House Carpenter- Riddle (AR) 1953 Wolf
[From The Wolf Collection online. Almeda Riddle recorded The House Carpenter four times for Wolf, the first time in 1953. I've included 1953 text and the 1962 text below. According to Riddle (A Singer and her Songs), this version that came from her father circa 1905. She had written the text down by 1953 after hearing a neighbor A. C. Braddy sing it. She uses her written text in this 1962 recording: http://web.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/riddlehouse1260.html
I believe Riddle re-created the ballad from what she could remember of her father singing, her neighbor and possibly other (print) sources. The fifth line is unusual and is run without pause from the fourth- another sign of re-creation. There are some minor differences in text from the version published in 1970 (A Singer and her Songs) where she titles it, The House Carpenter's Wife.
R. Matteson 2013]
The House Carpenter- Sung by Almeda Riddle; recorded on 6/23/53 by John Quincy Wolf, Jr.
"Well met, well met, my own true love.
Well met, well met," said he.
"Now I could've been married to a king's daughter fair,
And would have, but I loved thee;
I could have, but remembered thee."
"Well, if you could've married a king's daughter fair,
I am sure you're much to blame.
I'm now married to a house carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man,
And I proudly wear his name."
"Well, now. Come, leave this house carpenter,
And go along with me.
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the sweet Willee,
And pleasure we will see."
"If I should leave my house carpenter,
And come and go with thee,
What have you to maintain me on,
To keep me from misery,
To keep me from penury?"
"It's seven ships on the ocean sailed,
And the eighth one brought me in.
I've a hundred and ten big nigger men,
And they'll all come when you command.
They'll all be under your command."
Then she picked up her sweet little baby,
And kisses gave him three.
Said, "Stay at home with your daddy, my pet,
And keep him company,
And try to remember me."
Then she dressed herself in a scarlet dress.
Oh, she was beautiful to be seen,
And she decked herself in a purple coat,
And she looked like a gypsy queen.
She looked like a gypsy queen.
Now they hadn't been sailing but about two weeks,
And I know it couldn't have been three,
When this little lady began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
Oh, she wept piteously.
"Oh, why do you weep, my love," he said,
"For gold and silver and store?
Or do you weep for the house carpenter
That you never will see any more,
Whom we left on England's shore?"
"Cursed be your gold and silver,
And cursed be your store.
I am weeping for my baby," she said,
"That I left on England's shore.
Will I ever see her any more?"
Now they sailed on for about three weeks,
And I know it couldn't have been four,
When the bottom of their ship sprang a leak,
And the flames began to roar.
The flames began to roar.
"Oh, cursed be all sailor men;
Cursed be the men of the sea.
They have taken me from my house carpenter,
And now they're drowning me.
Oh, now they're drowning me."
"What are those hills?" she said to him.
"They look as white as snow."
"Those are the hills of heaven, my pet,
Where your husband and baby will go;
But heaven we'll never know."
"What are those other hills?" she said;
"They look as black as night."
"That's the hills of hell," he said,
"Where you and I will unite."
House Carpenter (Version 2)- Sung by Almeda Riddle; recorded on 5/10/62 by John Quincy Wolf, Jr.
(Mrs. Riddle: "You want that just as it is on the record, or just by memory?"
Dr. Wolf: "It doesn't matter."
Mrs. Riddle: "Well, I'm gonna leave this here for prompting . . . It isn't here, so I won't.")
[In each stanza, the last two lines are run together.]
"Well met, well met, my own true love.
Well met, well met," said he.
"Now, I could have married a king's daughter fair,
And I would but for love of thee.
I would have, but remembered thee."
"Now, if you could have married a king's daughter fair,
Then I'm sure that you're to blame,
For I am now married to a house carpenter,
And I think him a fine young man.
I proudly wear his name."
"Then if you'll just leave this house carpenter,
Come and go along with me.
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the sweet Willy,
And pleasure we will see."
"Then if I do leave my house carpenter,
Come and go along with thee,
Just what have you got to maintain me on,
To keep me from poverty?
To keep me from penury?"
"Now seven ships on the ocean are sailing;
The eighth one brought me in.
I've a hundred and ten big nigger men,
And they'll come when you command.
They'll be under your command."
Then she picked up her sweet little baby,
And kisses gave it three.
Said, "Stay here at home with your father, my son,
And keep him company.
Oh, try to remember me."
Then she dressed herself in a scarlet dress;
Oh, she was beautiful to be seen.
She wrapped herself in a purple cloak;
She looked like a gypsy queen.
Oh, she looked like a gypsy queen.
Now they'd been out for about two weeks,
And I know it couldn't have been three,
And this little lady began to weep,
And she wept bitterly.
She wept most piteously.
"Oh, why do you weep, my love," he said,
"For gold, or silver, or store,
Or do you weep for the house carpenter
That we left on England's shore?
You'll see him nevermore."
"Oh, cursed be your gold," she cried,
"Twice cursed be your store.
I weep for my little son
That I left on England's shore.
Will I see him anymore?"
"Cheer up, cheer up, my love," he said.
"Cheer up, cheer up," said he,
"For as I live, you never will return.
I will keep you on the ocean with me,
And land you will never see."
Now, they'd sailed on for about three weeks;
I know it couldn't have been four.
The bottom of the ship sprang a leak,
And the ocean in did pour,
And the flames began to roar.
"Oh, cursed be a sailor's life.
Thrice cursed all men of the sea.
They're taking me from my house carpenter,
And now they're drowning me,
Or else they are burning me."
"And what are those hills, my love?" she said.
"They look as white as snow."
"Now that's the hills of Heaven, my pet,
Where your little son will go,
But Heaven we will never know."
"And what are those other hills?" she said.
"They look as black as night."
"Now that's just the hills of Hell, my pet,
Where you and I will unite,
Where you and I will unite."