House Carpenter- Baird (NC) pre1971 Burton C
[From Thomas Burton's, Some Ballad Folks, 1978; it is the third version (designated C) from that book. The second version (Hattie Presnell) was printed previously. A quote from his conversation with Baird follows.
Bertha Baird, born in NC in 1880, was originally from Wilkes County, then Watauga County and moved to Oklahoma for three years then back to the Beech Mountain area. This dates to the 1800s but she never told Burton specifically when she learned it- she was 97 when she sang it for him (1971) and she had sung this when she was a child.
R. Matteson 2016]
Those comments she does make, however, are incisive. About "The House Carpenter," for example: "I feel it's mighty sad. I think she ort to been just smacked all over for leavin' her husband and baby. Leavin' the baby I think 'as worst than leaving her husband, while they was both bad enough. That old sailor persuaded her to go with him. I don't know whe'r she ever loved him or not; I think she just went with him for his money."
House Carpenter (Child 243) Sung by Bertha Baird on 6 March 1971; learned in Wilkes County, NC when she was young.
1. "Well met, well met," says the old truelove,
"well met, well met," says he.[1]
"I am just away from the saltwater sea
and it's all for the love of thee,
I am just away from the saltwater sea
and it's all for the love of thee.
2. "I once could have married a king's daughter fair
and she would have married me,
But now I have forsaken them all
and it's all for the love of thee."
3. "If you could have married a king's daughter fair
I'm sure you are to blame,
For I am married to a house carpenter
and I think he's a nice young man."
4. "Will you not leave your house carpenter
and go along with me?
I'll take you away where the grass grows green
on the banks of sweet Italy.
5. "I have seven ships all sailing on the sea
and seven more on land;
I have four and twenty of the jolliest young men-
you can have at your command."
6. She pick-ed up her sweet little babe
and kisses she gave it three;
"Stay hyere, stay hyere with your pappy-
and keep him company."
7. She dressed herself in silk so fine
and bold-li she did go;
As she marched along the golden streets
she outshined any glitterin' gold.
She had not been sailing more weeks than three-
not four I'm very sure;
Till she fell a-weeping in her true love's arms
And she wept most bitterly.
9. "Are you a-weeping for my silver or my gold?
Are you a-weeping for my store?
Are you a-weeping for your house carpenter
that you never shall see anymore?"
10. "I'm neither weeping for your silver nor your gold,
I am neither weeping for your store;
I am just a-weeping for my sweet little babe
that I never shall see anymore."
11. They had not been sailing more months than three-
not four rm very sure-
Till there came a leak in her true love's ship
and it sank o'er to rise more.
12. "A curse, a curse to all seamen,
a curse to sailors, too.
I wish I'd 'a' never seen your red rosy cheeks
or heard your lying tongue."[2]
1. Mrs. Baird said about repeating the second line in stanza 1, "It's not necessary, but it makes it sound better."
2. The last two lines of this stanza are found in various love songs and are not part of the standard House Carpenter text.