Mathie Groves- Chandler (NC) 1964 Recording
[Several versions have been recorded from this area, including Cas Wallin's.]
OLD LOVE SONGS & BALLADS from the Big Laurel, North Carolina
1964 Folkways Records and Service Corp., 165 W 46th St. NYC USA
Recorded By Peter Gott
& John Cohen
Dillard Chandler, 55, raised in an old log cabin in the community of Sodom on Big Laurel Creek, now works in Asheville. Between jobs he usually turns up at Lee's [Lee Wallin's], where they sing and tell stories all night long. Lee Wallin, 75, lives way back in a "holler" over a rough, rocky road in a pole cabin. He has always been a favorite at local "frolics" and box suppers,
and still likes to frail the banjo and dance a Jig whenever there is an opportunity. Like nearly all mountain families, he raises what food his family eats and his only income is from a small crop of tobacco
During the singing of Dillard Chandlers ballads, especially at those moments in the narration which tell of the more intimate moments of affairs of love, Lee Wallin often interrupts with sounds expressing his humorous indignation at the 'taboo' ideas, as well as his enthusiasm for the action taken by the protaganists in the story. After Mathie Groves was finished, the men present
(Dillard, Lee Wallin, and his son Doug), bail some comment to make as to wbat they would have done if they had been in Mathie's situation. One said he have fought harder, another said he would have killed Lord Daniel, and the other said he
would have snuck out the back door.
MATHIE GROVES - Dillard Chandler (Child 81)
First come was dressed in red
The next come down was green ,
Well the next come down was Lord Daniel's wife
As fine as any queen, queen,
As fine as any queen.
Well she stepped up to little Mathie Grove
Go home with me tonight
I know very yell by the ring you wear
You are Lord Daniel's wife, wife,
You are Lord Daniel's wife.
It makes no difference who's wife I am
To you (or) no other man
Says my husband's away from home
He's in some distant land, land
He's in some distant land.
It's little Robert Port was a standing by
Hearing every word was said.
If I don't die before daylight
Lord Daniel shall hear this news, news
Lord Daniel shall hear this news.
He only had but fifteen mile to go
And ten of that he run
He run til he come to the broken down bridge
And he fell on his breast and he swum, swum,
And he fell on his breast and he swum.
He swum til he came to the green river shore
And he sprung on his feet and he run, run
And he sprung on his feet and he run.
He came to Lord Daniel' s halls
And he rattled his bells and rung, rung
And he rattled his bells and rung.
Oh what's the matter Little Robert Port
Oh what's the matter now.
It's another man in the bed with your own true lover
Gonna be some hugging done, done
Gonna be some hugging done.
He got him up a few good men
And he started out with a free good will.
He put his bugle to his mouth
And he blowed it loud and swill, swill,
And he blowed it loud and swill.
It's little Mathie Grove was a-lying awake
It's time for me to go
Says I hear your husband comng now
For I heared his bugle blow, blow
For I heared his bugle blow.
Lie down, lie down little Mathie Grove
Lie down and go to sleep
That's nothing but my father's shepherd
A-calling for his sheep, sheep,
A-calling for his sheep
So they both fell off to huggin' and kissin'
And they both fell off to sleep
Next morning when they woke up
Lord Daniel was at their bed feet, feet,
Lord Daniel was at their bed feet.
So how do like my pillow sir
Well how do you like my sheets?
Well how do you like my pretty fair miss
Who lies in your arms and sleeps, sleeps,
Who lies in your arms and sleeps?
Very well do I like your pillows sir
Much better do I like your sheets,
Much better do I like your pretty fair miss
Who lies in my arms and sleeps, sleeps,
Who lies in my arms and sleeps.
Get up, get up little Mathie Grove
Get up and put on your clothes.
I never want it to be said
A naked man I slew, slew,
A naked man I slew
So give me a chance, so give me a chance (it's) for my life,
It's there you stand with two glittering swords
And me not as much as a knife, knife
And me not as much as a knife.
It's I will give you the best I've got
And I will take the worst
I [You] will strike the very first lick,
And strike it like a man
I will strike the very next lick.
I'll kill you if I can, can,
I'll kill you if I can.
It's little Mathie Grove took the very first lick
He struck an awful blow
Lord Daniel struck the very next lick
And laid him on the floor, floor,
And laid him on the floor.
He took his little wman by the hand
He set her on his knee
Saying which one do you like the beat
Little Mathie Grove or me, me,
Little Mathie Grove or me?
Very well do I like your red rosy cheeks
Much better do I like your chin,
But I wouldn't give little Mathie Grove
For you and all your kin, kin,
For you and all your kin.
He took his little woman by the hand
He led her through the hall
He placed a special against ber head
Let her have a special ball, ball,
Let her have a special ball.