House Carpenter- Johnson (ME) pre1946 Alderson (Bronson No. 145)
[Library of Congress listing- AFC 1951/057: William L. Alderson Collection of Fiddle Tunes and Folk Songs from Oregon. Two 16-inch discs of field recordings and studio recordings of fiddle tunes and songs recorded in Portland, Oregon, by William L. Alderson, 1946-1948.
Allen Johnson learned this ballad in Calais, Maine. The recording was made circa 1946 by William L. Alderson in Portland Oregon.
R. Matteson 2013]
House Carpenter- sung by Allen Johnson, who learned this ballad in Calais, Maine. The recording was made circa 1946 by William L. Alderson in Portland Oregon.
Well met, well met, my fair pretty maid.
No so very well met, said she,
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And a very fine man is he,
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And a very fine man is he.
If you'll forsake your house carpenter
And come along with me,
I'll take you there where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet Vallie,
I'll take you there where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet Vallie.
O if I forsake my house carpenter
And come along with thee,
What have you there to entertain me with
And keep me company?
What have you there to entertain me with
And keep me company?
I've a thousand ships all on the bay,
And many more on land,
A hundred and ten of as fine young men,
And they're all at your command,
A hundred and ten of as fine young men,
And they're all at your command.
She went upstairs herself to dress,
Very beautiful she was to behold,
For when she walked along the streets
She shone as though she were gold,
For when she walked along the streets
She shone as though she were gold.
She took her babe all in her arms
And kissed him three times three.
Stay at home, stay at home, stay at home, my lad,
Your father's good company.
Stay at home, stay at home, stay at home, my lad,
Your father's good company.
They had not been sailing for more than six weeks,
O no, not more than three,
When this fair lady began to mourn
And mourned most bitterly,
When this fair lady began to mourn
And mourned most bitterly.
O is it gold for which you mourn,
Or do you mourn for me?
Or do you mourn your house carpenter
Who you left to follow me?
Or do you mourn your house carpenter
Who you left to follow me?
O it is not gold for which I mourn,
Nor do I mourn for thee.
But I do mourn my house carpenter
Who I left to follow thee.
But I do mourn my house carpenter
And likewise my fair baby.
They had not sailed for more than eight weeks,
O no, not more than four,
When a hole in the ship it sprang a leak,
And the mourner was heard no more,
When a hole in the ship it sprang a leak,
And the mourner was heard no more.