George Colon [sic]- Nathan Hicks (NC) 1933
[Collected by Maurice Matteson from Nathan Hicks of Sugar Grove, NC on July 31, 1933. Published in Beech Mountain Ballads in 1936 by G. Shirmer. At the bottom of the page is the transcription of Hicks from the Brown collection recorded in 1939. A similar melody with different text was sung by Hick's son-in-law Frank Proffitt (See: George Collins- Proffitt.)
A version was collected from his wife Rena, by Thomas Burton in 1969. The text is similar but substantially different. I've added a stanza (3rd) from the Warner recording.
R. Matteson 2011, 2015]
Nathan Hicks c. 1934
Collected by Maurice Matteson from Nathan Hicks of Sugar Grove, NC on July 31, 1933. Published in Beech Mountain Ballads in 1936 by G. Shirmer. Performed by Richard L. Matteson Jr. on Nathan Hicks' dulcimer made in early 1930s.
Listen: [George Colon] Performers: Richard L. Matteson Jr. -dulcimer, with Kara Pleasants- vocal, and Zach Matteson- fiddle, in December 2011. Recorded by Bob Hitchcock Dec. 2011.
George Colon- Nathan Hicks (NC) 1933
Listen: [Matteson: George Colon]
George Colon rode home one cold winter night,
George Colon rode home so fine,
George Colon rode home one cold winter night,
George Colon took sick and died.
He left poor Omy in yonder room,
A sewing her silks so fine,
But when she heard that George was dead,
She laid her [fine] silks aside.
[She follered him up, she follered him down,
She follered him to his grave.
She fell upon her bended knee
She mourned, she cried and prayed.]
Unscrew the coffin, take of the lid,
Lay back the linen so fine,
And let me kiss his cold clay lips,
For I'm sure he'll never kiss mine.
B(I) 'George Collins.' Sung by Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Hicks, with dulcimer. Recorded at Matney, Watauga County, July 28, 1939. Quite similar to 28B. [28 B was sung by Hicks son-in-law Frank Proffitt.]
Scale: Tetratonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abab1 (2,2,2,2) = aa1 (4,4).