Oxford Girl- George Marshall (OK) 1960 Parler J
[Ozark Folk Song Collection- online; Reel 386; Item 2. Collected by Ellen G. Ledbetter for Parler.
Listen:
http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/2499/rec/16
R. Matteson 2106]
THE OXFORD GIRL - sung by George Marshall, of Poteau (Okla.) on 6-25-1960
T'was in the city of Oxford
Where I did live and dwell.
'Twas in the city of Nero
I owned a flour mill.
It was there I courted an Oxford girl
With dark and rolling eyes.
I kindly ask her to walk me
'Twas all to her surprise.
I kindly ask her to walk with me
Down by the river side.
We walked o'er hills and valleys
Till we came to level ground.
'Twas there I picked me up a fence stick
And knocked her to the ground[1].
She fell upon her bended knees
For mercy she did cry,
"Oh Johnny, my dear, don't murder me here
For I'm not prepared to die."
I paid no heed to her mournful cries,
But laid them on the more,
Until the ground was covered
Just covered all o'er in blood[2].
I took her by her yellow locks
I drew her o'er the ground
I threw her in the water
Which flowed thru Oxford town.
Lie there, Lie there you Oxford girl
Lie there until you drowned
Lie there, Lie there yon Oxford girl
To you I'll never be bound.
'Twas nine o'clock or after
When I reached my home that night
My mother sitting by the fireside
Got in a terrible fright.
Oh son, Oh son, what have you done
That bloodied your hands and clothes?
The only answer I gave her
I'd been bleeding at the nose.
I called for a candle to light me off to bed
Also a napkin to bind my aching head
Rolling and tumbling
no comfort could I see
With the flames of hell before me
and The Oxford girl behind.
'Twas ten o'clock next morning
When the Oxford girl was found
A-floating in the water
Which flows through Oxford town.
Her sister swore my life away
She swore without s doubt,
She swore that I was the very man
That tooken her sister's life[3].
So come all you young people
Take warning unto me.
Never murder your own true love,
For if you do it will bother you
Until the day you die.
And more than that they will hang you
On some big scaffold high.
1. There are a few uneven stanzas.
2. gore
3. sister out