Barb'ra Ellen (Barbry Ellen)- Smith (KY) 1907 Sharp F
[From EFFSA, 1917 Sharp/Cambell and 1932 Sharp/Karpeles. This version was collected from Ada Smith by Olive Dame Campbell and the MP3 [Listen to Olive Dame Campbell] features her singing this version of Barb'ry Ellen. She describes how she learned the ballad from a woman who accompanied herself on a banjo. The melody is the same but the text is curiously different in places and verses are missing. The recording is also titled, Barbry Ellen.
R. Matteson 2012]
Barb'ra Ellen- Smith (KY) 1907 Sharp F from English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians
[Listen to Olive Dame Campbell]
1. 'Twas in the merry month of May,
The green buds were swelling,
Poor William Green on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barb'ra Ellen
2 He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying: Love, there is a call for you,
If your name is Barbara Ellen.
3 She was very slowly getting up
And very slowly going,
And all she said when there she come:
Young man, I believe you're dying.
4 O yes, I know I'm very bad,
And never will be any better
Until I have the love of one,
The love of Barbara Ellen.
5 He turned his pale face toward the wall,
And death was in him dwelling.
Adieu, adieu, adieu to my dear friends.
Be kind to Barbara Ellen.
6 When she got in about two miles of town,
She heard the death bells ringing.
She says: Come around, you nice young men,
And let me look upon you.
7 O mother, O mother, come make my bed,
Come make it both soft and narrow
For Sweet William died to-day,
And I will die tomorrow.
8 O father, O father, come dig my grave,
Come dig it both deep and narrow,
For sweet William died in love,
And I will die in sorrow.
9 Sweet William was buried in the old church tomb,
Barbara Ellen was buried in the yard.
Out of sweet William's grave grew a green, red rose,
Out of Barbara Ellen's a briar.
10 They grew and grew to the old church top
And still they couldn't grow any higher,
And at the end tied a true love-knot,
The rose wrapped around the briar.