Little Matthy Groves- Griffin (NC) 1916 Sharp A
[From Sharp/Campbell English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I. Also in Sharp/Karpeles 1932, p. 161-182, versions A-Q. Notes from 1932 edition and notes from Sharp's diary follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
1932 Edition Notes: No. 23. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard.
Texts without tunes:— Child s English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 81. Reed Smith's South Carolina Ballads, p. 125. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 94. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxiii. 371; xxv. 182.
Texts with tunes:—Rimbault's Musical Illustrations of Percy's Reliques, p. 92. Chappel's Popular Music of the Olden Times, i. 170. MotherwelJ's Minstrelsy,
Appendix, tune No. 21. W. R. Mackenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs of Nova Scotia, No. 8. Wyman and Brockway's Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs, pp. 22 and 62. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxx. 309. British Ballads from Maine, p. 150. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 289 and 577.
Sharp diary 1916 page 249. Thursday 17 August 1917 - Big Laurel: To Mrs Tom Rice after breakfast where I got several more songs, one or two rather nice. After lunch Mrs Becky Griffin (daughter of Frizzly Bill) came & sang me some songs including Lord Barnard & Lady Musgrove. Weather terribly hot the hottest day I think that we have had in the mountains and that is saying something. What must New York be like?
Ho - ly Word to hear, hear, The Ho - ly Word to hear.
1. One day one day, one high holiday,
The very first day in the year,
Little Matthy Groves went to church,
The Holy Word to hear, hear,
The Holy Word to hear.
2 Lord Dannel's wife was standing by,
She cast her eye on him.
Go home with me, little Matthy Groves,
A wedded wife to be, be,
A wedded wife to be.
3 Hark, hark, hark, hark, said little Matthy Groves,
I cannot spare my life,
I know by the rings you wear on your fingers,
You are Lord Dannel's wife.
[&etc.]
4 It's if I am Lord Dannel's wife,
It is nothing to you.
Lord Dannel's gone to Kentucky
King Georgie for to view.
5 Rise, up, rise up, little Matthy Groves,
And men's clothing put on.
It never shall be said in the old Scotland
I slewed a naked man.
6 Hark, hark, hark, hark says little Matthy Groves
I cannot spare my life,
It's you have swords by your side
And I have ne'er a knife.
7 It's I've got swords by my side,
They cost me from my purse,
And you can have the very best
And I will have the worst.
8 The very first lick Lord Dannel struck,
He wound little Matthy deep;
And the very next lick Lord Dannel struck
Little Matthy fell at his feet.
9 He took his lady by the right hand,
He set her on his knee.
Tell to me which you love best,
Little Matthy Groves or me.
10 Very well I like your red rosy cheeks,
Very well I like your chin,
But better I like little Matthy Groves
Than Lord Dannel and all his kin.