House Carpenter- Greer (CO) 1963 Lumpkin REC
[From: Ben Gray Lumpkin Collection, Box 6 Tape 134 Track 03- also track 06. This version was pieced together from two recordings that were available in 2013, but are no longer found- the links have also changed but I'm leaving them for now.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
House Carpenter- Sung by Beulah Greer on 11/14/1963 (two versions); Physical Item Location: Ben Gray Lumpkin Collection, Box 6 Tape 134 Track 03- also track 06; Listen to Audio:
http://stream.coalliance.org/coduhw.php?collection=UCB&stream=UCB13403
http://stream.coalliance.org/coduhw.php?collection=UCB&stream=UCB13406
"Well met, well met, my own true love,
"Well met, well met," said he.
"For twenty years I have been away,
And all for the love of thee."
"I could have married a rich young girl,
And she would have fain married me;
But I forsook her house and gold,
And all for the love of thee."
If you could have married a rich young girl,
I'm think you are to blame;
For I have married a house carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man.
If you will leave your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of sweet Italy.
Then she picked up her sweet little babe,
And kisses gave it three,
Saying, "Stay at home with your father, dear,
And keep him company."
They had not been on board two weeks,
I'm sure it was not three,
Until this fair lady began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
"Are you weeping for your sweet little babe?
Or for what I have in store?
Or is it the house carpenter
You never shall see anymore?
"No I'm not weeping for the house carpenter,
Or for what I have in store;
But I weep for the sight of my sweet little babe
I never shall see anymore.
They had been at sea about three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until this same boat sprang a leak,
And sank to rise no more.