Barbara Allen- (KY) 1923 Raine; Mountain Ballads
[No informant named. From Mountain Ballads for Social Singing, a 27 page booklet which contains 16 songs, "...a selection of our Mountain Ballads prepared for the use of Berea Students at Vesper Hour gatherings and other social occasions." by James Watt Raine, (1869-1949) and Cecil James Sharp, (1859-1924); Berea College Press; 1923.
This 19 stanza version represents the complete idealized Appalachian version similar to Child B with the two tavern verses and rose-briar ending. cf. Lena Harmon
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbara Allen
1. In Scarlet town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling
Made every youth cry "Well a-day,"
Her name was Barbara Allen.
2. All in the merry month of May,
When the green buds they were swelling,
Sweet William came from the western states,
And courted Barbara Allen.
3. It was in the month of June,
When all things they were blooming,
Sweet William on his death-bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.
4. He sent his servant to the town
Where Barbara was a-dwelling;
"My master's sick, and he 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,
O lovely Barbara Allen."
6. So slow, so slowly she got up,
And slowly she came nigh him;
And all she said when she got there,
Young man, I think you are 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 are sick and very sick,
And death is on you dwelling;
No better, no better you never will be
For you can't get 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 'round
And slighted Barbara Allen?
10. Oh, yes, I remember in yonder town,
In yonder town a-drinking;
I drank a health to the ladies all 'round,
But my heart to Barbara Allen."
11. He turned his face unto the wall;
And death was on him dealing,
"Adieu, adieu to my friends all around,
Be kind to Barbara Allen.
12. As she was on her higway home,
The birds they kept a-singing;
They sang so clear they seemed to say,
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."
13. As she was walking o'er the fields,
She beard the death bell knelling;
And every stroke did seem to say,
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."
14. She looked to the east and she looked to the west,
She saw the corpse a-coming,
Lay down, lay down, that corpse of clay,
That I may look upon him."
15. The more she looked, the more she mourned;
She fell to the ground a-crying,
Saying, Take me up and carry me home
For I am now a-dying."
16. Oh, Mother, oh, Mother, go make my bed;
Go make it long and narrow.
Sweet William died for me today;
And I shall die for sorrow.
17. O Father, O Father, go dig my grave;
Go dig it long and narrow.
Sweet William died for pure, pure love,
I'll die for him tomorrow.
18. She was buried in the old church yard,
And he was buried a-nigh her.
On William's grave there grew a red rose;
And on Barbara's grew a green brier.
19. They grew to the top of the old church wall;
Till they couldn't grow any higher.
They lapped and they tied in a true love's knot,
And the rose grew around the brier.