Bobby Allen- Hines (FL) 1939 Lomax REC
[From: John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip (online).
R. Matteson 2012]
BOBBY ALLEN- Sung by Hule ("Queen") Hines, State Prison, Raiford, Florida. Learned from grandparents. I think she's singing, "Barby" Allen.
[Listen: Hule ("Queen") Hines sing Bobby Allen]
Remember, 'member de other day
When you in town a-drinkin'
You treated all the ladies 'round
An' slighted Bobby Allen.
He sent his servants to the town
Up to his Bobby's dwellin'
Your master dear lies sick in bed
It will kill his Bobby Allen.
Slowly, slowly she got up
An' went unto his dwellin'
She raised the curtains as she walked in,
Young man, I think you a- dyin'.
Yes, I am sick, I'm very sick
An' death is on my dwellin',
I never shall see my time again,
If I don't get Bobby Allen.
She wheeled around and went back home
Along as she was journeyin'
She looked to de East, and looked to the West
She saw the carpse* a-comin'.
Oh, mother, mother, fix my bed,
An' make it long an' narrow.
A young man died for me today,
An' I must die for him tomorrow.
Little Willie died on Saturday night
An' Bobby died on Sunday
Little Willie died on Saturday night
He were buried on Easter Monday.
An' from her grave there sprung a rose
An' from his grave a brier
They wrapped and tied in a lovers' knot
An' lived an' died together.
1. *carpse = corpse.