Brown Collection (House Carpenter) Complete Listings [also Abrams / Greer]
[The Brown Collection of NC Folklore (1912-1943) is the premiere collection for North Carolina. Brown has listed texts A-N and the music had nine versions, most without texts. Some of the ballads listed without texts may be found in the Greer Collection, The Abrams Collection and other collections in that state.
This is Volume 2, the text of the ballads followed by Volume 4- the music of the ballads.
At the bottom of this page I've put Abrams/ Greer texts, many of which appear in the Brown Collection. The collections have changed three times in the last three years in different online digital formats. A few items have disappeared, some presentations have changed.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
40. James Harris (The Daemon Lover)
(Child 243)
If the various traditional versions of this ballad all go back, as Child believed, to the long-winded, pedestrian seventeenth-century broadside of 'James Harris,' they constitute something of an argument for Barry's doctrine of communal re-creation. For its range as traditional song, see BSM 79, and add New Hampshire (NGMS 95-7), Tennessee (SFLQ xi 127-8), North Carolina (FSRA 38-40), Florida (SFLQ viii 160-1), the Ozarks (OFS I 166-76), Ohio (BSO 70-7), Indiana (BSI 136-48, JAFL lvii 14-15), Illinois (JAFL LX 131-2), Michigan (BSSM 54-8), and Wisconsin (JAFL LIT 46-7, originally from Kentucky). Few regional collections made in this country fail to record it;[1] it is therefore surprising that Child knew, apparently, only one American text and that a fragment. It is almost always called in America 'The House Carpenter.' The notion that the lover from the sea is a revenant or a demon, present in the original broadside and less definitely in some of the other versions in Child, has faded from most American texts; with us it is a merely domestic tragedy. And perhaps for that very reason it is one of the favorites of American ballad singers. There are some fourteen texts in the North Carolina collection, most of them holding pretty closely to one version. A full text of this version is given first and most of the others described by reference to this.
Footnote for above:
1. There are traces of it in our K and M versions.
A. 'The House Carpenter.' Reported by Mrs. Sutton (or rather by Miss Maude Minish before her marriage) from the singing of Mr. R. T. Lewis of Roaring Creek, Ashe county — "a very wild, primitive location, and a most interesting family. The father was a bit politically inclined. He kept up with all events of the day and talked with much intelligence. His wife was a typical mountain drudge, superstitious to a degree. . . . For wild beauty and untouched grandeur the scenery around their home is not equaled in the mountains anywhere. Roaring Creek literally tumbles down a mountain side, seemingly coming from the very clouds." The "we'll meet" of the first two lines should of course be "well met."
1. 'We'll meet, we'll meet, my own true love,'
"We'll meet, we'll meet.' he replied;
'I'm just a-returnin' from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee.
2 'I could have married a king's daughter,
For she would 'a' married me;
But I forsaken the crown of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee.'
3 'If you could 'a' married a king's daughter
I'm sure you air to blame;
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man.'
4 'If you will leave your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows so green
On the banks of Sweet Willie.'
5 'If I will leave my house carpenter
And go along with thee,
Have you anything to maintain me upon
And keep me from slavery?
6 'I have five ships on the ocean wide
A-sailin' for dry land,
A hundred and fifty bold seamen
For to be at your command.'
7 She picked up her sweet little babe
And kisses she gave it three,
Saying, 'Stay at home, my sweet little babe,
And keep your pappy company.'
8 She dressed herself in silk so fine,
Most glorious to behold;
As she walked out toward the wharf
She outshined the glittering gold.
9 She had not been on sea two months,
I'm sure it was not three,
Until she lamented in her true love's ship
And wept most bitterly.
10 'Are you a-weepin' for my silver or my gold,
Or either for my store?
Or are you a-weepin' for your house carpenter
That you will never see no more ?'
11 'I'm not a-weepin' for your silver or your gold
Or either for your store;
I'm just a-weepin' for my sweet little babe
That I never shall see no more.'
12 She had not been on the sea three months,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until there sprung a leak in her true love's ship
And sunk it to rise no more.
13 'A curse, a curse on all seamen,
A curse for evermore;
For you have robbed me of my house carpenter
That I never shall see any more.'
B. The House Carpenter.' This text was secured by Mrs. Sutton some years later than A, from the singing of Mrs. Rebecca Gordon of Cat's Head on Saluda Mountain, Henderson county. Here the last line of each stanza is repeated by way of refrain. The English is cruder — to the point of unintelligibility in the first line of stanza 4. The last stanza is borrowed from some of the forms of 'William Taylor' or of 'The Sailor Boy.'
1.'I oncet could 'a' married a king's daughter fair
And I wouldn't for the sake of thee.'
2 'I don't see how you could fault me.
For I am married to a house carpenter.
And I think he's a fine young man, man.
And I think he's a fine young man.'
3 'Won't you forsaken your house carpenter
And go along with me?
I will take you to where the grass grows so green
On the banks of the salt water sea, sea,
On the banks of the salt water sea.'
4 She stole herself in a neat little ravin,
She dressed in ivory;
She spreaded her veil all over her face ;
She outshined the glittering day, day.
She outshined the glittering day.
5 She called her three little babes to her
And kissed them one-two-three.
She said, 'Go back, my sweet little babes,
And keep your pappy's company, ny,
And keep your pappy's company.'
6 She hadn't been gone three months on the sea,
I am sure it was not four.
Till she was found a-weeping and a-moaning
And a-weeping most bitter-i-ly, i-ly.
And a-weeping most bitter-i-ly.
7 'Oh, what's the matter?' said the sea-faring man,
'Oh, what's the matter?' said he.
'Is it about your house carpenter?
Is it about your store, your store,
Is it about your store?'
8 'It's neither about my house carpenter
Nor is it about my store.
It's all about my sweet Httle babes
That I left when I came with thee, thee,
That I left when I came with thee.'
9 She hadn't been gone on the sea three months,
I'm sure it was not four,
Till she thrown herself all over board
And her soul has sung farewell, farewell.
And her soul has sung farewell.
C. 'The House Carpenter.' Sent by I. G. Greer of Boone, Watauga county, to C. Alphonso Smith in 1913 and later to the North Carolina collection. It is essentially the same as A, with some minor variations: seven ships, instead of six, and weeks for months in stanzas 9 and 12. [I have not found that version in the Greer Collection, perhaps there are other changes not mentioned by the editor.]
D. 'The House Carpenter's Wife.' Sent in by Thomas Smith of Zionville, Watauga county, in February 1915, as sung by Mrs. Rebecca Icenham, of Silverstone in the same county. "She heard a Mrs. Thompson sing it as well as other ballads between forty and fifty years ago at her old home near where she now lives." Twelve stanzas of the A version with minor verbal variations such as three ships instead of six, "a week or two" in stanza 9, etc.
E. 'The House Carpenter.' Another text secured by Thomas Smith, "sung by Clyde Corum of Zionville, March 22, 1915. Clyde Corum learned it, he says, from his mother and grandfather, who sang the song to him when he was a child." The text is the same as A with minor verbal variations, except that it lacks stanza 8 of A and has a different opening stanza (which appears also in other ballads):
'I will come in but I won't set down,
For I have not a moment of time;
For I heard you were engaged to another young man
And your heart is no longer mine.'
F. 'The House Carpenter.' Collected by D. W. Fletcher of Trinity College some ten miles east of Durham from A. H. Carpenter, who learned it from his father. The text is short (eight stanzas) and varies a good deal from the normal as exhibited in A. Note particularly the confusion of grammatical person in the first two stanzas. Because of this confusion quotation marks are not used until line 7.
1 I once could have married the Queen's daughter dear,
When she looked most beautiful, wise, and sweet ;
But she went away with a house carpenter
And there she stayed three weeks.
2 There came along a very rich man.
He was richer than tongue could tell.
'Will you forsake your house carpenter
And come with this young man?'
3 'I will forsake my house carpenter.
And I will forsake my land.
And I will forsake my pretty little babe
And come with this young man.'
4 They went along till they came to the old sea sound
Where she looked wonderful wide and deep.
There she wipeth up her water-weeping eyes
And then began to weep.
5 'What are you weeping for?' said he.
'Are you weeping for my gold?
Or are you weeping for your house carpenter
Which I know you never shall see?'
6 'I am neither weeping for your gold
Nor for my house carpenter.
I am weeping for my pretty little babe
Which I know I never shall see.'
7 They had not been gone more than three weeks.
I'm sure it was not four,
When there sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship
And they sank to rise no more.
8 I've often seen green grass trod under foot;
It would spring and grow again.
True love, true love, 'tis a killing pain.
Did you ever feel that pain?
G. 'I Have Forty Ships.' Secured by Miss Mamie Mansfield in 1922 from Estella Rhew at the Fowler School, Durham. Here the text has shrunk to five stanzas.
I 'I have forty ships on the ocean side
And they are all making for land.
If you'll come along and go with me
I'll make you a nice young man.'[1]
2 She picked up the poor little baby
And kissed him one, two, three ;
Said, 'You stay here with daddy
And keep him company for me.'
3 She had not been gone but about two weeks,
I am sure it was not three,
Before that little girl began to cry and moan
For someone she'd never more see.
4 'Are you weeping for your land?
Are you weeping for your store?'
She said, 'I'm weeping for my lonesome babe
I'll never see no more.'
5 She had not been gone but about three weeks,
I am sure it was not four,
Before that ship sprung a leak
And sunk to rise no more.
Footnote for this version:
1. Miss Mansfield's text exists in the collection in two copies. The other copy reads here "I'll make you nice and grand."
H. 'The House Carpenter.' Two fragmentary and corrupt texts secured by Julian P. Boyd at the Almance School, Pamlico county. In one of them "the banks of Sweet Willie" becomes "the banks of sweet Liberty"; and the other has for its third stanza:
Don't you see them seven sailing ship
Are sailing for dry land?
You can count 'em all at your command.
I. 'The House Carpenter.' Reported by L. W. Anderson from Nag's Head, Dare county: "Sung to me by Mrs. J. A. Best at whose home I board. Her mother sang this also, and they lived on an island called Collington twelve miles from Kitty Hawk." It is substantially the same as A with some differences in the final stanza: [text should be arranged differently, see Chappell's version collected in that area.]
'Here's a curse, here's a curse
To all seafaring men.
A-ruinin' of lives, robbing of house carpenters
And taking away of their wives.'
'Here's a curse, here's a curse to all seafaring men,
[For] a-ruinin' of lives;
Robbing of house carpenters,
And taking away of their wives.'
J. 'The House Carpenter.' Secured by Miss Jessie Hauser of Forsyth county from Mrs. James Thomas, of St. Jude. The text is substantially the same as A but lacks stanza 15 and combines stanzas 1 and 2 into
'We've met, we've met, my own true love;
We've met, we've met,' said he.
'It's I could have married the King's daughter fair,
And she would have married me.
But I have forsaken her crown of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee.'
K. 'The House Carpenter.' Secured by W. Amos Abrams in 1938 from Mrs. Jim Wilson of Zionville, Watauga county. It runs like A for the first seven stanzas but then shifts unexpectedly to the first person of the lover and even brings in the vision of heaven and hell of Child's versions E and F, not often found in American texts. The last six stanzas run: [I've added the first stanzas as well from the Abrams Collection:]
1. 'We have met, we have met, my old true love,
We have met, we have met, my dear.
I am just returning from the sea salt sea,
And it's all for the sake of thee.'
2. 'I could have married a king's daughter
And she would have married me.
But I have forsaken her crowns of gold,
And its all for the sake of thee.'
3. 'If you could have married a king's daughter,
I'm sure that you are to blame.
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think that he is a nice young man.'
4. 'Well won't you leave your house carpenter,
And go along with me.
I will take you where the grass grows so green,
On the banks of the deep blue sea.'
5. 'If I should leave my house carpenter,
And go along with you,
Have you anything to maintain me on
Or to keep me from slavery?'
6. 'I have five ships on the ocean wide,
Now rolling for dry land,
And a hundred thousand sea sailing men,
Which will all be yours at your command.'
7. She picked up her sweet little babe,
Kisses she gave it three.
'Stay at home with your own dear papa,
And keep him company.'
8 We had not been on board three weeks,
I am sure it was not four,
When tears did come to my true love's eyes
And melted to rise no more.
9 'Are you weeping for your house carpenter?
Are you weeping for your store?
Are you weeping for your dear little babe
That you will never see any more?'
10 'I am neither weeping for my house carpenter,
Neither for my store.
I am just weeping for my sweet little babe
That I will never see any more.'
11 We had not been on board three months,
And I'm sure it was not four.
When tears began to come in my true love's eyes
And melted to rise no more.
12 'What banks are these we are passing by?
They shine like glittering gold.'
'It's the banks of heaven that we are passing by.
Where you and I can't go.'
13 'What banks are these we are landing on?
They are black as any crow.'
'They are the banks of torment we are landing on
Where you and I must go.'
L. 'House Carpenter.' Secured from James York, Olin, Iredell county, in 1939. Ten stanzas, fairly close to A but shifting in stanza 7 from the third person of the lover to the first person: [This ballad is also sung by his wife- I assume they sang the saem version but in rare cases they didn't.]
She dressed herself in her fine richery.
Most beauteous to behold,
And as she glided along with me
She outshined that glittering gold.
M. 'The House Carpenter.' From the manuscript of Mr. Obie Johnson, Crossnore, Avery county, July 1940. The manuscript has the notation "Words given by Phebe G. Basefield. Sung by Anne Johnson." The variations from the standard text are so pervading that it seems best to give the text entire. Note that like K it has the vision of heaven and hell.
1 'Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met,' said he;
'I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea
And all for the love of thee, thee, thee.
And all for the love of thee.
2 'I will come in, but I won't sit down.
For I haven't a moment's time.
I heard you were engaged to another young man
And your heart is no longer mine, mine, mine,
And your heart is no longer mine.'
3 'Yes, come in and sit down
And stay a while if you can.
I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man, man, man,
And I think he's a nice young man.'
4 'If you will leave your house carpenter
And go along with me.
We will go where the grass grows green
On the banks of the deep blue sea, sea, sea,
In the land of the Sweet Willie.'
5 She dressed herself in silk so fine.
Most glorious to behold,
And as she marched up and down the street
She shone like glittering gold, gold, gold,
She shone like glittering gold.
6 She picked up her little babe.
Kisses she gave it one, two, three,
Saying, 'You stay at home with your poor old dad
And keep him company, ny, ny,
And keep him company.'
7 She hadn't been gone but about two weeks,
I'm sure it were not three,
Till she fell down a-weeping in her true lover's lap
And she wept most bitterly, ly, ly,
And she wept most bitterly.
8 'Darling, are you weeping for my silver or my gold.
Or weeping for my store,
Or a-weeping for your house carpenter
Whose face you'll see no more, more, more.
Whose face you'll see no more?'
9 'I'm neither weeping for your silver or gold,
Or weeping for your store;
I'm just a- weeping for to see my little babe
That I'll never get to see any more, more, more.
That I'll never get to see any more.
10 'Oh what white banks are that I see?
They are white as any snow.'
'They are the banks of heaven, my dear,
Where your sweet little babe shall go, go, go,
Where your sweet little babe shall go.'
11 'Oh what black banks are that I see?
They are blacker than any crow.'
'Those are the banks of hell, my dear,
Where you and I must go, go, go.
Where you and I must go.'
12 She dressed herself up in silk so fine.
Put on her blue and green,
And marched right out in front of him ;
They took her to be some queen, queen, queen.
They took her to be some queen.
13 They hadn't been gone but about three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Till her true lover's ship took a leak in it
And sank for to rise no more, more, more.
And sank for to rise no more.
14 'Well, my house carpenter is still at home,
And living very well,
While my poor body is drowning in the sea
And my soul is bound for hell, hell, hell.
And my soul is bound for hell.'
N. 'Said an Old True Love.' One of the songs collected by Professors W. Amos Abrams and Gratis D. Williams in 1945 from Pat Frye of East Bend, Yadkin county. See headnote to 'Lady Isabel and the Elf -Knight' G. Twelve stanzas. The time formula lacks the usual "I'm sure it was not," and has instead
They haden been sailing more weeks than two
And not exceeding three
They hadden been sailing more weeks than three
And not exceeding four.
No mention of sailing past the islands of heaven and hell. Ends, like
A and I, with a curse :
She cussed the sailor round and round
She cussed the boatman lad
For robbing her of her home and her house carpenter
And taking her life away.
[Frye's complete text from Abrams Collection:
1. 'Well met, well met," said an old true love,
"Well met, well met," said he;
"I have just returned from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the sake of thee."
2 I could of [have] married the king's daughter
I'm sure she'd of married me
But I refused all crowns of gold,
And its all for the sake of thee
3 If you could of married the king's daughter
I'm sure you are to blame;
For I am married to the house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a nice young man
4 If you will leave your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I'll carry you to where that the grass grows green
ON the banks of the sweet Willee.
5 If I do leave my house carpenter
And go along with you
What have you got to maintain me on,
Or keep me from slavery
6 I have six ships all sailing on sea,
They're sailing for dry land
Besides one hundred thirty six jolly seamen
And us [we] will be at your command
7 She goes and picked up her lonesome little babe,
And a kiss[es] she gave it three,
Saying stay at home with your pappy
And keep him company.
8 They hadn't been sailing more weeks than two
And not exceeding three
Before this young lady she began to weep
And she wept most bitterly.
9 Is it my gold you're weeping for
Or is it for my store.
Or is it for the sake of your house carpenter
of which you will see no more.
10 It's not your gold that makes me weep
Nor neither for your store.
It's all for the sake of my lonesome little babe
Who's face I shall see no more
11 They hadden been sailing more weeks than three
And not exceeding four
Before this ship it sprung a leak
And it sinks [sank] fer to rise no more
12 She cussed the sailor round and round
She cussed the boatman lad
For robbing her of her home and her house carpenter
And taking her life away.
------------------------------------
40. James Harris (The Daemon Lover) [Music from Volume IV]
(Child 243)
A. The Housecarpenter.' Sung by Mrs. Nora Hicks. Recorded at Mast's Gap, Watauga county, August 28, 1940. This, together with the Myra B. Miller and the Greer versions, shows a remarkable melodic relationship to the second half of 'Cross of Christ,' No. 504 in Good Old Songs (Cayce). Measures 1 and 3 identical with those of 40H, and measures 2 and 3 are identical with those of 40C. [Here's the link to the recording: http://contentdm.library.appstate.edu/docapp/abrams/field_recordings/house_carpenter_hicks.html ]
For melodic relationship cf. ***TBV 593, No. 40H and 594, No. 40V, measures 1-4; FSF 313, No. 168B; FSS 524, No. 25L, measures 3-4 only; **SharpK I 251, No. 35H, measures 1-4; xhid. J, measures 1-5; P, measures 1-4; FSSH
115, No. 23B; SCSM 400, A ('James Harris') ; *FSRA 38, No. 18.
Scale: Hexachordal, plagal. Tonal Center : b-flat. Structure : aa1bb1 (2,2,2,2)= ab (4,4). Circular Tune (V).
Text from Abrams Collection:
THE HOUSE CARPENTER- Sung by Nora Hicks; Copied by Addie Hicks; Given me by Edith Walker [I've edited for spelling and punctuation.]
We've met, we've met, my own true love, [1]
We've met we've met, said he.
And I am just returning from the salt, salt sea [2]
And it's all for the love of thee.
I could have married the king's daughter fair
And she would have married me
If I have forsaken a crown of gold,
And it's all for the love of you.
If you could have married the king's daughter fair
I am sure you are to blame;
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man.
If you will leave your house carpenter
And go along with me;
I will take you where the grass grows so green
On the banks of sweet Willie.
If I should leave my house carpenter
And go along with you
Have you anything to maintain me upon
To keep me from slavore? [slavery]
I have three ships all on the sea
All sailing for dry land
One hundred and fifty brave sea men
All shall be at your command.
She picked up her sweet little babe
And kisses gave it three
Saying, "Stay at home you sweet little babe
Keep your poppy [papa] company."
She dressed her self in silk so fine
Most glorise to be hold
And as she walked down towards the sea
She out shined glittering gold.
They hadn't been sailing for about two weeks
I am sure it was not three;
Till she fell a-weeping in her true lover's arms
And weep most bitterly.
"Are you weeping for my gold?" he said
"Are you weeping for my store?
Are you weeping for your house carpenter
Which you never shall see any more?"
"I am not weeping for your gold," she said,
Nor either for your store.
I am just weeping for my sweet little babe
That I never shall see anymore. "
They had not been sailing but about three weeks
I am sure it was not four;
Till there sprung a leak in her true lover's ship
And it sunk for to rise no more.
"A curse, a curse to all the sea men
A curse, a curse" said she;
"For they have robbed me from my house carpenter
I shall never see no more. "
1. Daughter's transcription has "We met, we met, our old true love".
2. Daughter's transcription has "salt lake sea." She sings "salt, salt, sea."
A(1) 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by Mrs. G. L. Bostic. Recorded at Mooresboro, Cleveland county, August 7, 1939; another title given is 'Banks of Citoree.' [See recording in Abrams Collection]
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For melodic relationship cf. SharpK i 252, No. 35K, basic melodic outline only. Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure : aba1c (2,2,2,2) = aai (4,4).
A(2) 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by Myra Barnett Miller. Recorded probably at Lenoir, August 1939, 1940, or 1941. Another record is identical with this version, and it contains all the stanzas. Towards the end, however, the singer gradually rises in pitch, and finishes a whole tone above the level on which she started.
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For melodic relationship of. ***FSF 313, No. 168B, measures 3-4; **ibid. No. 168A, measure 7 with 6 in our version; SharpK i 245, No. 35B and 252, No. 35J; TBV 593, No. 40H and more so, 594, No. 40V, measures 1-4; SCSM 400, version A ('James Harris'), measures 3-4; FSS 524, No. 25L, measures 3-4; *FSSH 116, No. 23C, measures 1-2; SharpK i 209, No. 28B ('The Maid Freed from the Gallows'), measure 6; FSRA 38, No. 18.
Scale : Dorian, plagal. Tonal Center : 4,4). e. Structure: aa1bb1 (2,2,2,2) ab
B. 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by Aunt Becky Gordon. No date or place given. This tune, with but slight changes, is the same this singer uses for her version of 'The Seven Sisters' (2B). For her first stanza she uses the third and fourth lines of stanza 1 and the first and second lines of stanza 2 as given in H 173.
For melodic relationship of. **BSM 82, version D; FSF 311, No. 168A: *SharpK i 249, No. 35E, measures 3-5. Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abca1d (2,2,2,2,2) := abc (4,4,2), or ab (4,6) where b is internally incremented.
C. 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by Dr. I. G. Greer. Recorded as ms score at Boone, 1913. Except for a few deviations, which are shown in the variations below, this tune is the same as that used by Mrs. Rebecca Icenham, version D. For an interesting and subtle use of tonal material observe the combination of measures 5 and 2 in the last two measures.
For melodic relationship cf. ***SharpK i 251, No. 35H, measures 1-4 and 6-8, No. 35 J, L, measures 6-8, and P, measures 1-4; FSF 313, No. 168B, measures 3-4, same in FSSH 115, No. 23B and SCSM 400, version A ('James Hards') ; TBV 594, No. 40V, measures 1-4 (basic melodic line) ; *FSRA 38, No. 18; SharpK i 209, No. 28B, measure 6 ('Maid Freed from the Gallows').
Scale: Hexatonic (3) plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: aa^bc (2,2,2,2) = ab (4,4).
D. 'The House Carpenter's Wife.' Sung by Mrs. Rebecca Icenham. Recorded at Silverstone, Watauga county, in February 1915. See the note to the preceding version.
E. 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by Miss Chloe Michael. Recorded at Boone, Watauga county, July 29, 1939. For almost the identical stanza, textually, see n 425, No. 162, 'The One Forsaken.' [Her version was sung by her father, D. C. Michael, who learned it from a schoolmate about 1900. I'll give the text from the MS below. The transciption below, published by Brown, is not accurate.]
For melodic relationship cf. *SharpK i 244, No. 35 A, (B), H, J, L, P. Scale: Hexatonic (6), plagal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: aa1bc (2,2,2,2) = ab (4,4).
2 Where man, where man may I long to love,
Where may. . . . .
I just returned from the South, South Sea
All for the love of thee.
3 Were you. . . . house carpenter
And . . . . coming of me ?
I take you where the grass grows. . .
On the banks of the green . .
4 You find for . . . house carpenter
And . . . of thee.
What have you to maintain me on
And keep me from slavery?
5 I have three ships . . .
A-sailing . . . are on the sea,
. . . . . gentlemen
That will be at your command.
6 And (taking?) up her three little babes
. . . . . three,
They stay at home, my three little babes
And keep your papa company.
7 There hadn't been a soul . . . to reach,
I'm sure that it was . . . through (three?)
. . . about a week and then her true lover's arms
And she wept most bitterly.
8 Are you (weeping for my) silver or gold,
Or is it for my cargo. . . ?
Or are you aweakened for my three little babes
Whose face you have seen no more?
Text from handwritten MS:
I will come in but I won't sit down
I have but a moment of time
I heard you're engaged to another young man
Your heart is no longer mine.
"Well met, well met my old true love
Well met, well met" said he;
"I have just returned from the soft, soft sea
Just for the love of thee. "
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"I have lately been wed to a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man. "
"Would you forsake your house carpenter
And come along and go with me?
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the deep blue sea. "
"If I forsake my house carpenter
And come along and go with thee,
What have you got to maintain me on
And to keep me from slavery?"
"I have three ships all on the sea
A-sailing for dry land
Four and twenty jolly gentlemen
That will be at your command. "
Then picking up her sweet little babe
And kisses give it three
Says, "Stay at home, my sweet little babe
And keep your papa company. "
They hadn't been sailing but about two weeks
I'm sure that it was not three
'Till poor Emma fell a weeping in her true lover's arms
And she wept most bitterly.
"Are you weeping for my silver and gold,
Weeping for my cargo in store,
Are you a weeping for your sweet little babe
Whose face you'll see no more?"
"I'm not weeping for your silver nor gold,
Neither for your cargo in store;
I'm just a weeping for my sweet little babe
Whose face I'll see no more. "
They hadn't been a sailing but about three weeks
I'm sure that it was not four,
'Till in sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship
And she sank for to rise no more.
"O, don't you see them dark black clouds?
They're black as any crow,
They are shining like the pits of hell
Where you and I must go."
H. 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded on Roanoke Island, December 29, 1922. Measures 1 and 3 are identical with those of 40A. There is some Negro influence noticeable in the flattening of the seventh degree. ["Tink" Tillett was recorded a dozen or so years later by Frank Warner so his text may be available through other sources.]
For melodic relationship cf. ***FSS 524, No. 25L, measures 3-4; SharpK 1 251-6, No. 35H and J, measures i and 3; **ibid., No. 35? and somewhat less, version B; FSF 313, No. 168B, and FSSH 115, No. 23B, measures 3-4; TBV 593-4, No.'4oM and N, measures 1-4; *FSRA 38, No. 18.
Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: aa1bcfa1c1 (2,2,2,2,2,2) = abb (4,4,4) or, to use Alfred Lorenz' terminology, nmm1 = inverted barform.
J. 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by Miss Jessie Hauser. Recorded as ms score; no date or place given. Since this tune, excepting one measure, is identical with that of 40C, only that one (measure 6) is given here. The score, signed by Mrs. James Thomas, fits the A text of the first stanza (II 171) and not that of her garbled first stanza (II 176).
Scale: Hexatonic (3), plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: aa1bc (2,2,2,2) ab (4,4).
K. 'The House Carpenter.' Sung by Mrs. James York. Recorded at Olin, Iredell county, in 1939. The portamenti are primitive indeed; the Negro influence is quite evident in the flattened third and seventh. [Her version was recorded and is available from the Abrams Collection on-line:
http://contentdm.library.appstate.edu/docapp/abrams/field_recordings/house_carpenter_york.html
Scale: Mixolydian, plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: abac (2,2,2,2) = aa1 (4.4).
York with guitar accompaniment:
http://contentdm.library.appstate.edu/docapp/abrams/field_recordings/house_carpenter_york.html
Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met, said he.
I once could've married a king's daughter fair
And she would have married me.
If you might have married the king's daughter fair
I'm sure you are to blame;
For I have married the house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man.
--------------------------------
ABRAMS/GREER MS
Recordings:
1) [The House Carpenter- McGee (NC) 1943 Abrams REC]
The House Carpenter, performed by James McGee
Recorded on June 16, 1943, James McGee performs 'The House Carpenter.'
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18858
Also a recording about James McGee: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18857
2) The House Carpenter, performed by Mrs. Beulah Green
Recorded on July 22, 1946.
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18855
3) [The House Carpenter- Gregory (NC) 1946 Abrams REC]
The House Carpenter, performed by Mrs. Belva Gregory
Recorded on July 17, 1946
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18853
4) The House Carpenter, performed by Mrs. Bessie Green
Recorded on July 22, 1946
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18854
5) The House Carpenter, performed by Dr. Cratis Williams
Recorded on August 16, 1945
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18856
6) [The House Carpenter- Church (NC) 1940 Abrams REC]
7) [The House Carpenter- York (NC) 1939 Brown K Vol. 4]
Mrs. York; The House Carpenter, the second variant
Mrs. York, Bland Hotel w/guitar c. 1939
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18861
Texts:
House Carpenter- [Appears as: The House Carpenter- Hayes(NC) 1938 Abrams F]
Arthur Hays of Triplett NC 1939 Abrams 2 typed pages
MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/14936
I have three ships [2nd page of 3 pages of Chloe Michael's MS- 1st page is missing]
handwritten MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/files/original/5764548bbe76002207df20bee9a15400.jpg
House Carpenter -1 [very close to Brown A, the bottom typed MS is slightly different-- I have it under: [The House Carpenter- (NC) c.1940 Abrams G] There is another version of the same variant (?) that begins "We'll meet,"]
Handwritten MS- no informant named Cf. Brown A
Viewing: 113_DaemonLover_Lyric_01_ocr.pdf
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/files/original/0053b40d519a8d9529dceedb71222238.pdf
typed MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/files/original/e3ba96a7abd33d154819649f8f6a8267.jpg (unedited? version)
1. 'We'll meet, we'll meet, my own true love,'
"We'll meet,' she did reply;
'I am just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee.' [ the typed version (original? another version?) has --for the love of me with thee hand-written over me]
2 'I could have married the king's daughter,
I'm sure she would have married me;
But I forsaken her crown of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee.'
3 'If you could have married a king's daughter
I'm sure you are to blame;
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man.'
4 'If you will leave your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the bank of the Sweet Willowree.'
[upcoming]
--------------------------------
House Carpenter - 2 [appears as: The House Carpenter- (NC) c.1940 Greer B]
Daemon Lover; Lyric Variant 02 (Typed, hard to read and handwritten. 14 stanzas (seven Ships, might be Greer ms)
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/31446
1. Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, he cried
For I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And it’s all for the love of thee.
2. Oh, I could have married a King’s daughter, dear,
And she would have married me,
But I refused a crown of gold,
And it’s all for the love of thee.
-----------------------------
House Carpenter- 3
Viewing: 113_DaemonLover_Lyric_03_ocr.pdf
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/19548
Similar to lyric var 1
THE HOUSE CARPENTER -
Well met,well met, my old true love
Well met, well met, he cried,
For I'm just returning from the salt salt sea,
And its all for the love of thee. [has: love of me; with me crossed out and thee written over it.]
Oh, I could have married a King's daughter dear,
And she would have married me,
But I refused a crown of gold,
And its all for the love of thee.
If you could have married a King, daughter dear,
I think you are to blame,
For I have lately been married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man.
Oh, wont you leave your house carpenter,
And go along with me
I'll ta:;;ce you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of sweat Willowree.
If I should leave my house carpenter,
And go along with you,
Pray what have you to maintain me on,
And keep me from slavery ?
I have seven ships all sailing on the sea,
All sailing for dry land,
One hlmdred and ten ~ bold brave looking men,
You may have then at your co~~and.
She went and dressed in her finest array,
And slowly turned away,
For she outshined the glittering gold,
Most beautiful to behold.
She went and kissed her sweet little babe,
She Kissed it, she have it three,
Saying yoll otay here my dear darling little babe,
~<~- k ..... ep you._ papa company.
They hadn't been on ship two weeks or more,
I'm sure it was not three,
Until this lady was knovm to weep,
And she VIe_Dt most bitterly.
Oh, is it for my gold you VJeep,
Or is it for my store,
Or is it for that house carpenter,
You never shall see anymore ?
It is not for your gold I weep,
Neither is it for your store,
But its for my dear darling little babe,
I never shall see any more.
A curse, a curse to all seamen,
A curse to you she cried,
You have robbed me of my house carpenter,
And here I shall lose my life.
They hadn't been on ship then two weeks or more,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until that ship did spring a leak,
And it sank to rise no more.
-------------------------
THE HOUSE CARPENTER -4 [appears as The House Carpenter- (NC) c.1940 Greer C]
File #11286: "113_DaemonLover_Lyric_04_ocr.pdf"
First "House Carpenter"
MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/files/original/8628aaff157dfa9d46918b30cabed5b7.pdf
Typed MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/19552
"Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, well met," he cried,
For I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of theee.
"Oh, I could have married a King's daughter, dear,
And she would have married me.
But I refused a crown of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee.
"If you could have married a King's daughter, dear,
I think you are to blame,
For I have lately been married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man.
0h, won't you leave your house carpenter,
And go along with me?
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of sweet willowrie."
"If I should leave my house carpenter,
And go along with you,
Pray what have you to maintain me on,
And keep me from slavery? "
I have seven ships all sailing on the sea,
All sailing for dry land,
One hundred and ten bold, brave looking men,
You may have them at your command.
She went and dressed in her fine array,
And slowly turned away,
For she outshined the glittering gold,
Most beautiful to behold.
She went and kissed her sweet little babe,
She kissed it, she gave it three,
Saying, "You stay here you dear darling little babe,
And keep your Papa company."
They hadn't been on ship two weeks or more,
I'm sure it was not three,
Until the lady was known to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
"Oh, is it for my gold you weep,
Or is it for my store?
Or is it for that house carpenter,
You never shall see anymore?"
A curse, a curse to all seamen,
A curse to you, she cried.
You have robbed me of my house carpenter,
And here I shall lose my life.
They hadn't been on ship three weeks or more,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until that ship did spring a leak,
And it sank to rise no more.
Oh, don't you see them dark clouds rise,
As black as any crow?
They 're the walls of hell, they're the walls of hell,
And o'er them we must go.
----------------------
House Carpenter - 5 [appears as The House Carpenter- (NC) c.1940 Greer D]
MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/19691
File #11076: "113_DaemonLover_Lyric_05.pdf"
113_DaemonLover_Lyric_05.pdf
The House Carpenter
"Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, well met, he cried,
For I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee.
"Oh, I could have married a King's daughter, dear,
And she would have married me,
But I refused a crown of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee."
"If you could have married a King's daughter, dear,
I think you are to blame,
For I have lately been married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man."
"Oh, won't you leave your house carpenter,
And go along with me?
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of sweet willowrie."
"If I would leave my house carpenter
And go along with you,
Pray what have you to maintain me on,
And keep me from slavery?"
"I have seven ships all sailing on the sea,
All sailing for dry land,
One hundred and ten bold, brave looking men,
You may have them at your command."
She went and dressed in her fine · array,
And slowly turned away,
For she outshined the glittering gold;
Most beautiful to behold.
She went and kissed her sweet little babe,
Sh,e kissed it, she gave it three ·,
Saying, "You stay here you dear darling little babe,
And keep your Papa company."
They hadn't been on ship two weeks or more,
I'm sure it was not three,
Until his lady was known to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
"Oh, is it for my gold you weep ,
Or is it for my store?
Or is it for that house carpenter
You never shall see any more?"
"It is not for your gold , I weep,
Neither is it for your store,
But it's for my dear, darling little babe ,
I never shall see any more .
"A curse, a curse to all seamen,
A curse to you," she cried,
"You have robbed me of my house carpenter,
And here I shall lose my life."
They hadn't been on ship three weeks or more,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until that ship did spring a leak,
And it sank to rise no more.
Oh, don't you see them dark clouds rise,
As black as any crow?
They're the walls of Hell, They're the walls of Hell,
And o'er them we must go.
--------------------------------------
File #12103: "113_DaemonLover_Lyric_06_ocr.pdf"
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/files/show/12103
MS: http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/31447
Forsaken House Carpenter by Arthur K. Moore.
If you will forsake your house Carpenter,
And go away with me.
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
Om the banks of the sweet Enoree.
Oh who will shoe my baby's feet.
Oh who will glove its hands,
Or will kiss its sweet little lips,
When I am in a far off land.
Its Pa will shoe its feet my dear.
Its fa will glove its bands.
Its Pa will kiss its sweet little lips,
When you're in a far off land.
She went away and dressed herself.
Most beautiful to behold.
And she rode through the town.
She shined like reverend gold.
She hadn't been gone but about two days.
I'm sure it was not three.
Till she began to weep, she wept and morned
She wept most bitterly.
Oh ms for my gold you weep
Or is it for my store.
Or is it for your your House Carpenter.
Whose face youll see no more?
Its not for your gold I weep
Nor either for your store.
But it is for my sweet little babe.
':~'ho d e fEJceill see no more.
She hadn't been gone but about three days.
I'm sure it was not four,
Til l she sprang from the ship into the deep blue sea
And sank for to rise no more.
Arthur K. Moore.
----------------------------