Bow Down- Furlow (MD) pre1971 Carey
[From Maryland Folk Legends and Folk Songs; Carey, 1971. It's hard to determine the age of this, Cumberland is a mountainous region, similar to the Appalachian region. No information is provided about the informant or when it was collected.
R. Matteson Jr. 2014]
Bow Down- from the singing of Thomas Furlow of Cumberland, Maryland
1. There was an old man lived in a north country,
Bow down, Bow down
There was an old man lived in a north country,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
There was an old man lived in a north country,
He had some daughters, one, two, three.
REFRAIN: And I will be true to my true love,
If my love will be true unto me.
2. The youngest one I went to see,
Bow down, bow down,
The youngest one I went to see,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
The youngest one I went to see,
I asked the old man to give her to me.
REFRAIN
3. I gave the youngest a beaver hat,
Bow down, bow down,
I gave the youngest a beaver hat,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
I gave the youngest a beaver hat,
The oldest, she got jealous of that.
REFRAIN
4. "Sister, sister, let's go down,
Bow down, bow down,
Sister, sister, let's go down,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
Sister, sister, let's go down
To see the white ships come sailing around."
REFRAIN
5. As they sat alone on the brim,
Bow down, bow down,
As they sat alone on the brim,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
As they sat alone on the brim
The oldest pushed the youngest one in.
REFRAIN
6. "O sister, sister, give me your hand,
Bow down, bow down,
O sister, sister, give me your hand,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
O sister, sister, give me your hand;
I'll give you my money, my houses, and land. "
REFRAIN
?. She swam right down to the miller's mill pond,
Bow down, bow down,
She swam right down to the miller's mill pond,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
She swam right down to the miller's mill pond;
"O miller, O miller, there swims a swan. "
REFRAIN
8. The miller went out with his big hook,
Bow down, bow down,
The miller went out with his big hook
She bent and she bowed unto me,
The miller went out with his big hook,
And drew the fair maid into his dry boat.
REFRAIN
9. "O miller, O miller, I'll give you my ring,
Bow down, bow down,
O miller, O miller, I'll give you my ring,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
O miller, O miller, I'll give you my ring,
If you'll carry me back to my father again."
REFRAIN
10. The miller took off her golden ring,
Bow down, bow down,
The miller took off her golden ring,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
The miller took off her golden ring
And pushed her in the Pond again.
REFRAIN
11. The miller was hung on his mill gate,
Bow down, bow down,
The miller was hung on his mill gate,
She bent and she bowed unto me,
The miller was hung on his mill gate
For drowning of my sweetheart, Kate.
REFRAIN