Barbara Allan- Lowery (OK) pre1964 Moores
[From BALLADS AND FOLK SONGS OF THE SOUTHWEST by the Moores, 1964. No date given. This version is probably 30-40 years older than 1964.
This version is similar to Child Bd, Percy's version of 1765. The Moores notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
24 Bonny Barbara Allan
Bonny Barbara Allan (Child, No. 84) is the most popular ballad sung in Oklahoma, thirty-three variants being found during our first year of collecting.
The ballad was known in England in 1666, for on January 2 of that year, Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary of the "perfect pleasure" of listening to the singing of the "little Scotch song of Barbary Allen." Percy makes separate classifications of the English version, Barbara Allen's Cruelty (III, 128-30), and the Scottish version, Sir John Grehme and Barbara Allen (III, 133-35). For references, see Arnold, 8-9; Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, 195-200; Belden, 60-65; Brewster, 99-107; Chappell , 32; Child, II, 276-79; Cox, 96-109; Creighton and Senior,49-58; Davis, 302-45; Eddy, 52-59; Gardner and Chickering,
50-52; Greenleaf and Mansfield, 26-27; Hudson, 95-107; Journal, Vol. VI, 132 (Edmonds), Vol. XIX, 286 (Belden), Vol. XX, 256 (Kittredge) , Vol. XXII, 63 ( Beatty) , Vol. XXVI, 3 5 2 (Pound), Vol. XXVII, 144 (Perrow), Vol. XXVIII ,203 (Reed Smith), Vol. XXIX, 160 (Tolman), Vol. XXX, 309-17 (Kittredg.), Vol. XXXV, 3a3 (Tolman and Eddy), XXXIX, 241 (Henry), Vol. LII,7 7 (Neely); Linscott, 163-64; McGill, 40; Mackenzie,393; Mackenzie, Quesr, 100; Morris, 283-90; Newell, 78; Owens, 49-53; Randolph, I, 126-39; Sandburg, 57; Scarborough, Song Catcher, 33-97; Sharp, I, 183-95; Smith, 129-41; Thomas, 94; and Wyman and Brockway, 1-5.
Barbara Allan, sung by Mrs. Jim Lowery, Norman.
In Scarlet town, where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling;
And every youth cried, "Well away.
Her name is Barbara Allan."
All in the merry month of May,
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Jimmie Groves on his death bed lay,
For love of Barbara Allan.
He sent his man unto her then,
To the town where she did dwell in,
Saying, "You must come to master,
If your name be Barbara Allan.
"For death is painted on his face
And o'er his heart is stealing.
Then haste away to comfort him,
O lovely Barbara Allan."
So slowly, slowly she came up,
And slowly she came nigh him;
And all she said when thus she came,
"Young man, I think you're dying."
He turned his face unto her straight,
With deathly sorrow sighing;
"O pretty maid, come pity me,
I'm on my deathbed dying."
He turned his face unto the wall,
And death was with him stealing.
"Adieu, adieu, my dear friends all,
Adieu to Barbara Allan."
As she was walking o'er the fields,
She heard the death bell knelling;
And every stroke did seem to say,
"Unworthy Barbara Allan""
She turned her body round about,
And espied a corpse a-coming.
"Lay down, lay down the corpse," she cried,
"That I may look upon him."
With scornful eyes she looked down,
Her cheeks with laughter swelling;
And all her friends cried out, "Away,
Unworthy Barbara Allan."
She on her deathbed as she lay,
Her heart was struck with sorrow.
"Oh, mother, mother make my bed,
For I shall die tomorrow.
"Hardhearted creature him to slight,
Who loved me so dearly.
Oh, that I'd been kind to him
When he was alive and near me."
She on her deathbed as she lay,
Begged to be buried by him;
And so repented of the day,
That she ever did deny him.
"Farewell," she said, "ye virgins all,
And shun the fault I fell in;
Henceforth take warning by the fall
Of cruel Barbara Allan."