Rufous Nightjar, “Sunday,” & “Red Robin,” // GemsOnVHS™
(IG handles) @branwen.music wrote this song, it isn’t a traditional song.
Arranged with,
@annamie.ke
@zoe.basha
A special double feature today from Ireland here for y’all. Anthony, me, went to Ireland and heard through the grapevine about this incredible three piece harmony group, Rufous Nightjar. They really knocked my socks off with the vocal control, the timing and precision. I have enough trouble singing random harmonies in the shower, so to hear them flawlessly blast through entire songs together really inspired me. Accapella groups like this are seriously lacking in America. Contemporary groups actually making a go at just using the human voice as an instrument are largely vanished from the scene. Still out there of course, but generally relegated to some corner of obscure nerdom like a barbershop quartet. In a world where voices can be “fixed in post” with the push of an autotune button, its still incredibly impressive to hear people using their natural voices to record stuff like this. Real human interaction, three people doing it the natural way, collaborating and creating in the moment.
My friend Luke Brabazon, the Irish filmmaker who has been helping me film a few different sessions from Ireland (https://youtu.be/E3ru5vfyqZU?si=tgYteXLWHYq-DvkJ) assisted me on this one. Can not thank him enough! Y’all got any Irish acts i’m missing out on? Who should I have recorded by now? Scold me!
You can find Rufous Nightjar on Instagram at @rufousnightjarband. Preorder their new record at https://rufousnightjar.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-three-voices.
Our undying love and gratitude go to our executive producers for making this project possible: Brad Sirois, Mitchell Davis, Keith McQuillan, David Jameson, Lisa Galvan, Irvin Maddox, Josh Collins, Brady Jones, Julie Nestoroff, VJ Arizpe, Mr. Free, Rusty Shackleford, and Joshua Taylor.
Consider becoming a Patreon contributor to help sustain this project. For the price of a cup of coffee every month, you let us continue finding and filming amazing artists.
https://www.patreon.com/gemsonvhs
GemsOnVHS is a long running series of intimate, off-stage performances by songwriters we love.
We’re on instagram (@gemsonvhs or @anthonysimpkins)
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www.gemsonvhs.com
@GemsOnVHS
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
We're getting our field recordings on Spotify for y'all! Check 'em out at https://open.spotify.com/artist/7t78CwAbQIA6DKAKUKBYgl?si=V6VTcLxtQWupz0QpvbZYSA.
You can check out what Rufous Nightjar is up to on Instagram at @rufousnightjarband. Presave their upcoming single, "Red Robin," at https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/rufousnightjar/red-robin.
Both of these songs are written by Branwen Kavanagh.
@trekantelope850
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
hell yeah, wish they had more live performances! this is great. also would love to see that wagon wheel cover lol
@rustybearfox809
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Voices like tea steeping, butter melting. Like a full moon or star filled sky with the perfect breeze, the perfect feeling
@СергейКоневодческой
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Oh, sweet
Dm C Dm
Red robin, red robin, red robin
C Dm
Oh where do you go in the spring
Dm C Dm
And where do you sleep in the winter
C Dm
What sorrowful songs do you sing
[Verse 1]
Dm C Dm
Oh I tore my skirt on the briars
C Dm
And I made my bed in the ditch
Dm C Dm
And I bathed in the bog waters
C Dm
And I found the house of the witch
C Dm
And I found the house of the witch
Oh, sweet
Dm C Dm
Red robin, red robin, red robin
C Dm
Oh where do you go in the spring
Dm C Dm
And where do you sleep in the winter
C Dm
What sorrowful songs do you sing
[Verse 2]
Dm C Dm
And when I was young I was wicked
C Dm
And when I was old I was wise
Dm C Dm
A rose grows so red in the thicket
C Dm
A medicine weed in the wild
C Dm
A medicine weed in the wild
[Chorus]
C Dm C Dm
Oh, sweet
Dm C Dm
Red robin, red robin, red robin
C Dm
Oh where do you go in the spring
Dm C Dm
And where do you sleep in the winter
C Dm
What sorrowful songs do you sing
[Verse 3]
Dm C Dm
And when the moon glows in the grasses
C Dm
The birds all asleep in their trees
Dm
The hawthorn is ringed round with
C Dm
dances
C Dm
And music lilts out on the breeze
C Dm
And music lilts out on the breeze
[Chorus]
C Dm C Dm
Oh, sweet
Dm C Dm
Red robin, red robin, red robin
C Dm
Oh where do you go in the spring
Dm C Dm
And where do you sleep in the winter
C Dm
What sorrowful songs do you sing
C Dm C Dm
Oh, sweet
@yevsey169
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
I think I'm responsible for half of the views on this wonderful video
@pvrichards07
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
These videos are amazing!! Reminds me of an older youtube series called "Blogotheque – a Takeaway Show" – i was obsessed with those videos and i enjoy these even more! Great work m/
@BetulMikdan
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Hipnotic❤
@theangelband
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Mountain Man's nieces!
@globalkat1
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing [Verse 1] Dm C Dm Oh I tore my skirt on the briars C Dm And I made my bed in the ditch Dm C Dm And I bathed in the bog waters C Dm And I found the house of the witch C Dm And I found the house of the witch [Chorus] C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing [Verse 2] Dm C Dm And when I was young I was wicked C Dm And when I was old I was wise Dm C Dm A rose grows so red in the thicket C Dm A medicine weed in the wild C Dm A medicine weed in the wild [Chorus] C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing [Verse 3] Dm C Dm And when the moon glows in the grasses C Dm The birds all asleep in their trees Dm C Dm The hawthorn is ringed round with dances C Dm And music lilts out on the breeze C Dm And music lilts out on the breeze [Chorus] C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet
@globalkat1
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing [Verse 1] Dm C Dm Oh I tore my skirt on the briars C Dm And I made my bed in the ditch Dm C Dm And I bathed in the bog waters C Dm And I found the house of the witch C Dm And I found the house of the witch [Chorus] C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing [Verse 2] Dm C Dm And when I was young I was wicked C Dm And when I was old I was wise Dm C Dm A rose grows so red in the thicket C Dm A medicine weed in the wild C Dm A medicine weed in the wild [Chorus] C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing [Verse 3] Dm C Dm And when the moon glows in the grasses C Dm The birds all asleep in their trees Dm C Dm The hawthorn is ringed round with dances C Dm And music lilts out on the breeze C Dm And music lilts out on the breeze [Chorus] C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet Dm C Dm Red robin, red robin, red robin C Dm Oh where Do you Go in the spring Dm C Dm And where Do you sleep in the winter C Dm What sorrowful songs Do you sing C Dm C Dm Oh, sweet
@kanewilliams2919
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Very beautiful, this song brings me to tears every time
@didgit6495
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
I keep coming back to this. Talent. God gifted womerns.
@ericthomas2920
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Oustanding, delivered in all simplicity and honesty. My son sent me this link because your harmonies really touched him. Now I am touched (in a good way Red Robin)!
@didgit6495
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
"you guys should do smashmouth" -"yeah or wagon wheel!" 😂😂 Too much
@SundownerBlues
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Voices of Angels ❤❤❤
@samsham8218
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
BADASS.
@michaelposey2186
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Sounds absolutely beautiful, such a cool style, overlapping voices, man…sitting outside listening to the frogs and the sweet smell of flowers in the evening air…❤
@GeorgeZeaiter121
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
is it just me or does the lady in the red pants have like, the most magnificent hair? it's giving me freya from god of war, but also mixed with beorn from the hobbit
@ericthomas2920
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Totally brilliant and uplifting!❤
@anndraxler1225
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
So beautiful!
@cedarriver
August 5, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Chords and lyrics for Sunday below
Standard tuning, Capo on 1
Obviously, this is an acapella song. But you can play those chords to accompany yourself.
Verses Am / G Am / Am / G Am
Chorus Am G / Am G / Am G / Am G Am
[Verse 1]
Sunday it was a Sunday and I
Went a walking down the moor
Followed a brown hare ge’d never been there
Where I’d never been before
[Chorus]
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
[Verse 2]
Sunday, it was a Sunday
And I went a walking through the mist
Followed a robin she sang a sorry song
I’ve never heard before or since
[Chorus]
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
[Verse 1]
Sunday it was a Sunday and I
Went a walking down the moor
Followed a brown hare he’d never been there
Where I’d never been before
[Chorus]
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
[Verse 2]
Sunday, it was a Sunday
And I went a walking through the mist
Followed a robin she sang a sorry song
I’ve never heard before or since
[Chorus]
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
[Verse 1]
Sunday it was a Sunday and I
Went a walking down the moor
Followed a brown hare he’d never been there
Where I’d never been before
[Chorus]
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again
The things that I saw I never saw before
And I hope I never see again