Jimmy Randal- Trumpower (Ohio) 1927 Eddy D
[From Eddy's Ballads and Songs from Ohio, 1939, version D. First published in Dearborn Independent - Volume 27, Part 2 - Page 7, 1927.
From the 1927 article: "Mrs. Trumpower, who lives in the above-mentioned village, gave me the words of 'Jimmy Randal,' and I joined with her in regrets that I had not taken down the tune from the singing of her mother, an old lady who I remember seeing when I when I was a child."
R. Matteson 2014]
Jimmy Randal- Sung by Mrs. Martin Trumpower of Perrysville, Ohio; 1927, Eddy D .
1. "Oh, where have you been, Jimmy Randal my son,
Oh, where have you been,, my own true loving one?"
"Away cross country, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and would freely lie down."
2. "And who met you there, Jimmy Randal, my son,
And who met you there, my own true loving one?"
"I met with my true love, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and would freely lie down."
3. "And what had you for your supper, Jimmy Randal, my son,
And what had you for your supper, my own true loving one?"
"Fried eels and fresh butter, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and would freely lie down."
4. "Oh, I fear you are poisoned, Jimmy Randal, my son,
Oh, I fear you are poisoned, my own true loving one."
"Oh, yes, I am poisoned, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and would freely lie down."
5. "What do yu leave to your mother, Jimmy Randal, my son,
What do you leave to your mother, my own true loving one ?"'
"Four and twenty milk cows, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and would freely lie down.,'
6. "What do you leave to your sister, Jimmy Randal, my son,
What do you leave to your sister, my own true loving one?"
"My gold and my silver, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and would freely lie down."
7. "What do you leave to your brother, Jimmy Randal, my son,
what do you leave to your brother, my own true loving one?"
"My houses and my lands, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and would freely lie down."
8. "What do you leave to your true love, Jimmy Randal, my son,
what do you leave to your true love, my own true loving one?"
"The fire and the furnace, for to scorch her bones brown,
For she is the cause of my lying down."