George Collins- Williamson (VA) 1935 Wilkinson B; Davis CC.
[Single stanza with music from Bronson TTCB, 1961, taken from Wilkinson's MSS., 1936-37, p. 75. Not designated version B, my designation. Additional stanzas from Davis, More Traditional Ballads, 1960. Davis note follow.
Wilkinson worked with Davis writing music from his recordings for MTBVa.
R. Matteson 2015]
George Collins- Sung by Mrs. Kit Williamson of Evington, VA, October 19, 1935.
Davis CC. "George Collins." Collected by Miss Juliet Fauntleroy, of Altavista, Va. Sung by Mrs. Kit Williamson, of Yellow Branch, Va., who learned it from Mr. Kit Williamson who in turn learned it from Bessie Vandegrift, in North Carolina. Campbell County. August 26, 1933. Tune noted by Mrs. Paul Cheatham, of Lynchburg, Va.
1 George Collins rode home one cold winter night
George Collins rode home so fine.
George Collins rode home one cold winter night
And was taken sick and died.
2 And oh! Sweet Mary in yonders hall,
A-sewing her silks so fine,
And when she heard that George was dead,
She laid her silks aside.
3 She followed him up, she followed him down,
She followed him to the grave,
And there she knelt on her bended knees,
She wept, she mourned, she prayed.
4 "Take down his coffin, take off the led,
And lay back the linen so fine,
And let me kiss his cold, pale cheeks,
For I know he'll never kiss mine."
5. "Daughter oh daughter what makes you grieve so,
When there's more young men than George,
'Oh mother, oh mother George has my heart,
And now he's dead and gone.
6 "Don't you see them lonesome doves,
Setting on yonders pine,
A-weeping and a-mourning for her old true love,
Why can't I weep for mine?"