Barbry Allen- Thornton (MO) 1927 Randolph B
[From Ozark Folksongs; Randolph, I, 1946, p. 128-29 (B). Randolph's notes include this curious comment, "There are several commercial records of this ballad, of which those by Al Craver (Columbia 15126-D) and Vernon Dalhart (Brunswick 117) are probably the best." It should be noted that Dalhart and Craver are the same person!! Craver is one of the many pseudonyms Dalhart used to record for different companies.
Randolph who frequently uses apostrophes for "the" (th')-- doesn't use one for Barbry.
R. Matteson 2015]
B. Barbry Allen. A somewhat different "Barbara Allen" is sung by Miss Laura Thornton, Pineville, Mo., Dec. 11 , 1927.
Twas in th' merry month of May,
Th' green buds they was swellin',
Young Belfry on his death bed lay
For th' love of Barbry Allen.
Now this young man was very sick,
An' in a low condition,
All he could say, both night an' day,
Was send for Barbry Allen.
Oh slowly, slowly, she drawed nigh
The place where he was lyin',
Young man, young man, you're a-goin' to die
Cause you slighted Barbry Allen.
Do you remember once in town,
A-drinkin' at the tavern,
You drinked to all the girls around,
But you slighted Barbry Allen.
In vain, in vain, my love has called,
An' now I am a-dyin',
Then he turned his face to the milk-white wall,
An' his back to Barbry Allen.
He turned his face to the milk-white wall,
He turned his back upon her,
Adieu, adieu, to the pretty fair maids,
Be kind to Barbry Allen.
They buried her in the old church yard,
They buried him beside her,
An' out of his breast grew a red rose bush,
An' out of hers a green brier.
They grew to the top of the old church tower,
They could not grow no higher,
An' there they tied in a true love knot,
The red rose an' the brier.