Awake, Awake- Lee Monroe Presnell (NC) 1960 REC
[My date. From: The Traditional Music of Beech Mountain; Folk Legacy CD22; also New American Songster; and Folksongs II, Burton and Manning, 1969. Burton and Manning's text was sung in 1966 by Hattie Presnell as taken from Lee Monroe. Hattie's text is different in several places. Lee Monroe Presnell (1876-1963) was Counce Harmon's grandson (his mother was Louisa Jane Harmon) and learned many songs from his mother.
R. Matteson 2016]
"Awake, Awake, My Old True Lover"- sung by Lee Monroe Presnell of Beech Mountain, NC. Probably learned circa 1886 from his mother.
1 Awake, awake, my old true lover;
Awake, arise, it's almost day.
How can you bear those thoughts of[1] sleeping,
And your true love going away?
2 "Oh, who is that a-knocking at my window?
I pray you'll tell to me."
"It's me, it's me, your old true lover;
Awake, arise, come pity me."
3 "Go love, go and ask your father
If this night you could be my bride.
If he says no, so return and tell me;
[It will] be my last time ever bother thee."
4 "I can't go and ask my father,
For he's on his bed of rest,
And by his side there lies a weapon
To kill the one that I love best."
5. Go love, go and ask your mama
If this night you could be my bride.
If she says no, so return and tell me;
[It'll] Be my last time ever bother thee.
6 "I can't go and ask my mama
And tell her of your love so dear.
You may go and court some other
And whisper soft-lie in her ear.
7 "I will go to some wide river,
Spend my days, my months and years;
Eat anything but the green growing willows,
Also drink from my flowing tears.
8 "Come back, come back, my old true lover
And stay a little while with me.
I will forsake my dear old mother
And go along by the side of thee."
1. sings what sounds like "soft, soft" probably forgotten