George Collins- Bright (KY) c.1932 Roberts C
[Fragment with music from: In the Pine, Roberts 1978. An excerpt of his notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
Only one other instance of the ballad, it seems, has been collected in Kentucky-Combs FKH, p. 8. I have five in my collection. Two of them have the opening stanza about the hobo (one mentioned by Davis, MTBV, but not printed. None suggest the cause of Collins's sickness (girlfriend, mermaid of Coffin's Type A), or the lily from the grave motif (Type C). Three contain the mother's attempt at consolation (Coffin's Type B); some have the turtle-dove ending (Type D).
C. GEORGE COLLINS- As sung by Mrs. Fanny Bright, Knox County, KY circa 1932
George Collins come home one cold winter night
George Collins come home I cried
George Collins come home one cold winter night
Was taken down sick and died.
Set down the coffin, take off the lid,
Lay back the linen so fine;
And let me kiss those pale cold lips,
For I know they'll never kiss mine.