Barney McCoy
This is reported from Virginia (FSV 124), Missouri (OFS iv
291-2), Indiana (Wolford 75-6, as a play-party song; SFLQ iv
202-3), and Michigan (BSSM 477, listed only) and in Miss Pound's
syllabus and in the list of records of the Archive of American Folk
Song (from New York and Virginia). It is in Ford's Traditional
Music of America 337-8. 'Norah Darling' in the Franklin Square
Song Collection viii 40 is not the same song, despite the title.
There are three texts in our collection.
A
'Barney McCoy.' From the manuscript songbook of Miss Edith Walker
of Boone, Watauga county.
1 'I am going far away, Nora darling,
And leaving such an angel far behind.
It would break my heart in two,
Which I fondly gave to you.
And no other one so loving, kind, and true.'
Chorus:
Then come to my arms, Nora darling,
Bid your friends and old Ireland goodbye.
For it's happy we would be
In the dear land of the free.
Living happy with your Barney McCoy.
2 'I would like to go with you, Barney darling,
But the reasons I have told you before.
It would break my mother's heart
If from her I had to part
And go roaming with you, Barney McCoy.'
3 'I am going far away, Nora darling.
Just as sure as there's a God that I adore.
But remember what I say :
That until the judgment day
You will never see your Barney any more.'
4 T would go with you, Barney darling,
If my mother and the rest of them were there.
For I know we would be blest
In the dear land of the west,
Living happy with my Barney McCoy.'
5 'I am going far away, Nora darling.
And the ship is now anchored at the bay.
And before tomorrow sure
You will hear the signal gun.
So be ready ; it will carry me away.'
OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 347
'Nora Darling.' Contributed by L. W. Anderson of Nag's Head. Re-
duced to three stanzas and chorus. Stanza i as in A; stanzas 2 and 3
are made up of parts of stanzas 2-5 of A.
C
'Barney McCoy.' From O. L. Coflfey of Shull's Mills, Watauga county,
in 1936. The text is the same as in A.
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Barney McCoy
'Nora Darling.' Sung by Miss Jewell Robbins. Recorded at her home in Gas-
tonia, July 31, 1951, by the present editor. The singer, now Mrs. Purdue, told
the editor that, when but eighteen months old, she sang some of the old folk-
songs for the entertainment of a quilting party for her mother. For other list-
ings and texts see BSSM 477; Ford 337-8; OFS iv 291-2.
Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: c. Structure: aba^c, a^b^alc
(2,2,2,2), (2,2,2,2) = ab a^b (4,4,4,4) = aa^ (8,8).