100
The Girl Volunteer
The following song, of which there are three variants in our
collection, handles only the opening situation of the 'Jack Munro'
story and that somewhat differently. It is closely akin to 'Lisbon'
(for which see BSM 177-80) but lacks the waist-and-fingers
dialogue which marks most texts of 'Lisbon.' Belden, however,
gives a Missouri version of it at the end of his 'Lisbon' texts.
Fuson reports it from Kentucky (BKH 104). Mrs. Steely found
it in the Ebenezer community in Wake county.
A
No title. Contributed by W. Amos Abrams as obtained from Mary
Best, a student, who came from Statesville, Iredell county.
1 The war is a-raging ;
Poor Johnny he must fight.
For I want to be with him
From morning till night.
2 I want to be with him,
It grieves my heart so.
'Won't you let me go with you?'
'Oh, no, darling, no.'
3 'I'll go to your general,
I'll fall upon my knees,
I'll offer one hundred
Bright guineas for your release.
4 'One hundred bright guineas.
They hurt my heart so.
Won't you let me go with you ?'
'Oh, no, darling, no.
5 'You'd be standing on picket
Some cold wintry day.
And your rosy cheeks
They'd soon fade away.
3l8 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
6 'Your rosy red cheeks,
They grieve my heart so.'
'Won't you let me go with you?'
*Oh, no, darling, no.'
7 'Oh, Johnny, oh, Johnny,
I love you more than tongue can express.
Won't you let me go with you ?'
'Why, yes, darling, yes.'
'The War Is a-Raging.' From Miss Jewell Robbins (afterwards Mrs.
C. P. Perdue), Pekin, Montgomery county, sometime in the period
1921-24.
1 'The war is a-raging.
And, Johnnie, you must fight.
I long to be with you
From morning to night.
From morning till night
Is what grieves my heart so.
Won't you let me go with you ?'
'Oh, no, my love, no,
2 'You'd be out on picket
Some cold winter day.
Your red rosy cheeks
Would soon fade away.
Would soon fade away
Is what grieves my heart so.'
'Won't you let me go with you ?'
'Oh, no, my love, no.'
'War Is Now Raging and Johnny He Must Fight.' From Thomas Smith,
Zionville, Watauga county, with the notation: "Sung by Jack Combs (in
Virginia) in January, 1914. Jack Combs is 59 years old. His father,
John Combs, came from Iredell county to Watauga over 60 years ago.
John Combs married Amanda McBride. The McBrides, who are Scotch-
Irish, were among our first settlers. The above songs were sung by
many people, Jack says, when he was a boy."
1 War is now raging and Johnny he must fight.
I want to be with him from morning till night.
I want to be with him, it grieves my heart so.
'Won't you let me go with you?' 'No, my love, no.'
2 'Oh, Johnny, I think you are unkind.
I love you much better than all other mankind.
You'll carry sweet music wherever you go.
Won't you let me go [with you?'] 'Oh, no, my love, no.'
----
100
The Girl Volunteer
B
'The War Is A-Raging.' Sung by Miss Jewell Robbins. Recorded at Pekin,
Montgomery county, sometime in the years 1921-24.
For melodic relationship cf. ***SharpK ii III, No. 113A excepting measures
5-6 and 13-14; **FSoA 6.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: b-flat. Structure: abab (4.4,4.4) =
aa (8,8).
'War Is Now Raging and Johnny He Must Fight.' Sung by Miss Lura
Wagoner. Recorded as ms score, perhaps in Virginia, January 1914. See note
in II 318.
H. 'Won't you let me go with you?' 'O — no, my love, no.'
For melodic relationship cf. **SharpK 11 in, No. 113A; FSoA 6.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: aba^b (4,4,4,4) = aa^
(8,8).