Golden Willow Tree- Riddle/Starks (AR) c1918 Wolfe
[Although Riddle (1898–1986) says (in one Wolfe recording) that she learned this when a child she actually learned this after she was married in 1916 (according to her 1970 book, A Singer and her Songs). The first version she heard (she remembered several stanzas) was from Brother Donahue, a Baptist minister and friend of her husband (See Also: Golden Willow Tree- Donahue).
Her version was taken from her sister Verdie's mother-in-law, Aunt Mabel Starks. So it could be older than the date given c1918 which is still a guess (since Riddle could have learned this a few years later than this date).
The problem is sorting out the different versions by Almeida (she recorded 4 for Wolfe from 1953-1970, one for Lomax in 1959, and published a version in her book. Abrahams and Foss print the 1970 book version dated 1965) At least one version recorded by Wolfe has a stanza from Brother Donahue's version. Inexplicably, from the 1959 recording by Lomax onward, Riddle has a different title, Merry Golden Tree (and she sings Merry Golden Tree throughout). She continued to change the title for the next Wolfe recording in 1962. Riddle, as well as collecting and singing ballads, was an English teacher and studied ballads from print.
Below are the various versions, the Wolfe recordings have links where you can listen to her sing. The most accurate version would be the one published in her book. The first line in the next to last stanza is weak and probably should be or originally was: "and the love for your men" which also rhymes. Curiously Riddle also figured that out and by the late 1960s had changed and corrected that very line!
R. Matteson 2014]
THE GOLDEN WILLOW TREE- From her 1970 book, A Singer and her Songs. Sung by Riddle from Aunt Mabel Starks who "learned it from her mother or her grandmother." Abrahams and Foss print this version dated 1965.
There was a little ship that sailed upon the sea,
And the name of that ship was the Golden Willow Tree,
Sailing on the low and lonesome low,
Sailing on the lonesome sea.
Now she hadn't been out but a week, two or three,
Until she sighted the British Robberie,
Sailing on the low and lonesome low,
Flaunting the Jolly Roger on the lowland sea.
Up stepped the captain, wringing of his hands,
Saying, "Alas, what shall we do?
They will sink us in this low and lonesome low,
They will sink us in this lonely lowland sea."
A boy then said, "Captain, what will you give me
If I sink this British Robberie?
I'll sink them in this low and lonesome low,
I'll sink them to the bottom of this lonely sea."
"I'll give you wealth, I'll give your fee,
My oldest daughter and you shall married, be,
If you'll sink them in this low and lonely low,
If you'll sink them in this lonely sea."
Then he picked up a tool and he jumped overboard.
He said, "I'll be as good as my word."
And he was swimming in the low and lonesome low,
Swimming in the lonesome, lowland sea.
Then he took his little tool, just made for that use,
And he made twelve holes just to let in the juice,
And she was sinking in the low and lonesome low,
She was sinking in the lonesome lowland sea.
The sailors offed with their coats and same with their caps,
All trying to fill up the salt water gaps,
But they sunk in the low and lonesome low,
They sank to the bottom of the lonesome sea.
Then he turned around and away swam he
Till he came back to the Golden Willow Tree.
Swimming in the low and lonely low,
Still swimming in the lonely lowland sea.
"Oh, captain, are you good as your word?
Then take this poor sailor man aboard.
For I'm drowning in this low and lonesome low,
I'm drowning in this lonely lowland sea."
"I will not give you wealth, nor give you your fee,
Nor my oldest daughter to you shall married, be.
I'll just leave you in this low and lonesome low,
I'll just leave you in this lonesome lowland sea."
"Well, if it wasn't for your daughter and your being such a man, [1]
I would do unto you what I did to them.
I'd sink you in this low and lonesome low,
I'd sink you to the bottom of this lonesome sea."
Then he turned on his back and away floated he,
Saying, "Fare you well, Golden Willow Tree,
I'm drowning in this low and lonesome low,
I'm drowning in this lonely lowland sea."
1. Weak here, usually "and the love for your men" to rhyme and make sense.
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THE GOLDEN WILLOW TREE- Sung by Mrs. Almeda Riddle; Recorded in Miller, AR, 7/16/53 by John Quincy Wolf, Jr. The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection
Click here to listen to the original recording: http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/riddlegolden1234.html
There was a little ship that sailed upon the sea,
And the name of that ship was the Golden Willow Tree,
As it sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low,
As it sailed upon the lonesome sea.
They hadn't been out but a week, two or three,
'Til they came in sight of the British Robbery,
As they sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low,
A-flaunting the Jolly Roger on the lowland sea.
Up stepped the captain, wringing of his hand,
Saying, "Oh, my God, what can we do?
They will sink us on this low and a lonesome low;
They'll sink us to the bottom of this lonely sea."
"Captain, Captain, what will you give me
If I will sink those British Robbery?
I'll sink them on the low and the lonesome low;
I can sink them on the lonely lowland sea."
"I'll give you money, I'll give you a fee,
My youngest daughter and you shall married be,
If you'll sink them in the low and the lonesome low;
If you sink them in this lonesome lowland sea."
He jumped overboard and away swam he
'Til he came to the British Robbery;
They were sailing on the low and the lonesome low;
They were sailing on the lonesome lowland sea.
Out with his instruments made for the use,
And he bored nine holes just to let in the juice.
They sailing on the low and the lonesome low,
And he sunk her to the bottom of the lowland sea.
Some offed with their coats and some with their caps,
All trying for to stop up those salt water gaps.
They were sinking in the low and the lonesome low;
They were sinking to the bottom of the lowland sea.
He turned away; from there swam he
'Til he got back to the Merry Willow Tree,
Sinking in the low and the lonesome low;
He is swimming in the lonely lowland sea.
Said, "Captain, Captain, are good as your word?
Will you take this poor drowning man aboard?
I'm sinking in this low and lonesome low.
I'm sinking to the bottom of this lonely sea."
"Well, it's I that have money, and it's I that have friends,
But yet true to my word I've never been.
I will leave you in this low and a lonesome low;
I'll leave you in the lonely lowland sea."
I'll neither give you money nor give you your fee;
My oldest daughter nor you shall married be.
I will leave you in this low and lonesome low;
I'll leave you lonely drowning in this lonely sea."
"If it wasn't for your daughter, you being such a man,
I'd do unto you what I done to them.
I would sink you in the low and a lonesome low.
I'd sink you in this lonesome lowland sea."
So he turned on his back and away swam he,
Saying, "Fare you well to the Golden Willow Tree.
I am sinking in this low and lonesome low;
I'm sinking in this lonely lowland sea."
Merry Golden Tree- Almeda Riddle, on Ozark Frontier, Southern Journey Vol.7, The Alan Lomax Collection, Rounder CD 1707, ballad recorded in 1959
There was a little ship that sailed upon the sea
And the name of that ship was the Merry Golden Tree
A-sailing on the low and lonesome low
A-sailing on the low and lonesome lowland sea
Now she hadn't been out but a week, two or three
Until she sighted the British Robbery
A-sailing on the low and lonesome low
A-flaunting the Jolly Roger on the lowland sea
Up stepped the captain, wringing of his hands
A-saying - O Lord and what will we do?
They will sink us in this low and lonesome low
They're going to sink us to the bottom of this lonely sea
A boy then said - O Captain, Captain, what will you give to me
If I just sink this British Robbery?
I'll sink her in the low and lonesome low
I'll sink 'em to the bottom of the lonesome sea
Now it's I'd have wealth and I would have fame
And ever true to my word I have been
If you II sink them in the low and lonesome sea
If you'll sink them in the lonesome sea
I'll give to you wealth, I'll give to you fame
My youngest daughter and you shall married be
If you II sink 'em in the low and lonesome low
If you'll sink 'em to the bottom of the lowland sea
Then he picked up a tool, and jumped overboard
He said - I'll be as good as my word
He was swimming in the low and lonesome low
He went swimming oer the lonesome lowland sea
Then he took his little tool, just made for that use
And he made twelve holes just to let in the juice
She was sinking in the low and lonesome low
She was sinking in the lonesome lowland sea
Sailors off'ed with their coats and some with their caps
They were trying to fill up the salt water gaps
They were sinking in the low and lonesome sea
They were sinking to the bottom of the lonely sea
Then he turned around, and away swam he
Until he came back to the Merry Golden Tree
A-swimming in the low and lonesome low
Still swimming in the lonesome lowland sea
O Captain, are you as good as your word?
Then take this poor sailor man on board
For I'm drownding in this low and lonesome low
I'm a drownding in this lonesome lowland sea
I will not give you wealth, nor give you fame
My youngest daughter has a time-honored name
I'll just leave you in this low and lonesome low
I'll leave you drownding here in this lonely sea
If it was not for your daughter and you being such a man
I'd do, Sir, to you just what I did to them
I'd sink you in this low and lonesome low
I'd sink you to the bottom of this lonely sea
But he turned on his back, and away floated he
Sayin - Fare you well my Merry Golden Tree
I'm drownding in this low and lonesome low
I'm drownding in this lonely lowland sea.
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MERRY GOLDEN TREE- Sung by: Almeda Riddle; Recorded on 5/10/62 Version 2 from Wolfe.
Click here to listen to the original recording
http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/riddlegolden1260.html
[It seems that changing the title and some of the text has made it harder to sing and remember.
R. Matteson 2014]
(Comment by Mrs. Riddle: "Well, I've heard it called the 'Merry Golden Tree,' as here, and I've heard it called 'The Golden Willow Tree.' Now, I first learned it as a child as 'The Golden Willow Tree,' and I have been looking it up in folklore books. You'll find it all different versions, so many, you know, as all the old ones are.")
There was a little ship that sailed upon the sea,
And the name of that ship was the 'Merry Golden Tree.'
A-sailing on the low, on the lonesome low,
A-sailing on the lonesome lowland sea.
Now she hadn't been out but a week, two or three,
Until she sighted the British robbery.
Sailing on the low, and the lonesome low,
A-flaunting the Jolly Roger on the lowland sea.
Up stepped the captain, wringing of his hands,
A-saying, "Oh, Lord," and "What will I do?
They'll sink us in this low, and the lonesome low;
They'll sink us to the bottom of this lonely sea."
A boy said, "Captain, captain, what will you give me
If I just sink this British robbery?
I'll sink her in this low, and the lonesome low.
I'll sink her to the bottom of this lonely sea."
"Now, it's I that have wealth, and I would have fame.
A fair young daughter, I've a time-honored name,
If you'll sink them in this low, and the lonesome low,
If you'll sink them to the bottom of the lowland sea.
"I'll give you my wealth, and I'll give you fame,
A fair young daughter, then you shall married be,
If you'll sink them in the low, and the lonesome low,
If you'll sink them to the bottom of this lonely sea."
Then he picked up his tools and jumped overboard.
He said, "I'll be just as good as my word.
I will sink them in this low, and the lonesome low.
I'll sink them to the bottom of this lonely sea."
Then he took his little tool, just made for that use,
And . . .
(Mrs. Riddle: "Let's go back, do that next verse again
because . . ."
Dr. Wolf: "Pitch it a little higher while you're there, too. They
can't hear you in the back."
Mrs. Riddle: "Oh, just sing a little louder. I can't go any
higher; I can go a little louder if you want it, but I
don't think I can reach it any higher."
Dr. Wolf: "It sounds a little low to me."
Mrs. Riddle: "Well, it might be. I'm a little bit hoarse.")
Then he picked up a tool and jumped overboard.
He said, "I'll be just as good as my word."
He was swimming in the low and the lonesome low;
He was swimming o'er the lonesome lowland sea.
Then he took his little tool, just made for that use,
And bored twelve holes, just to let in the juice.
They were sinking in the low, and the lonesome low.
They were sinking to the bottom of the lowland sea.
Sailors off with their coats, and jerked off their caps,
A-trying to stop up the salt water gaps.
They were sinking in the low and the lonesome low.
They were sinking to the bottom of the lowland sea.
Then he turned around, and away swam he
Until he came back to the British robbery . . .
(Comment by Mrs. Riddle: "I'm all tired and messed up
this afternoon. You folks will just have to use a little
tolerance, I guess.")
Then he turned around, and away swam he,
Until he came back to the 'Merry Golden Tree,'
A-swimming in this low, and the lonesome low,
Still swimming o'er the lonesome lowland sea.
"Oh, Captain, are you good as your word?
Then take this poor drowning sailor man on board,
For I'm drowning in this low, and the lonesome low.
I'm a-drowning in this lonesome lowland sea."
"I will not give you wealth; I'll not give you fame.
Nor my fair young daughter and you will married be.
I'll leave you in this low and the lonesome low.
I'll leave you in this lonesome lowland sea."
"If 'twas not for your daughter, and you were such a man,
I'd just do to you what I did to them.
I would sink you in this low, and the lonesome low.
I'd sink you to the bottom of this lowland sea."
Then he turned on his back, and away swam he.
Said, "Fare you well, my 'Merry Golden Tree.'"
He was drowning in the low and the lonesome low,
A-drowning in the lonesome lowland sea.
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THE MERRY GOLDEN TREE- Sung by: Almeda Riddle; Wolfe version 3 circa late 1960s; She was still using the changed title and ship name.
Click here to listen to the original recording
http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/riddlegolden1290.html
(Dr. Wolf: “How about the ‘Lowlands Low’?”
Mrs. Riddle: “All right, but let’s don’t get it too high, because . . .”
Dr. Wolf: “That’s one of my favorites.”
Mrs. Riddle: “If any of you don’t have mumps ‘til you’re about 67, don’t then. Just put it off a while longer, because it’s . . . Dr. Wolf, I haven’t thought of that in ages. I know, it’s the ‘Merry Golden Tree,’ or ‘The Golden Vanity,’ or whatever you want to call it.”
Dr. Wolf: “’The Golden Willow Tree.’”
Mrs. Riddle: “Yes. I don’t know if I can reach it or not.”
Dr. Wolf: “That’s too low.”
Mrs. Riddle: “Well, I’m going to have to. I still haven’t got my voice back.”
Dr. Wolf: “I know.”)
There was this little ship that sailed the great big sea,
And the name of that ship was the “Merry Golden Tree.”
She went sailing on the low and the lonesome low;
She went sailing on that lonely lowland sea.
Now she sailed a day, two, or three,
Until she spotted the British robbery.
They were sailing on the low and the lonesome low;
They were flaunting the Jolly Roger on the lowland sea.
The captain was crying and a-wringing of his hands,
And a-saying, “Oh, my Lord,” and “What can we do?
They will sink us in this low and the lonesome low.
They’ll sink us to the bottom of this lonely sea.”
Said a little boy, “And what will you give me
If I sink this British robbery?
I can sink him in the low and the lonesome low;
I can sink him to the bottom of the lonely sea.”
“Well, it’s I that have wealth, and I have fame;
My fair young daughter and you shall married be,
If you’ll sink them in the low and the lonesome low,
If you’ll sink them to the bottom of this lonely sea.”
Then the little boy, he jumped overboard.
He said, “I will be as true as my word.
I will sink them in the low and the lonesome low.
I will sink them to the bottom of this lonely sea.”
He took a little tool just made for that use,
And he bored twelve holes in the bottom of the ship.
He sank them in the low and the lonesome low,
And he sank them to the bottom of this lonely sea.
Sailors off with their coats, and some with their caps.
They were trying just to plug up these salt water gaps,
But he sank them in the low and the lonesome low.
He sank them to the bottom of the lonely sea.
Then he turned around, and back swam he,
‘Til he reached the Merry Golden Tree,
Just a-swimming in the low and the lonesome low,
Just a-swimming in that lonesome lowland sea.
“Captain, Captain, throw a line to me,
Because I’m drowning in this lonely sea.
I am drowning in this low and the lonesome low;
I’m drowning in this lonesome lowland sea.”
“Well, I have wealth, and I have fame,
But never yet true to my word I’ve been,
And I will leave you . . . the low and the lonely low.
I’ll leave you drowning, drowning in this lowland sea.”
“If it wasn’t for your daughter, sir, and your men,
I’d do to you just what I did to them.
I would sink you in this low and lonely low.
I’d sink you to the bottom of this lonely sea.”
But he turned on his back, and off floated he,
Saying, “Fare you well, my Merry Golden Tree,”
And they left him there a-drowning in that lonely sea.
(Comment by Mrs. Riddle: “And that’s a bad ending. That’s not quite it. You’ll have to get the record to get the correct version, ‘cause I’ve forgotten it.”)
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THE MERRY GOLDEN TREE- Sung by: Almeda Riddle; Wolfe version 4, recorded in 1970.
Click here to listen to the original recording
http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/riddlegolden1305.html
There was a little ship that sailed upon the sea,
And the name of that ship was the Merry Golden Tree,
A-sailing on the low and the lonesome low,
A-sailing on the lonesome lowland sea.
Now she’d been out a day, two or three,
Until she sighted the British robbery,
A-sailing on the low and the lonesome low,
Flaunting the Jolly Roger on the lowland sea.
The captain’s crying and a-wringing of his hands,
And saying, “Oh, my Lord,” and “What will we do?
They will sink us in this low and the lonesome low;
They’ll sink us to the bottom of the lowland sea.”
Said the little cabin boy, “And what will you give me
If I will sink this British robbery?
I can sink her in the low and the lonesome low;
I can sink her to the bottom of the lonely sea.”
“It’s I that have wealth, and I have fame,
A fair young daughter, and a time-honored name,
If you’ll sink her in the low and lonesome low,
If you’ll sink her to the bottom of the lonely sea.
“I’ll give you wealth, I’ll give you your fee,
My youngest daughter to you shall married be,
If you’ll sink her in the low and the lonesome low,
If you’ll sink her to the bottom of the lonely sea.”
He took his little kit and jumped overboard,
A-saying, “I’ll be as good as my word.
I will sink her in the low and lonesome low;
I’ll sink her to the bottom of the lowland sea.”
Then from his kit he took a bit.
He bored twelve holes in the bottom of the ship,
And he sank it in the low and the lonesome low;
He sank it to the bottom of the lonely sea.
Sailors off with their coats, and some with their caps.
They were trying to fill up that salt water gap.
They were sinking in the low and the lonesome low,
Sinking in the lonesome lowland sea.
Then he turned around, and back swam he
Until he came to the Merry Golden Tree,
A-swimming in the low and the lonesome low,
Swimming in the lonesome lowland sea.
“Captain, captain, throw a line to me,
Because I’m drowning in this lonely sea.
I’m drowning in the low and lonesome low;
I’m drowning in this lonesome lowland sea.”
“And I have wealth, and I have fame,
But never yet true to my word I’ve been,
So I’ll leave you in this low and lonesome low.
I’ll leave you drowning, drowning in the lowland sea.
“I’ll not give you wealth, nor give you a fee.
To my fair daughter you’ll never married be.
I will leave you in the low and the lonesome low,
Leave you drowning, drowning in the lowland sea.”
"If it wasn't for your daughter, sir, and your men,
I'd do to you what I did to them.
I would sink you in this low and lonesome low,
I'd sink you to the bottom of the lowland sea."
Then he turned on his back, and away floated he,
Saying, “Fare you well, my Merry Golden Tree.”
. . . in the low and lonesome low.
They left him there a-drowning in the lonely sea.
(Mrs. Riddle: “I almost got two versions that I have done mixed up on that . . . It was an old primitive Baptist minister who I first heard sing this. He sang it to a different tune, and he sang a little different version. They sailed on for a day, two or three after the sinking of the ship and the drowning of the boy. And sure enough, they did spot . . . the Spanish robbery, and they were sank, and I can’t get that together. And I can’t even get that tune. I’ve tried it unsuccessfully. And neither can . . . He has two daughters . . .”)