143. Annie Lee

 

Annie Lee

This is known in southern Illinois, or was (TSSI 231-3), is re-
ported in the Archive of American Folk Song list from New York
and Tennessee, is known in Missouri (BSM 213-14, OFS iv 288-9).
Arkansas (OFS iv 289-90), and possibly is the piece listed in
Shearin's Syllabus (p. 29) as known in Kentucky. Tiiere are two
texts in the North Carolina collection.

A

'Annie Lee.' Contributed by Ethel Brown of Catawba, Catawba county.

1 I have finished him a letter
Telling him that he is free.
And forever from this moment
He is nothing more to me.

And my heart feels light and gayer
Since that deed at last is done.
I will teach him that when courting
He can never court but one.

2 It was twilight in the evening
When he promised to visit me,
But of course he is with Annie.
He may stay for all of me.

Oh, they say he smiles upon her
As he courts her by his side.
And they say that he has promised
Soon to make her his bride.

3 I was riding out this morning
With my cousin by my side ;
She was telling her intentions
For to soon become a bride.

And it seemed that in the twilight
There is someone coming near
Can it be ? It is his figure
As sure as I am here.

4 Now he's coming in the gateway.
I will meet him at the door.

I will tell him that I'll love him
If he'll court Miss Lee no more.
'Madame, I received your letter
Telling me that I am free
And forever from this moment
You are nothing more to me.

 

OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 377

'You were chosen for the bride,
I the groom was to be.
But I want you to rememl^er
You are nothing more to me !'
*Oh, forgive, forgive, forgive me !
I repent for all I've done.'
'To forgive I will no, never ;
I will choose another one.

'Goodbye, Addie, goodbye, darling ;
Happy may you ever be.
But I hope you will remember
This all came from jealousy.'

 

'Saucy Anna Lee.' Sung by Mrs. Charles K. Tillett of Wanchese,
Roanoke Island, in December 1922. The text is somewhat disordered
but is in general similar to A. The conclusion is somewhat less dra-
matic ; after she sees him coming in the twilight it runs :

5 Now I almost wish I'd written
Not to him that he was free ;
For perhaps it is a story
That he rode with Anna Lee.

There, he's coming through the gateway !

And I'll meet him at the door

And I'll tell that I love him

If he'll court Miss Lee no more.

6 I regret I wrote the letter
That told him he was free
From this hour and forever
He is ever dear to me.


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143

Annie Lee

B

'Saucy Anna Lee.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wanchese, Roanoke
Island, in December 1922. Measures 3-5 are melodically the same as 2-3 of
'Turkey in the Straw.'

 

Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center:
aai (8,8).

 

Structure: aa^aa^ (4,4,4,4)