Barbara Allen- Boylan (OH) pre1890 Eddy D
[No date given, most of Eddy's version are much older than the publication date. From Ballads and Songs from Ohio; Eddy, 1939.
The informant, Peter C. Boylan of Canton, was born about 1880 (Ancestry.com) and his father Arthur Boylan, the ballad source, was born in 1856 and died in 1935.
R. Matteson 2015]
BONNY BARBARA ALLEN
(Child, No.84)
This ballad reached me through the kindness of Paul Franz, Canton, Ohio. Mr. Boylan learned it from the singing of his father, Arthur Boylan, of Shreve, Ohio.
D. BARBARA ALLEN. From P. C. Boylan, Canton, Ohio.
1. In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth cry, "Well away";
Her name was Barbara Allen'
2. All in the very month of May
When green buds they were swelling,
Sweet William came from the western states
And courted Barbara Allen.
3. It was all in the month of June
When all things they were blooming,
Sweet William on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.
4. He sent his servants to the town
Where Barbara was a-dwelling;
"My master is sick and sent for you
If your name be Barbara Allen."
5. "And death is painted on his face,
And o'er his heart is stealing;
Then hasten away to comfort him,
Oh, lovely Barbara Allen."
6. So slowly, slowly she got up,
And slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said when she got there,
"Young man, I think you're dying."
7. "Oh, yes, I'm sick and very sick,
And death is on me dwelling;
No better, no better I never can be
If I can't have Barbara Allen."
8. "Oh, yes, you're sick, and very sick,
And death is on You dwelling,
No better, no better you never will be,
For you can't have Barbara Allen.
9. "Oh, don't you remember in yonder town
When you were at the tavern,
You drank a health to the ladies all around,
And slighted Barbara Allen?"
10. As she was on her highway home,
The birds they kept a-singing,
They sang so clear they seemed to say,
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."
11. As she was walking o'er the fields
She heard the death bell knelling,
And every stroke did seem to say,
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."
12. She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
She spied his corpse a-coming;
"Lay down, lay down that corpse of clay
That I may look upon him."
13. The more she looked the more she mourned,
Till she fell to the ground a-crying,
Saying, "Take me up and carry me home,
For I am now a-dying.
14. "Oh, mother, oh, mother, go make my bed,
Go make it long and narrow;
Sweet William died for pure, pure love,
And I shall die for sorrow.
15. "Oh, father, oh, father, go dig my grave,
Go dig it long and narrow,
Sweet William died for me today,
I'll die for him tomorrow."
16. She was buried in the old churchyard,
And he was buried a-nigh her;
On William's grave there grew a red rose,
On Barbara's grew a green brier.