My Tender Parents- T.R. Hammond (MO) 1958 Hunter B
[From Missouri State; Max Hunter Folk Song Collection; Cat. #0228 (MFH #670). Minor editing. Also in Ozark Collection see at bottom of this page.
Listen: https://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=228
R. Matteson 2016]
My Tender Parents Brought Me Up - As sung by Mr. T. R. Hammond, Osceola, Missouri on September 17, 1958. Sung by Mr. Hammond as he learned it from his mother.
VERSE 1
My tender parents brought me up
Provided for me well
And in the town of Village Town
They placed me in a mill.
VERSE 2
O, there I spied a pretty fair maid
With love and casting eye[1]
I promised her I'd marry her
But she believed I lied
VERSE 3
I went down to her sisters hall
At eight o'clock at night
O, little did she ever think
I owed her any spite.
VERSE 4
I asked her if she'd take a walk
With me a little way
And that we might have a talk
About our wedding day
VERSE 5
In hand and hand we walked along
Till we came to a silent place
I drew a stake from off the fence
And smote her in the face
VERSE 6
Down on her bended knees she fell,
Fer pity's sake she cried
For mercy's sake don't murder me
I'm not prepared to die
VERSE 7
I paid no attention to what she said
But laid it on the more
Till all of her innocent blood was shed
Which I could not restore
VERSE 8
I picked up her lifeless head
For to conceal my sin
I took her to the river side
And plunged her body in
VERSE 9
As I returned back to my mill
I met my servant John
What makes you look so pale and thin
What makes you look so wan.
VERSE 10
What is the cause of so much blood
Upon your hands and clothes
I very immediately did reply,
Was bleeding at my nose.
VERSE 11
I lit my candle and went to bed
I tried to take a rest
But it seemed as if the very hell
Was burning in my breast
VERSE 12
Her body was searched for many a day
Finally it was found
And her admits a stranger came
And on to her as bound.
VERSE 13
Come all young man from this song take warning
To your lover be true
And never let the devil get
The upper hand of you.
1. With love I cast my my eye,
____________________________________
Listen: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/4928/rec/12
Collected by Max Hunter (H-11) For Mary C. Parler, transcribed by Frances Majors. Reel 255-56, Item 19
My Tender Parents Brought Me Up- Sung by T. R. Hammond Osceola, Missouri September 17, 1958
My tender parents brought me up,
Provided for me well;
And in the town of Village Town,
They placed me in a mill.
Oh, there I spied a pretty fair maid,
With love and casting eye[1];
I promised her I'd marry her,
But she believed I lied.
I went down to her sister's hall
At eight o'clock at night;
Oh, little did she ever think
I owed her any spite.
I asked her if she'd take a walk
With me a little way;
And that we might have a talk
About our wedding day.
In hand and hand we walked along
Till we came to a silent place;
I drew a stake from off the fence
And smote her in the face.
Down on her bended knees she fell,
For pity's sake, she cried,
For mercy's sake don't murder me,
I'm not prepared to die.
I paid no attention to what she said,
But laid it on the more;
Till all of her innocent blood was shed,
Which I could not restore.
I picked up her lifeless head;
For to conceal my sin,
I took her to the river side
And plunged her body in.
As I returned back to my mill,
I met my servant John;
What makes you look so pale and thin?
What makes you look so wan?
What is the cause of so much blood
Upon your hands and clothes?
I very immediately did reply,
'Twas bleeding at my nose.
I lit my candle and went to bed;
I tried to take a rest;
But it seemed as if the very hell
Was burning in my breast.
Her body was searched for many a day;
Finally it was found;
And her admits a stranger came
And on to her as bound.
Come all young men, from this song take warning
To your lover be true;
And never let the devil
get the upper hand of you.