Georgie and Sally- Ayers (WV) pre1975 Gainer
[Gainer from Folk-Songs From the West-Virginia Hills, 1975. His brief notes follow.
Unlike Niles, Gainer supplies scant information about his informants and the ballad. Unfortunately like Niles, Gainer's collections have many ballads that are suspicious. His career began as a student collector in the 1920s and through his association with Carey Woofter, suspicions regarding his grandfather's contributions arose. Later because of the details regarding multiple informants and his inclusion of several unusually scarce ballads like the "Rantin' Laddie" that he claimed he had found, Gainer is believed to be largely a ballad recreator. In this case his ballad has the name of the maid, i.e. Sally, found in only one other version in the US.
Although he has broken the basic tenants of ballad scholarship, he has dedicated a large portion of his life to collecting, performing and publishing traditional folk-songs and ballads-- for this he should be commended.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
GEORGIE AND SALLY
(CHILD 209, "GEORDIE")
In the Scottish version of this ballad, Geordie is ransomed and returns home with his wife, but in this West Virginia version Georgie is hanged for his crimes. Sung by Moses Ayers.
Georgie and Sally- Sung by Moses Ayers (WV) pre1975
As I walked out one Monday morn,
One Monday morning early,
There I spied a pretty maid,
Lamenting for her Georgie.
Georgie he's done some famous deeds,
Such deeds and crimes a many,
He's stole sixteen of the King's choice steeds,
And sold them in Bohamia.
"Go saddle me the milk-white steed,
For the brown is not so speedy,
For I must go to the King's high court,
To plead for the life of Georgie."
The King looked over his right shoulder,
And thus he said to Sally,
"Pretty fair maid, you've come too late,
For he's condemned already."
The King looked over his left shoulder,
And thus he said to Georgie,
"May the Lord have mercy on you,
For you've confessed and you must die."
And Georgie he marched down the hall,
Where he took leave of many,
When he took leave of his own true love,
It grieved him worst of any.
And Georgie was hung by a golden cord,
A cord that had never hung any,
For his father he was a noble lord,
And his mother was a noble lady.