88
Charming Beauty Bright
English in origin, this song seems now to be better known in this
country. See BSM 164, and add to the references there given
Virginia (FSV 63-4), North Carolina (FSRA 130-1), Florida
(FSF 343-4), Arkansas (OFS i 348-9), Missouri (OFS i 346-7),
Ohio (BSO 113-14), Indiana (BSI 106, SFLQ iii 203-4), Illinois
(JAFL LX 216-17), and Wisconsin (JAFL lii 33).
A
'The First Girl I Courted.' Contributed, with the tune, by Thomas
Smith of Zionville, Watauga county, with the note : "The above song
was recited by Mrs. Peggy Perry in March, 1915, and written down by
her daughter-in-law Mrs. Lilly Perry. It was a popular song in Mrs.
Perry's younger days, probably sixty years ago, she says."
1 The first girl I courted she was a beauty bright,
And on her I fixed my own heart's delight.
I courted her for love, for love I did intend.
Never more, never more could I have love^ to complain.
2 And when her old father came for to know
If me and his daughter together would go,
They locked her up so close, so tight and near,
I never, never could get sight of my dear.
3 Away to the war I was forced to go,
To see if I could forget my love or no.
And when I got there, the army shined so bright
It just put me more in mind of my own heart's delight.
4 For seven years I stayed and tired for the king.
And then I resolved to come back again.
And when her father seen me he looked at me and cried.
'My daughter loved you dearly, and for your sake she
died.'
5 And I stood like one to be slain.
The tears from my eyes like showers of rain.
My true love is dead, she died in despair.
She's lying in her grave, and I wish I was there.
* No doubt this should be "golden."
Read "cause" or "reason." See texts B and D.
294 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
'Seven Year Song.' Mrs. Sutton reported this from the singing of
Myra Barnett (Miller) of the Brushies in Caldwell county, from whom
she learned so many old ballads. Myra learned it from Mrs. Ann
Brown, who lived in the "time of the war" (the Civil War) and "knew
a great deal about soldiers, Myra said, and she believed that soldiers
were seldom true to the girls they left behind them."
1 Once I courted a charming beauty bright,
Upon her I placed my whole heart's delight.
I courted her for love and love I did obtain,
Nor had I any reason at all to complain.
2 When her old father came this for to know,
That me and his daughter we must go.
He locked her in her chamber, he kept her so severe
That I did not get to see one single sight of my dear.'
3 Then to the army a soldier I did go
To see whether I could forget her or no.
Seven long years did I serve thee, my king,
And seven long months I returned home again.
4 And returning home with my army- shining bright
I had a little thought of my whole heart's delight.
Her mother met me, she answered and she cried,
'My daughter dearly loved you and for your sake she died.'
5 Then I was struck like a man that was slain ;
Tears poured down my face in great showers of rain.
c
•The First Girl I Courted.' Sung by Mrs. Charles K. Tillett of Wan-
chese, Roanoke Island, in IQ22. Five stanzas, of which the first three
differ somewhat from the corresponding stanzas of A and B. They run:
I The first girl I courted was a charming beauty bright
And on her I press my own heart delight ;
I courted her for love and love I did entend.
And have you any reason why I should explain ?
' Mrs. Sutton reports as variant readings in this stanza :
Then to her mother I often did go
To see whether I could get her or no.
She
and
Then to her parents a suitor I did go
To see whether I could have her or no.
They ...
* Read of course "armor," which seems to carry the original of the
song pretty far back. Perhaps the singer did not understand "armor"
and used instead a word she did know.
OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 295
2 When her old father this news came to hear
He says, 'Daughter, I deprive you of your own dearest
dear.'
So he locked her up, and he kept her so secure
That I never laid eyes on my darling any more.
3 Last Monday morning blew a sweet and a pleasant gale,
And at that very hour our ship she did set sail.
When she saw me leaving she looked at me and cried.
Says, 'I never shall forget until the day I die.'
D
No title. Collected from James York of Olin, Iredell county, in August
1939. This is the fullest text in the North Carolina collection.
1 Once I courted a very beauteous maid,
I courted her by day and I courted her by night ;
I courted her for love and love I did obtain,
And there's where she had no right to complain.
2 As soon as her parents came for to know
That I was courting their daughter I know^
They locked her so high, they kept her so fire
I never could get the sight of my dear.
3 Back to her chamber three times a day I'd go
To see if she had forgotten me, I know;
I might have loved another of higher degree.
But my love it is for you and none but thee.
4 Back to the war I thought I would go
To see if I could forget my love or no.
But when I got in sight the armor shined so bright
It put me in remembrance of my old heart's delight.
5 I served out my time, which was seven years or more.
Seven years or more I was returning to shore.
Where shall I go or what shall I do?
6 Back to her parents I thought I would go
To see if they had forgotten me or no.
Her mother saw me coming. She wrung her hands and
cried,
'My daughter loved you freely and for your sake she
died.'
* Not knowing how to construe the last two words of this line, I
leave them unpointed. In the next line, perhaps read "fine" for "fire."
296 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
7 There I stood just like one been slain.
The tears were streaming down my cheeks just like great
showers of rain.
Good lock and good lock,^ the pain I cannot bear.
My love is in her grave and I wish that I was there.
8 I went to her grave ; I knelt down there
And I prayed, 'My love is in her grave and I wish I were
there.'
If any one here that has ever felt the pain,
Go bring to me one pen and ink and I'll write down the
same.
--------------
88
Charming Beauty Bright
'The First Girl I Courted.' Sung by Mrs. Peggy Perry. Recorded as ms score
in March 1915. No place given.
For melodic relationship cf. **SCSM 439 ('The Lover's Lament'), measures
1-3-
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abaib^cdcia (2,2,2,2,
2,2,2,2) = aaiba2 (4,4,4,4) = Reprisenbar. Circular Tune (V).
'Seven Year Song.' Sung by Mrs. Myra Barnett Miller. Recorded as ms score
in the Brushies, in Caldwell county. No date given. This is a remarkable
example of how one and the same singer will handle the same tonal material
(almost) of the same song, but at different times. The following version was
probably recorded at a later date (but not in score), 88B(i). She did not say
that she considered it another version.
For melodic relationship cf. **SCSM 439 ('The Lover's Lament'), measures
1-3-
Scale: Mixolydian, plagal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: abbi cc^ (2,1,1,2,2) =
abc (2,2,4),
B(I)
'Seven Year Song.' Sung by Mrs. Myra Barnett Miller. Recorded at Lenoir,
dated August 1939, 1940, or 1941. There are only very few songs where the
accurate notation of what the singer actually sang results in so irregular a
structure as a fifteen-measure phrase. 1 The singer held the last note somewhat
longer, but not long enough to suffice for two half measures, nor for the re-
mainder of the last measure. The last four measures are like those of 'Sweet
William.'
Scale: Mixolydian, plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abed (3,4,4,4).
B(2)
'Seven Years Song.' Sung by Mrs. Vivian Blackstock. Recorded, but no place
given. There is a note from Dr. White: "Words and music given on score,
dated November 6, 1923, from a letter of Maude Minnish."
^ It would, of course, have been easy to note measures 3-5 simply in two %
measures, which would make the total number 14 measures. But, since the first
version did not change its gait, it seems best to leave this one as it is.
Scale: Hexachordal. Tonal Center: c. Structure: aa^bc (2,2,2,2). If be is
taken as one unit, this would be: mmin = barform; otherwise, ab (4,4).
'The First Girl I Courted.' Sung by C. K. Tillett (not Mrs. Tillett, as in II
294). Recorded at Wanchese, Roanoke Island, in 1922.
Scale : Hexachordal. Tonal Center : c. Structure : abaibicdcia2 (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2)
= aaibbi (4,4,4,4) = ab (8,8).
'Charming Beauty Bright.' Sung by Mrs. James York. Recorded, probably at
Olin, Iredell county, August 1939. This title evidently was given by the singer,
since it is so listed in the catalogue.
Scale: Hexachordal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: aa^bc (2,2,2,2) = ab (4,4).