Oh Katie Dear- Carrie Ford (NC) 1916 Sharp C
[From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I, 1917 and 1932. Collected by Cecil J. Sharp including tunes contributed by Olive Dame Campbell; Karpeles; ed. The 1932 notes follow.
This version is similar to Wehman's broadside. One of a group of talented singers from Madison County area; see also A, B, and D.
R. Matteson 2016]
Texts without tunes:— Gavin Greig's Folk-Song of the North East, i, art. 54.Broadside (no imprint). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xx. 260; xxix. 200.Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 348 (see also further references).
Texts with tunes :—Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, i. 225. Journal of the Folk-Song Society; i. 269; iii. 78. Songs of the West, 2nd ed., No. 41. Folk Songs from Somerset, No. 99 (published also in English Folk Songs, Selected Edition, i. 72, and One Hundred English Folk-Songs, p. 106). Folk-Songs of England, v. 12.Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxv. 282 (tune only); xxx. 338 ; xxxv. 356. W. R. Mackenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs of Nova Scotia, No. 99. Sturgis and Hughes's Songs from the Hills of Vermont, p. 30.
C. [Oh Katie Dear] Awake! Awake! Sung by Mrs. CARRIE FORD at Black Mountain, N. C, Sept. 19, 1916
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
1. O Katie dear, go ask your father
If you may be a bride of mine;
If he says 'No,' please come and tell me;
And I'll no longer trouble you.
2 O Willie dear, it's no use to ask him.
He's in his room and taking his rest
By his side a golden dagger
To kill the one that I love best.
3 O Katie dear, go ask your mother
If you may be a bride of mine;
If she says No, please come and tell me;
And I'll no longer trouble you.
4 O Willie dear, it's no use to ask.
She's in her room and taking her rest
By her side a silver dagger
To kill the one that I love best.
5 O he picked up a silver dagger,
He pierced it through his wounded breast.
Farewell, Kitty[1], farewell, darling,
I'll die for the one that I love best.
6 She picked up the bloody weapon,
She pierced it through her snow-white breast.
Farewell, mamma, farewell papa,
I'll go with the one that I love best.
1. Katie