Barbara Allen- Sargent (AR) 1960 Parler G
[From Ozark Collection (No. 8); Collected by Raymond W. Whittier For M.C. Parlor Transcribed by Raymond W. Whittier as sung by Mrs. Irene Sargent; West Fork, Arkansas December 3, 1960 Reel 303 Item 7. Also collected and transcribed by Don Callaway from Irene Sergant of West Fork, Ark. November 22, 1963 Reel 433, Item 8.
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbara Allen- Sung by Mrs. Irene Sargent; West Fork, Arkansas on December 3, 1960 and November 1963.
In Scarlet Town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth cry well away,
Her name was Barbara Allen.
Twas in the merry month of May,
When the green buds they were swelling.
Sweet William came from the western state,
And courted Barbara Allen.
It was in the merry month of June,
When all things they—when—(gasp)—[1]
When all things they were blooming.
Sweet William on his death bed lay,
For the love of Barbara Allen.
He sent his servant to the town,
Where Barbara was a-dwelling.
My master's sick and sent for you,
If your name be Barbara Allen.
So slowly, slowly she got up,
And slowly she came nigh him.
And first she said when she got there,
Young man I think you're dying.
Oh yes, I'm sick and very sick,
And death is on me dwelling.
No better, no better I ever will be,
If I can't have Barbara Allen.
Oh, don't you remember in yonders town,
When you were at the tavern.
You drank a health to the ladies all 'round,
And slighted Barbara Allen.
Oh yes, I remember in yonders town,
When I was at the tavern.
I drank a health to the ladies all 'round,
Gave my heart to Barbara Allen.
As she was on her highway home,
The birds they kept a-singing.
They sing so clear, they seemed to say,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.
As she was walking o'er the fields,
She heard the death bells knelling.
And every stroke they seemed to say,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.
She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
She saw his corpse a-coming.
They picked him up and lay him down,
That I may look upon him.
The more she looked the more she moan,
And she fell to the ground a-crying,
Saying pick me up and carry me home,
For I am now a-dying.
They buried him in the old church yard,
And she was buried nigh him.
From William's grave there grew a red rose,
From Barbara's grew a briar.
They grew to the top of the old church tower,
They couldn't grow no higher.
And there they tied in a lover's knot,
The rose around the briar.
1. The second line should be left off