House Carpenter- Edens (AR) 1960 Hunter REC
[From: Max Hunter Folk Song Collection. This version uses the "Lord Lovel" form with the repeated syllable at the end of the four line. The last stanza is rare.
Below is Parler's version, with several minor changes.
R. Matteson 2013]
House Carpenter- As sung by Mr. William Edens[1], Mont Ne, Arkansas on August 17, 1960
Listen: http://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=0535
VERSE 1
We met, we've met, my own true love
We've met, we've met, my honey
I'm just from the salt spring sea
An' it's all for the love of thee, of thee
An' it's all for the love of thee.
VERSE 2
It's, I should've married the king's daughter dear
An' she would've married me
But I refused that large crown of gold
An' it's all for the love of thee, of thee
An' it's all for the love of thee.
VERSE 3
If you could've married the king's daughter dear
I'm sure I'm not to blame
For I have married a house carpenter
An' I think he's a nice young man, young man
An' I think he's a nice young man.
VERSE 4
If you will forsake your house carpenter
An' go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass, it grows green
On the banks of sweet Edalee, Edalee.
VERSE 5
If I forsake my house carpenter
An' go along with thee
I'll take you where the grass, it grows green [2]
On the banks of sweet Edalee, Edalee.
VERSE 6
I have seven ships that is now on the sea
An' seven more on shore
An' one hundred an' ten jolly, jolly men
All for to wait upon thee, upon thee
All for to wait upon thee.
VERSE 7
She went unto her dressing room
She dressed both fine an' gay
So aft, she come with a rose in 'er hand
Outshone the glittering day, day, day
Outshone the glittering day.
VERSE 8
She called 'er babies to 'er side
She kissed 'em one, two, three
Saying, stay here, stay here, you three little babes
All for your Papa's company, company
All for your Papa's company
VERSE 9
She hadn't been on sea, weeks more than one
Week more than one, two, three
Till she fell a-weeping one day
An' she wept most bitterly, bitterly
An' she wept most bitterly
VERSE 10
Are you weeping for my gold, my love
Or are you weeping for my store
Or are you weeping for that house carpenter
That you left when you come with me here, with me here
That you left when you come with me here
VERSE 11
I'm not weeping for your golds
Nor weeping for your store
But I'm weeping for those three little babes
That I left a sitting in the floor, in the floor
VERSE 12
I'm not weeping for your gold
Nor weeping for your store
But I'm weeping for those three little babes
That I never shall see no more, no more
That I never shall see no more
VERSE13
Cheer up, Cheer up, my own true love
Cheer up, cheer up, says he
I'll take you where the grass it grows green
On the banks of sweet Edalee, Edalee
On the banks of sweet Edalee.
VERSE 14
She hadn't been on sea, weeks more than one, two, three
Weeks more than four, I am sure
Till she fell a weeping one day
An' she fell overboard
An' her weeping was heard no more, no more
An' her weeping was heard no more
VERSE 15
If I had not stole the house carpenter's wife [3]
He might of been treating 'er well
But now her bodies in the bottom of the sea
An' her soul is gone to _____farewell, farewell
An' her soul is gone to __ farewell
1. Parler spells his last name-- Eden.
2. Could be: What do you have to maintain me on,
To keep me from slavery, slavery, etc.
3. A rare ending stanza in which the lover shows remorse. Also has the word play on "hell=farewell."
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Version 2- Ozark Folk Song Collection.
Listen: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/2654/rec/7
Collected by: Mary C. Parler Transcribed by: Anne Connaughton Reel 395, Item 2
The House Carpenter- Sung by William Eden of Monte Ne, Ark. April 14, 1960
We've met, we've met, my own true love,
We've met, we've met, my honey;
I'm just from the salt brink sea,
And it's all for the love of thee, of thee,
And it's all for the love of thee.
It's I could a married a king's daughter dear,
And she would of married me,
But I refused that large crown of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee, of thee,
And it's all for the love of thee.
If you could a married a king's daughter dear,
I'm sure I'm not to blame,
For I have married a house carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man, young man,
And I think he's a nice young man.
If you will forsake your house carpenter,
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass it grows green,
On the banks of sweet Italy, Italy,
On the banks of sweet Italy.
If I forsake my house carpenter,
And go along with thee,
What have you there to maintain me upon,
On the banks of sweet Italy, Italy,
On the banks of sweet Italy?
I have seven ships that is now on sea,
And seven more on shore,
And one hundred and ten, jolly, jolly men,
All for to wait upon thee, upon thee,
All for to wait upon thee.
She went into her dressing room,
She dressed both fine and gay,
So out she came with a rose in her hand,
Outshone the glittering day, day,
Outshone the glittering day.
She called her babies to her side,
She kissed them one, two, three,
Saying, Stay here, stay here, you three little babes,
All for your papa's company, company,
All for your papa's company.
She hadn't been on sea weeks more than one,
Weeks more than one, two, three,
Till she fell to weeping one day,
And she wept most bitterly, bitterly,
And she wept most bitterly.
Are you weeping for my gold my love,
Or are you weeping for my store,
Or are you weeping for that house carpenter,
That you left when you come with me her, with me here,
That you left when you come with me here.
I'm not a-weeping for your gold,
Nor weeping for your store,
But I'm weeping for those three little babes,
That I left a setting in the floor, in the floor,
I left a setting in the floor.
I'm not weeping for your gold,
Nor weeping for your store,
But I'm weeping for those three little babes,
That I never shall see no more, no more,
That I never shall see no more.
Cheer up, cheer up, my own love,
Cheer up, cheer up, says he.
I'll take you where the grass it grows green,
On the banks of sweet Italy, Italy,
On the banks of sweet Italy.
She hadn't been on sea more than one, two, three,
Weeks more than four, I am sure,
Till she fell a weeping one day and she fell overboard,
And her weeping was heard no more, no more,
And her weeping was heard no more.
If I had not stole the house carpenter's wife,
He might have been a treating her well,
But now her body's in the bottom of the sea,
And her soul is gone to — farewell, farewell,
And her soul is gone to — farewell.