82
The Lover's Lament
The theme of a man upbraiding an inconstant sweetheart (or a
woman upbraiding an inconstant lover) is a favorite among folk
singers. What may fairly be reckoned forms of the particular
song here presented have been reported from England (JFSS viii
16-17, from a woman in a London workhouse), Virginia (FSV 90),
Kentucky (FSKM 87-9), North Carolina (JAFL xlvi 33-4),
Georgia (JAFL xlv 103-5), Missouri (OFS iv 232-4), and the
North Woods (Dean 111-12). In all of these except that from
England, and in all of our texts except the first, the complaint is
put into the mouth of the man. Mrs. Steely found it in the
Ebenezer community in Wake county.
'With Feeling.' This phrase stands in the manuscript in the place of a
title, but is perhaps merely a stage direction for the singing of the
piece. Collected by W. Amos Abrams of Boone, Watauga county,
in 1938, from a manuscript signed Alice R. Moody, Vilas, N. C, and
dating probably from 1912.
I As I came from church last Sunday I passed my true
love by.
I knew his mind was changing by the rolling of his eye,
By the rolling of his eye, by the rolling of his eye,
I knew his mind was changing by the rolling of his eye.
280 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
2 I knew his mind was changing to a higher degree.
Oh, say, my own true darHng, why can't you love me?
Why can't you love me ? Why can't you love me ?
Oh, say, my own true darling, why can't you love me?
3 You said that you would love me when last we had to part.
And now you are a-slighting me and breaking my poor
heart.
And breaking my poor heart, and breaking my poor heart,
And now you are a-slighting me and breaking my poor
heart.
4 I wish I was in London or some other seaport town ;
I would set my foot on a borders ship,^ I would sail this
wide world round.
I would sail this wide world round, I would sail this wide
world around,
I would set my foot on a borders ship, I would sail this
world around.
5 While sailing around the ocean, while sailing around the
deep,
I would think of you, my darling, before I go to sleep.
Before I go to sleep, before I go to sleep,
I would think of you, my darling, before I go to sleep.
6 And now I cross deep waters, and now I cross the sea.
While my poor heart is breaking you are going at your
ease.
You are going at your ease, you are going at your ease.
While my poor heart is breaking you are going at your
ease.
'Pretty Polly.' From the collection of Miss Isabel Rawn (Mrs. W. T.
Perry). The tune was supplied later by Mrs. Byers. A somewhat
abbreviated text, in the mouth of the man.
I As I went out last Sunday
I passed my true love by.
I knew her mind was changing
By the rolling of her eye.
By the rolling of her eye,
I knew her mind was changing
By the rolling of her eye.
2 'Oh don't you remember, pretty Polly,
The time you gave me your hand
And said if ever you married
* Presumably this should read "on board a ship."
OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 281
That I should be the man ?
That I should be the man.
You said if ever you married
That I should be the man.
'Oh now you've broken your promise
And '11 marry who you please,
While my poor heart is breaking
You're living at your ease ;
While my poor heart is breaking
You're living at your ease.'
The Lover's Lament.' Contributed by Thomas Smith of Zionville,
Watauga county, in 191 5, with the note that "it is probably not an old
ballad, but it has been sung in this county for over 20 years. Robert
Smith of Zionville recited it to me lately from memory." Dr. Brown
notes that Mrs. Byers sang it ; but the music seems not to have been
preserved. The fourth repeat of line 4 in stanzas 3 and 4 seems to
be a mistake.
1 I went to church last Sunday ;
My true love passed me by.
I knew her mind was changing
By the rolling of her eye,
By the rolling of her eye,
By the rolling of her eye,
I knew her mind was changing
By the rolling of her eye.
2 I knew her mind was changing
To a higher degree.
It's oh, my loving Molly,
Why can't you fancy me?
Why can't you fancy me?
Why can't you fancy me?
It's oh, my loving Molly,
Why can't you fancy me?
3 Remember your promise
When you gave me your right hand ;
You said if ever you married
That I should be your man.
That I should be your man.
That I should be your man,
That I should be your man.
You said if ever you married
That I should be your man.
4 But now you have broken your promise ;
So go with whom you please.
While my poor heart is breaking
You are lying at your ease.
You are lying at your ease,
You are lying at your ease,
You are lying at your ease,
While my poor heart is breaking
You are lying at your ease.
5 I wish I was in Dublin
Or some other seaport town.
I would set my foot on board a ship
And sail the ocean round.
And sail the ocean round.
And sail the ocean round,
I would set my foot on board a shij)
And sail the ocean round.
6 While sailing round the ocean,
While sailing round the deep,
I'll think of my dear Molly
Before I go to sleep.
Before I go to sleep.
Before I go to sleep,
I'll think of my dear Molly
Before I go to sleep.
7 Oh, love it is a killing thing.
Did you ever feel the pain?
How hard it is to love a girl
And not be loved again.
And not be loved again.
And not be loved again.
How hard it is to love a girl
And not be loved again !
'Stinging Bee.' From I. G. Greer, Boone, Watauga county, probably in
1915 or 1916. The first line is an intrusion, but I do not know from
where.
1 A stinging bee is a killing thing, did you ever feel the
sting ?
How hard it is to love a girl and can't be loved again.
And can't be loved again, and can't be loved again,
How hard it is to love a girl and can't be loved again.
2 As I went to church last Sunday morn my lover passed
me by.
I knew her mind was changing by the roUing of her eye.
By the rolHng of her eye, by tlie rolhng of her eye,
I knew her mind was changing by the rolling of her eye.
3 If I were at Frog Level or some other seaport town
I'd place my tent on board ship, and [sail] the ocean down.
Sailing on the ocean, sailing on the deep,
I'll see my dear little darling before I go to sleep.
E
'Little Molly.' Obtained from Alexander Tugman of Todd, Ashe county,
in IQ22. This version, like that in Dean's collection, seems to be Irish.
1 I wish I was in Dublin or some other town ;
I'd put my foot on board the ship and sail the ocean round.
2 While sailing on the ocean,
I'd think of little Molly before I go to sleep.
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82
The Lover's Lament
B
'Pretty Polly.' Sung by Mrs. N. T. Byers. Recorded as MS score. No date or
place given. The beginning recalls that of the popular song of years ago 'When
You Wore a Tulip.' ("Rolling of her eye" seems to be a standard means to
describe a certain psychological condition.) Cf. No. 65G, stanza 6; also
SharpK 11 254, No. 180A, stanza 3. (Here the "rolling" becomes a "move-
ment.") This tune is nearly identical with 82E.
For melodic relationship cf. **SharpK 11 254, No. 180A, measures 3-8 with
our 11-16.
Scale : Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center : f. Structure : abab^ (4,4,4,4) = aa^
(8,8). Circular Tune (V).
'Little Molly.' Sung by Alexander Tugman. Recorded as ms score, but no
date or place given. From the recording, however, it is possible to supply the
missing text in the second stanza as found in 11 283. Compare also SharpK 11
254, No. 1 80 A, stanza 7.
For melodic relationship cf. **SharpK 11 254, No. 180A, measures 3-8.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abed (2,2,2,2). Circu-
lar Tune (V).