X:1
T:Willie Brook
B:Ruth Ann Musick, "Ballads and Songs from West Virginia," The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 70, No. 278 (Oct.-Dec., 1957), 336-357.
F:http://www.folkinfo.org/songs
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:G
G2 DE |G DE | G3/A/ GE| D3
w:Hark, my young friends, 'tis a mel-an-chol-y sound,
B  | d2 ED | B2 DD | (G3/A/) BG | HA2
w: The ar-rows of death fly-ing swift*-ly a-round;
Bc | D2 ED | B2 DD | (G3/A/) BG | A3
w:There is one of your num-ber, a youth_ in this bloom,
A  | A3/A/ AA |(Ac) BA | G2 EE | D3 z |]
w:Was called a-way by death,* Now lies cold in the tomb.
W:Hearken my young friends, 'tis a melancholy song
W:As the hours of life flow swiftly all around
W:There's one of a number in youth's sudden bloom
W:Been called away by death, now's lying in his tomb
W:
W:Although he is dead, he's inviting us to come
W:Go read his inscription, go read it on his tomb
W:Way down in yonders graveyard, go read it if you care
W:And remember it won't be long till we're all lying there
W:
W:"And when I am dead, going down to my grave
W:Six gallant young men I would wish for to have
W:By the side of my coffin I'd have them to walk
W:And of my sinful days I'd have them to talk"
W:
W:"They'll take me to my grave, and there they'll set me down
W:While all of my young friends, they'll go weeping along
W:They'll open my coffin and gaze awhile at me
W:While I am calmly sleeping in a long eternity"
W:
W:"Four young men will take hold of me then
W:They'll lower me down in that cold and icy grave
W:They'll throw the gravel over me and make an awful sound
W:While all my young friends go weeping around"
W:
W:His parents they thought they had taught him quite well
W:They thought they had taught him to shun the gates of Hell
W:But he hastened their council, his own way he took
W:Remember this young man, his name was Willie Brook
W:
W:Come hearken my young friends, take a warning now from me
W:Never place your young affections on sin and vanity
W:Perhaps a loving savior will call on you too soon
W:And then your morning sun will be cast down at noon.
W: