Fair Lucy- Griffin (FL) 1934 Morris
[From: Folksong of Florida; Morris, 1950; also recorded Lomax, 1937. This is one of the best versions collected in the US, resembling Child A. Fair Lucy as sung by Mrs. G. A. Griffin, of Newberry, FL, in 1937, was recorded by John Lomax. The recording is stored at the Archive of Folk Song, Library of Congress as call numbers 958A3 and 959B1.
Griffin was born in Dooly County, Georgia in 1863. In 1877 she moved to Newberry, Florida. She learned most of her songs and ballads from her father, a fiddler, before 1877. It would be safe to assume this was learned before 1877.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
Fair Lucy- Griffin (FL) 1934 Morris w/music and recording
1. Fair Lucy sitting in her father's hall,
A-weeping all of her moans,
And who would appear but her own fair mother:
A-saying, "What's Fair Lucy done, done, done?"
A-saying, "What's Fair Lucy done?"
2. O Mother, O Mother, it's enough to make a wife weep;
It's enough to make a wife moan,
To think of the babe's in my body now,
And brother's the owner of thine, thine, thine,
And brother's the owner of thine."
3. Fair Lucy a-setting in her father's hall,
A-weeping all of her moans,
And who did appear but her own fair sister,
A-saying, "What's fair Lucy done, done, done?"
A-saying, "What's fair Lucy done?"
4. O, Sister, O Sister, it's enough to make a wife weep;
It's enough to make a wife moan,
To think of the babe's in my body now,
And brother's the owner of thine, thine, thine,
And brother's the owner of thine."
5. Fair Lucy a-setting in her father's hall,
A-weeping all of her moans,
And who did appear but her own fair brother,
A-saying, "What's fair Lucy done, done, done?"
A-saying, "What's fair Lucy done?"
6. "O Brother, O Brother, it's enough to make a wife weep;
It's enough to make a wife moan,
To think of the babe's in my body now,
And you are the owner of thine, thine, thine,
And you are the owner of thine."
7. He takened her by her lily-white hand,
And he led her off in the woods;
And there he 'bused fair Lucy's body all around,
And he shed fair Lucy's blood, blood, blood,
And he shed fair Lucy's blood.
8. "O what's that blood on your coat?
My son come tell it to me."
"It is the blood of the little grey horse
That walked all under me, me, me,
That walked all under me."
9. "O what's that blood that's on your vest?
My son come tell it to me."
"It is the blood of my old grey goose,
That made a bed for me, me, me,
That made a bed for me."
10. "O what's the blood that's on your shirt?
My son come tell it to me,"
"O it's the blood of my sister, fair Lucy,
And Mother, a gaily deed, deed, deed,
And mother, a gaily deed."
11. "O what's you going to do when your father comes home?
My son come tell it to me,"
"I'll set my foot on the gallant ship
And I'll sail all over the sea' sea, sea,
And I'll sail all over tie sea."
12. "O when are you coming back home any more?
My son come tell it to me."
"When the sun and moon set on yonder hill,
Which I hope will never be, be, be,
Which I hope will never be."