The Cruel Mother

"Down by the Greenwood Side" redirects here. For the opera by Harrison Birtwistle, see Down by the Greenwood Side (opera).
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"The Cruel Mother" (a.k.a. "The Greenwood Side" or "Greenwood Sidey") (Roud 9, Child 20) is a murder ballad originating in England that has since become popular throughout the wider English-speaking world.[1][2]

According to Roud and Bishop[3]

Widely collected in Britain and Ireland, and in North America, 'The Cruel Mother' has clearly struck a chord with singers over a number of generations. We will never know quite why, of course, but in performance the combination of the matter-of-fact handling of a difficult subject and the repeated rhythmic refrain often creates a stark and hypnotic tale, which is extremely effective.
  1. ^ The Ozarks: An American Survival of Primitive Society By Vance Randolph
  2. ^ Francis James Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads, "The Cruel Mother"
  3. ^ Roud, Steve & Julia Bishop (2012). The New Penguin Book of Folk Songs. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-141-19461-5.