House Carpenter- Kilgore (AR) 1959 Parler
[From: Ozark Folk Song Collection Reel 285-286, Item 16. Collected by Oma Kilgore for Mary Celestia Parler; transcribed by Oma Kilgore.
Listen: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/4104/rec/11
R. Matteson 2016]
The House Carpenter- Sung by Oma Kilgore of Fayetteville, Arkansas on August 14, 1959
"Well met, well met, well met," said he
"Well met, well met," said he
"I've just come home from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the sake of thee,
And it's all for the sake of thee."
Oh won't you leave your house carpenter
And go along with me?
For I am going where the grass grows green
On the banks of the sweet Dundee
On the banks of the sweet Dundee.
If I was to leave my house carpenter
And go along with you
You have nothing to support me on
And then what would I do?
And then what would I do?
Oh I have seven ships on the sea
And seven ships on the land
And I have gold and silver, too.
Which shall be at your command.
Which shall be at your command.
She went into her dressing room
And dressed herself so gay
All over her face she spread a veil
That outshined the glittering day.
That outshined the glittering day.
She turned around and around three times
With a dark and a watering eye
Saying the best of friends must part some time
And now it's you and I
And now it's you and I.
She called her children to her knee
And kisses she gave them three
Stay at home with your father dear
And keep him company
And keep him company.
She hadn't been sailing but about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When this damsel began for to weep
And she wept most bitterly.
And she wept most bitterly.
Are you weeping for my gold he said
Are you weeping for my store?
Or are you weeping for your house carpenter
That you never will see any more,
That you never will see any more?
I'm neither weeping for your gold she said
And neither do I weep for your store
But I'm weeping for my sweet little babes.
That I never will see any more
That I never will see any more.
She hadn't been sailing but about three weeks
I'm sure it was not four
When all at once the boat sprung a leak
And she sank for to rise no more,
And she sank for to rise no more.