The Drowsy Sleeper- Dell Westmoreland (GA) 1910 Rawn/Campbell
[Three stanzas from: Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at VWML) attached to Campbell. As far as I know all of Campbell's Georgia ballads came from Isabel Rawn who was a teacher there.
R. Matteson 2016]
The Drowsy Sleeper- Sung by Dell Westmoreland of White County, Georgia in 1910; collected Isabel Rawn(?).
Wake up! Wake up, you drowsy sleeper
Wake up, wake up, for it is almost day
Oh, how can you stand to sleep and slumber
And your true lover is a-going away
Oh, Who is that knocking my window,
Uttering such mournful groans,
Oh, who can it be but my love William,
Just escaping from the storm.
Oh, tell me I prithee[1] where is your father?
Oh he is upstairs taking of his rest
And in his hand he holds the weapon
To slay the one that I love best.
1. praythee