House Carpenter- Martin (CO) 1963 Lumpkin REC; Bronson 107
[[From: Ben Gray Lumpkin Digital Folk Music Collection. The audio from 2013-- the links won't work-- I've changed her link and left the others for now.
A rare version (well documented by two other singers in the family) that opens with the girl complaining about not being married to a rich young man (rich man's son). The next stanza she asks permission of the house carpenter to go with this rich young man. She then leaves him. There are two recordings- the second one done a year later is better.
This version was recorded two more time by other family members,
James Harlan Martin: http://libcudl.colorado.edu/SoundModel/song.asp?sid=UCB12418
and William Martin: http://stream.coalliance.org/coduhw.php?collection=UCB&stream=UCB13006
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
House Carpenter- Sung by Martha Martin; of Granada CO on 6/19/1963; from Ben Gray Lumpkin Collection, Box 6 Tape 124 Track 18; Listen to Audio:
http://cudl.colorado.edu/luna/servlet/detail/UCBOULDERCB1~25~25~346394~141883:House-Carpenter?sort=title%2Ccreator%2Cdate&qvq=q:house%2Bcarpenter;sort:title%2Ccreator%2Cdate;lc:UCBOULDERCB1~25~25&mi=7&trs=13
"Well met, well met, well met," said she,
"Well met, we'll met," said she.
"I could have married a rich young man, (rich man's son)
And he would have married me,
And he would have married me.
"If you did not marry the rich young man,
I'm sure I'm not to blame;
So I'll give you leave to go away,
And you can go with him,
And you can go with him."
She dressed her babe all neat and clean, [1]
And laid him on the bed,
Saying, "Lay here lay here my sweet little babe,
And keep your father company,
Keep your father company."
She dressed herself in the riches of colors,
I think her dress was green;
And every street that she passed through,
They took her to be some queen.
They hadn't been on board but a very short time,
I'm sure it was not three,
Till she began to weep, she began to mourn,
And she wept most bitterly,
And she wept most bitterly.
"What are you weeping for my dear?
Are you weeping for my store?
Are you weeping for the little house carpenter
You never shall see anymore,
You never shall see anymore?
"I am not weeping for the little house carpenter,
Not either for your store; [2]
I am weeping for that sweet little babe
I never shall see anymore,
I never shall see anymore."
They had not been on board but a very short while,
Three weeks I'm sure it was not four,
Till the little ship it sprang a leak,
And it sank to rise no more,
And it sank to rise no more.
1. Other two versions (James and William): She dressed her baby up in white,
2. Nor neither (her second recording)