Mary Golden Tree- Stoton (KY) 1917 Sharp E
[From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians; Vol. 2, 1932. My title replacing the generic Golden Vanity-- could be "Merry Golden Tree" but I'll keep Sharp's text.
R. Matteson 2014]
Sharp's Notes No. 41. The Golden Vanity:
Texts without tunes: Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 286. A. Williams's Folk Songs of the Upper Thames, p. 199. Gavin Greig's Folk-Song of the North-East, ii, arts. 116 and 119. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 169 (see also further references). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxiii. 429; XXX. 330.
Texts with tunes:—Gavin Greig's Last Leaves, No. 101. Kidson's Garland of English Folk Songs, p. 72. Tozer's Fifty Sailors' Songs, p. 30. English Folk Songs (Selected Edition), I. 36 (also published in One Hundred English Folk-Songs, p. 36). Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, i. 238. English County Songs, p. 182. Songs of the West, 2nd ed., No. 64. Journal of the Folk-Song Society, I. 104; II. 244. Ford's Vagabond Songs of Scotland, p. 103. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xviii. 125. Wyman and Brockway's Lonesome Tunes, p. 72. British Ballads from Maine, p. 339. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 516 and 602. McGill's Folk Songs of the Kentucky Mountains, p. 97.
E. [Mary Golden Tree] Sung by Miss N. F. STOTON at Berea, Madison Co., Ky., May 29, 1917.
1. There was a lit tie ship and she sailed upon the sea,
And she went by the name of the Mary Golden Tree,
As she sailed upon the lone and the lonesome low,
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
2 There was another ship and she sailed upon the sea
And she went by the name of the Turkish Robberee,
As she sailed upon the lone, etc.
3 Up stepped a little sailor, unto his captain said:
O captain, O captain what will you give to me
If I'll sink them in the lone and the lonesome low,
If I'll sink them in the lonesome sea.
4 Ten thousand dollars I'll given unto thee,
And my oldest daughter I'll wedden' unto thee,
If you'll sink them in the lone, etc.
5 He bowed upon his breast and away swam he
Till he came to the ship of the Turkish Robberee,
As she sailed upon the lone, etc.
6 Then out of his pocket an instrument he drew,
And he bored nine holes for to let the water through,
As they sailed upon the lone, etc.
7 O some had hats and some had caps,
And they tried for to stop those awful water gaps,
For they're sinking in the lone, etc.
8 He bowed upon his breast and away swam he
Till he came to the ship of the Mary Golden Tree
As she sailed upon the lone, etc.
9 O captain, O captain, won't you take me on board?
O captain, O captain, be as good as your word,
For I've sank them in the low, etc.
10 O no, I will neither be as good as my word,
0 no, I will neither take you on board,
For I'm sailing on the lone, etc.
11 If it wasn't for the love of your daughter and your men,
1 would do unto you as I done unto them,
I would sink you in the lone, etc.
12 He turned on his back and down sank he.
Farewell, farewell to the Mary Golden Tree,
For I'm sinking in the lone and the lonesome low,
For I'm sinking in the lonesome sea.