Joseph Was A Young Man- Dunagan 1917 KY Sharp D
[My title. Single verse with music from English Folk Songs From The Southern Appalachians; collected by Cecil Sharp, Vol. 1; the 1932 edition published London: Oxford University Press / Humphrey Milford, 1932, Maud Karpeles, ed. Additional text from Sharp's MS, Bronson TTCB.
Concerning the Cherry Tree Carol versions, the note on page 415 states: The references to the birthday do not appear in the English texts. It is of interest that the date is given in the texts B and C as 'the fifth day of January', which according to 'Old Style' reckoning was the date of Christmas Day between the years 1752 and 1799. In 1751, when a change in the calendar had become expedient, eleven days were dropped out between September 2nd and 14th, 1752, thus making January 4th the date of Old Christmas Day. In 1800, another day was taken from the calendar, and in 1900 still another, so that Old Christmas Day now falls on January 7th. In Miss McGill's version [Folk Songs of the Kentucky Mountains] the date is given as the 6th of January.
Sharp C was collected from William Wooten, the same informant as McGill's (see above).
R. Matteson 2012; 2014]
[Joseph Was A Young Man]- Sung by Mrs. Margaret Dunagan at St. Helen's, Lee Co., Ky., Sept. 12, 1917 Sharp D
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
1. Joseph was a young man,
A young man were he;
He courted Virgin Mary,
Was the Queen of Galilee,
He courted Virgin Mary,
Was the Queen of Galilee.
2. Joseph and Mary
Was a-walking one day.
Here is apples; here is cherries,
Is enough to behold.
3. Mary spoke to Joseph
So heal and so mild:
Joseph, gather me some cherries,
For I am [with] child.[1]
4. Joseph flew in angry,
And angry he flew.
Let the father of the baby
Gather cherries for you.
5. The cherry tree bowed low down
And Christ he spoken,
Those words he did say,
Bow low, lowly down, cherry tree.
Bow low down to the ground.
Let the mother of the baby
Gather cherries for thee.
6. Cherry tree bowed low down,
Low, low down to the ground;
Mary gathered cherries
While Joseph stood around.
7. Joseph took Mary
All on his right knee,
A-crying: O Lord have mercy
On what have I done-
8. Joseph took Mary [2]
All on his left knee.
Pray tell me, little baby,
When your birthday will be.
9. At the sixteenth of January
My birthday will be,
When the stars that's in the elements
Were a-trembling with fear.
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1 originally "a" child
2. This version (as found in the Appalachian versions) is different than the English versions. Here, Joseph is putting Mary on his knee and is talking (although it's unclear) to baby Jesus in the womb. Standard English version appears:
When Mary took Jesus,
All on her right knee,