Bluegrass Messengers

Kind Madam- Frances Oxford (AR) 1951 Parler A

[Ozark Folk Song Collection; Reel 100, Item 3. Collected by Irene Carlisle and Mrs. Rachel Henry. Transcribed by Mary C. Parler.

R. Matteson 2017]


 Kind Madam -Sung Mrs. Frances Oxford of Spring Valley, Arkansas on March 9, 1951.

 Well, kind madam I have a fine house,
And also a beautiful yard;
And you may have it at your own command
Whenever you'll be my bride;
Whenever you'll be my bride.

Yes, kind sir, I know your fine ouse
And also your beautiful yard;
But who'll keep company with me at night
When you are playing cards?
While you are playing cards?

Well, kind madam, I have a fine horse,
He paces like a tide;
And you may have him at your own command
Whenever you'll be my wife;
Whenever you'll be my wife.

Yes, kind sir, I know your fine horse;
He stands in yandos barn;
His master loves to drink his dram;
I'm afraid the horse might learn.
I'm afraid the horse might learn.

Well, kind madam, I have a fine farm,
Some eighty acres wide;
And you may have it at your own command
Whenever you'll be my bride,
Whenever you'll be my bride.

Yes, kind sir, I know your fine farm;
It bears evil fruit;
If I come in and turn you out,
The hogs would have to root;
The hogs would have to root.

Well, kind madam, you're an aughtless[1] miss,
And a-mighty hard to please;
When you get old and shiver with the cold,
I hope to God you'll freeze,
I hope to God you'll freeze.

Yes, kind sir; I'm an aughtless miss,
And I'm mighty hard to please;
When I get old and shiver with the cold
You won't have me to please;
You won't have me to please.

 [we could set and sing; we used to set and sing..."][2]

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1. thoughtless?
2. This was an ending, but seems divorced from the song.