Little Musgrove- Forbes (JM) pre1924 Beckwith A, B
[From: "The English Ballad in Jamaica: A Note upon the Origin of the Ballad Form" by Martha W. Beckwith; PMLA, Vol. 39, No. 2 (Jun., 1924), pp. 455-483.
I am giving both of William Forbes versions here-- which are Little Musgrove Form 1 and Form 2. Form 1 was recited and sung and From 2 was sung.
These were collected stories and songs from the Jamaica negroes during the summer of 1919 and the winter of 1921 by Beckwith.
R. Matteson 2015]
1. LITTLE MUSGROVE (first form) (Recited and sung as a "Nasi story" by old William Forbes of Dry River near Maggotty.)
Little Musgrove did went to church
An' saw de lady gay,
An' de very first one his eye did spy
Was me lord Barnaby wife.
An de lady said,
"Come go home, my little Musgrove,
Home you wi' shall go,
For I got two bed in Banbrownbury
Dey both neat an' clean."
An' come go home, little Musgrove,
I give you one of your own.
An' Musgrove go home wid him. An' him said in de night,
Raise up, raise up, my gay lady, "
For I t'ink it is time to go.
De lady said, "Lie still, lie still, my little Musgrove,
To keep off de col' off of me.
Musgrove said,
I understand dat little Foot-speed
Can very well see and can hear,
For I t'ink I hear Lord Barnaby horn
Was blowing so loud and sweet.
The gay lady said,
Lie still, lie still, my little Musgrove,
For I t'ink my fader sharp horn
Was blowing over de flock.
An' fe a little time, Lord Barnaby an' all his soldiers come right in an' surroun' de yard. An' him said gwine to shove de door an' go inside an' see little Musgrove. An' said,
Raise up, raise up, my little Musgrove,
An' put on you clo'es, Musgrove,
For I won't 'low de worl' to got it to said
I kill a naked man.
An' turn to de woman an' said,
Raise up, raise up, my gay lady,
An' put on you clo'es, lady,
For I won't let dis worl' to have it to said
Dat I kill a naked woman.
2. LITTLE MUSGROVE (second form). (Sung into the phonograph by old Forbes and transcribed by Helen Roberts.)
1. Little Mus-grove did went to church
an' saw de young Lady so gay,
An' de very firs' one his eye did 'spize
was me Lord Barnaby wife.
Said "Come, go home, my Little Musgrove,
I'll gi'e yo' one ob yo' own,
Fo' I got two beds both nice an' clean,
I'll gi'e you one ob yo' own. [1] [in Brown berry?]
"An' come, go home, my little Mus-grove,
fo' home you we shall go."
Now raise up, raise up, my gay Lady,
I t'ink it's time to go,
Fo' I t'ink I heah Lord Barnaby horn,
was blowing so loud
an' lit - tle Mus-grove, an' put on yo' clo'es once mo',
So raise up, raise up, my little Mus-grove,
an' put on yo' clo'es once mo'.
I won' let de world[2] no body to said,
I kill a naked man,
I won' let de world nobody to said,
I kill a naked man."
"Now raise up, raise up, my gay Lady,
an' put on yo' clo'es once mo'.
Now raise up, raise up, my gay Lady,
an' put on yo' clo'es once mo'.
I won' let de wud[3] nobody to said,
I kill a naked woman.
I won' let de wud nobody to said,
I kill a naked woman."
1. Written in below is "?in Brown berry?" which is "I'll gi'e you one in Brown berry" which I assume is an alternative take or interpretation
2. sung "wud"
3. world