I'm Back And I'm Proud, 1969
Roy Orbison, on The Big O, 1970
NRBQ, on Diggin' Uncle Q, 1988
Les Paul, on The Legend And The Legacy, 1991
Cliff Richard, on Together With Cliff Richard, 1991
Sinéad O'Connor, on Am I Not Your Girl?, 1992
Michael Crawford, on In The Moon Of Wintertime: Christmas With Michael Crawford, 1999
Willie Nelson, on Stardust (CD bonus track), 1999
Jack Segal, on When Sunny Gets Blue, Scarlet Ribbons, And Other Songs I Wrote, 2001