George Carey- Barber (FL) 1950 Morris C
[From: Folksongs of Florida, Morris, 1950. His notes follow. According to Morris, this is the third most popular Child ballad in Florida. He gives no numbers.
R. Mateson 2015]
Numerous variants of this English ballad have been recovered from oral tradition in Florida. In only one instance (Variant A, which is remarkably close to Child B) does the name of the hero of the Child ballad "Giles Collins" remain unchanged. Vestiges of the heroine's high social rank have disappeared except in Variant A. Variant C differs from the others not only in title but in its definite suicide threat, a motif hinted in Child A and C and in recorded American versions, though not quite so plainly as here in Variant C. Next to "Barbara Allen" and "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet," "Lady Alice" is the most popular Child ballad in Florida.
C. "GEORGE CAREY." Miss Isla Barber, Branford, handed me this text, which she learned from her mother.
George Carey rode home one cold winter night,
George Carey rode home so fine;
George Carey rode home one cold winter night,
And was taken sick and died.
"Oh, I wish to the Lord I'd never been born,
Or died when I was young,
Then I'd never been here to weep and to moan
At the death of my poor George."
"Oh, daughter, dear daughter, why do you weep?
There's plenty more boys like George."
"But father, dear father, George has my heart,
And now we forever must part.
"Oh see that yonder turtle dove
Flying from pine to pine
A-mourning for his lost true love
Just as I mourn for mine.
"Now friends, dear friends, I bid you farewell;
I'm going to the shade of the pine,
And there I'm going to take my life,
And rest by my poor George."