Barbary Allen- L. B. Fish (NH) 1940 Flanders K/ Warner, Traditional American Folk Songs
[My title. From Flanders; Ancient Ballads 1961, notes by Coffin follow. There are three versions given by Lean Borne Fish, 2 were given to Flanders and one of these was her father's version. The other version collected by Warner in 1941 appears to be her father's version so I will give that separately (as Stratton Bourne) because it is so different.
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbara Allen
(Child 84)
In America, "Barbara Allen" has the widest geographical spread and overall currency of any ballad. It is not quite so popular in Britain, in spite of the well-known comments by Samuel Pepys and Oliver Goldsmith concerning its excellence. Nor are there Western or Northern European analogues, although a Spanish romance treats the same theme (certainly not a unique one) and a Serbian song (see WF VIII, 371); is strikingly similar. The ultimate source of the Anglo-American texts has never been located, nor has James Graeme, the hero of the Scottish tradition, been identified "Barbara Allen" has a tradition in print, on broadsheets in song books, on the stage, that is particularly vigorous across Britain and America. As a result, the plot of the spiteful girl and the unhappy lover is much the same wherever the song is found. Nevertheless, all sorts of minor variations have crept into the texts. The ballad may open in the spring or at Martinmas; the lover's name may be William, James, David, etc., etc.; he may give Barbara gift as he dies; he may curse her; she may curse him; she may blame her parents for the whole mess; and so forth. Frequently, at least in this country, the song ends with a cliche: the "rose and briar" Stanza, the "turtle-dove" Stanza or a warning to "ye virgins all." Detailed discussions of the local texts are given by most editors. The best are in Arthur K. Davis' Traditional Ballads of Virginia (Cambridge, Mass., 1929), 302-4; in C. A. Smith's treatment the song in Musical Quarterly, II, 109; and in W. Roy MacKenzie's Ballads and Sea-Songs from Nova Scotia (Cambridge, Mass., 1928), 35. Coffin, 89-90, also gives a list of interesting variations that have occurred in the American texts. From such discussions one can see that the "rose-briar" ending (Flanders E-G), nor found in child, and the references to the tavern toasts in which Barbara was slighted (most of the Flanders texts) are the characteristic New World traits.
Flanders A-C follow Child A in the Martinmas opening and the hero's name. undoubtedly such texts stem from the Scottish tradition represented in J. S. Locke's Forget-Me-Not Songster, printed in Boston and known all over the Northeast. Flanders D f. are of the child B, a seventeenth-century broadside, type. This is the most widespread form of the song. The basin of blood and the gifts offered by the dying man to Barbara (see Flanders D, F, and G, for example) are not in Child B, though common enough in the northern American regions. As the song has been frequently localized, it is likely that Flanders E, entitled "Mary Alling," recalls some nineteenth-century belle. In a similar way, Flanders O may reflect local events. Phillips Barry, British Ballads from Maine, 200, notes a tale told around Newburg, Vermont, about a certain Barbara Allen who was jilted by her lover in favor of a girl he described as an "angel without wings." The Flanders H 1-3 and K 1-2 series offer interesting comparisons for the study of ballad variations and transmission. Flanders J, where the lover points to the basin where he "threw up" his heart's blood, teeters on comedy. And L, mentioning the Christmas Day Kissing, is unique.
Any song as popular as "Barbara Allen" will have many uses. Benjamin A. Botkin, American Play-Party Song (Lincoln, Nebraska, 1837), 58, cites its development as a game song. Coffin, 87-88 (American); Dean-Smith, 51, and Belden, 60-61 (English); and Greig and Keith, 67-70 (Scottish) give one a start on an extensive bibliography of texts from oral tradition. See Kitredge's notes in JAF, XXIX, 160-61, and XXX, 3I7, for song book and broadside references. Phillips Barry, British Ballads from Maine, 195-200, includes it.
With the exception of the Smith tune, all of the tunes for Child 84 are related. They can be subdivided as follows: 1) Richards, Degreenia, Reynolds; 2) Barlow; 3) Sullivan, Wilson, Armstrong, Halvosa, Fairbanks (which is also related to the Richards group, see end of line 1); 4) Bush; 5) Merrill; and 6) Braid, which is also close to the Sullivan group, at the beginning. Of the great multitude of related tunes, only a selected few, rather closely related ones are given. Relations are found for groups I and 4 to a greater extent than for the others.
K1. [Barbary Allen] As sung by Mrs. Lena Bourne Fish of East Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Her address was furnished by Mrs. Carl L. Schrider, Chairman of Fine Arts, General Federation of Women's clubs. M. Olney, Collector; May 9, 1940.
It was in the merry month of May,
When the leaves were swelling,
That William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbary Allen.
He sent his servant to a town
To the place where she was dwelling;
"My master's sick and sends for you;
Please do come, Barbary Allen."
She went but did not want to go,
Could hardly keep from crying,
But all she said when she got there
Was, "Young man, I think you're dying."
"I am sick, so very sick,
With my love my head is aching;
If you will but forgive Your love
You'll keep my heart from breaking."
"Mind you not, Young man," said she,
"When drinking in the tavern,
You drank a health to ladies all,
But slighted Barbary Allen.
"I know you're sick and very sick,
And death is with you dealing,
But I will never you forgive,
Though death shades are 'round you stealing."
He turned his face unto the wall,
She turned so coldly from him;
He bade adieu to the wide world all
And adieu to Barbary Allen.
As she was walking to her home,
She heard the death bells knelling,
And every peal the death bell gave
Meant woe to Barbary Allen.
"O sexton, go and dig my grave,
Dig it both long and narrow;
My lover died for me of love,
I'll die for him of sorrow."
____________________________________
K2. [Barb'ry Allen] This text was also given by Mrs. Lena Bourne Fish of East Jaffrey, New Hampshire, as learned, from her father, Stratton Bourne. It is included in full as it is quite markedly in phrasing from K1 and, demonstrates how freely some
singers change their songs. M. Olney, Collector; May 9, 1940
Barbara Allen
'Twas in the merry month of May
When the green buds were swelling,
That William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barb'ry Allen.
He sent his servant up in haste
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, "William's sick and calls to you,
Please come, dear Barb'ry Allen."
She walked out with a haughty air
Although she felt like crying,
But all she said when she got there,
Was, "Young man, I fear you're dying."
"Oh, I am sick, so very sick,
With fever I am shaking;
If you will only smile on me
'Twill keep my heart from breaking."
"I know you're sick, so very sick,
And death is with you dealing,
But I will never smile on You,
Nor will I be your healing.
"For mind you not, young man," said she,
"When the gay May bells were knelling,
You drank a toast to the ladies all around,
But slighted Barb'ry Allen."
"Though I drank a toast to the ladies all,
When the gay May bells were knelling,
But my truest, best and constant love,
I gave to Barb'ry Allen."
He bade this cruel world adieu
When she turned coldly from him;
And walked away with an air of pride,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.
Before she reached her dwelling place,
' She heard the death bell knelling
And every peal the death bell gave,
Meant woe to Barb'ry Allen.
________________________________
Barb'ra Allen- Sung by Lean Boune Fish for Warner, 1941 in Traditional American Folk Songs. Clearly this is similar to her father's version- it's hard to understand how Barbry (Flanders) could become Barbra (Warner).
'Twas in the merry month of May
When the green buds were swelling,
That William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barb'ra Allen.
He sent his servant off in haste
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, "William's sick and calls for you.
Please come, dear Barbara Allen."
She walked out with a lordly air,
Although she felt like crying.
But all she said when she got there
'Was, "Young man, I fear you're dying."
"Oh, I am sick, so very sick,
With fever I am shaking.
If you will only smile on me,
It will keep my heart from breaking."
"O mind you not, young man," said she,
"'When the gay May bells were knelling,
You drank a toast to the ladies all,
But slighted Barbara Allen?"
"I know you're sick, and very sick,
And death is with you dealing,
But I will never smile on you
Nor will I be your healing."
He bade this cruel world adieu,
Then she turned coldly from him,
And walked away with an air of pride,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.
Before she reached her dwelling place
She heard the death bell knelling.
And every peal the death bell gave
Meant woe to Barbara Allen.
"O Mother dear," she sobbed and said,
"My heart is filled with sorrow.
As my love has died for me today,
I'll die for him tomorrow."